When I met Mariam Raqib at her Boston office at Simmons College, where she teaches Political Science, she welcomed me in with a warm, calming presence. From her gentle demeanor, one would never anticipate the weight of Mariam life’s story nor the power of her life’s mission. When she speaks about her organization and her work in Eastern Afghanistan, though, she does so with great passion. Since Raqib founded Afghanistan Samsortya in 2008, the organization has established three tree nurseries in Eastern Afghanistan and tends 100,000 saplings. Once seedlings reach a state of maturity, they contribute them to the local communities. Fruit trees, in particular, provide a range of benefits to local households, she says. “In Afghanistan, every bit of fruit is consumed or enjoyed. If it’s not eaten, it’s dried and eaten later… Fig trees produce fruit for three seasons. You have ripe fruit and you have fruit that’s green, and it’s all on the same tree. They can be dried as well, so in the wintertime they can be transported easily.” Mulberries are another fruit enjoyed fresh or dried. In Eastern Afghanistan, it’s common to convene in a community courtyard of sorts, a shaded small orchard that also serves as a public space for anything from engaging in a political discussion to holding a marriage ceremony or funeral. The shade of the mulberry trees provides refuge from the elements, and villagers can keep their animals or livestock beneath the trees to escape the intense summer heat. In the New Year,…
President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan. Bowe Bergdahl was released. And Mariam Raqib arrived in Kabul on a return peace mission. This is a critical moment in the history of US-Afghan relations in many respects. Peace proves elusive. In a recent article for The Christian Science Monitor, Cathryn Prince interviewed Mariam Raqib, who left Afghanistan with her family as a child in the… [Read More]
Filed Under: Afghanistan Samsortya, Bergdahl, Mariam Raqib, President Obama, Reforestation, Wells College
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Today Swenson Book Development LLC is in New York City at the Jacob Javits Center attending Book Expo America 2014. The largest annual book trade show in the U.S., BEA provides booksellers with opportunities to network with colleagues, preview publishers’ upcoming titles, and discover new vendors. Programming includes a multitude of education and information sessions, as well as author breakfasts, lunches, and other special events. In… [Read More]
Tina Welling’s new book, Writing Wild: Forming a Creative Partnership with Nature, has just been released from New World Library. Tina Welling will be at Buffalo Street Books in Ithaca at 4PM on Saturday on May 31st. “Writing Wild is an impressive guide to feeling, seeing, thinking, and writing about the beauty, sadness, and wonder of life. Tina Welling has created a gift for us all.”… [Read More]
In the special part of my brain reserved for book related ephemera is a running list of my all-time favorite novels. I update the list quarterly in the event that I must spend the rest of my life on a remote island and will only be permitted ten books. So when this happens, I’ll be ready. I’ll shrug and say, “Sure, give me a minute…. [Read More]
Filed Under: Annie Lammott, Bird by Bird, book ephemera, Elmore Leonard, On Writing, Rules For Writing, Stephen King
How we spend our days is who we are. Or maybe it’s how we’d like to spend our days. And while some people measure their credibility with degrees, workshops and residencies, or publishing credits, here’s a list of my own criteria to help you decide if you’re a “real writer.” You feel naked without a notebook and pen. Worse, you find yourself isolated and scribbling… [Read More]