Last to Eat, Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women
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- Update Date：2025-09-06
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- Author：Pashtana Durrani
- ISBN：B0BHBNDPYR
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Summary
A Ms。 Magazine Pick for Most Anticipated Feminist Books of 2023“Pashtana’s story highlights the resourcefulness and bravery of young women in Afghanistan。 I hope readers will be inspired by her mission to give every girl the education she deserves and the opportunity to pursue her dreams。”—Malala Yousafzai In the spirit of I am Malala and Our House is On Fire by Greta Thunberg， this is the astonishing true story of the Malala Fund Education Champion Award-winner， founder of the NGO LEARN， and women’s education activist whose advocacy for the disappearing girls of rural Afghanistan has led to her being ruthlessly targeted by the Taliban。 Inspired by generations of her family’s unwavering belief in the power of education， Pashtana Durrani recognized her calling early in to educate Afghanistan’s girls and young women， raised in a society where learning is forbidden。 In a country devastated by war and violence， where girls are often married off before reaching their teenage years and prohibited from leaving their homes， heeding that call seemed both impossible and dangerous。 Pashtana was raised in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan where her father， a tribal leader， founded a community school for girls within their home。 Fueled by his insistence that despite being a girl， she mattered and deserved an education， Pashtana was sixteen when， against impossible odds， she was granted a path out of the refugee admittance to a preparatory program at Oxford。 Unthinkably and to her parents’ horror， she chose a different path。 She chose Afghanistan。 Pashtana founded the nonprofit LEARN and developed a program for getting educational materials directly into the hands of girls in remote areas of the country， training teachers in digital literacy。 Her commitment to education has made her a target of the Taliban。 Still， she continues to fight for women’s education and autonomy in Afghanistan and beyond。 Courageous and inspiring， Last to Eat， Last to Learn is the story of how just one person can transform a family， a tribe， a country。 It reminds us of the emancipatory power of learning and the transformational potential that lies within each of us。
Reviews
Sylvia
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"Last to Eat， Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women" by Pashtana Durrani， with Tamara Bralo， is a powerful and poignant memoir that offers a deeply personal look into the struggles and triumphs of advocating for women's education in Afghanistan。 Pashtana Durrani， a relentless advocate for female education， shares her journey with raw honesty and courage， painting a vivid picture of the challenges faced by women and girls in a country torn by conflict and oppressive regi "Last to Eat， Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women" by Pashtana Durrani， with Tamara Bralo， is a powerful and poignant memoir that offers a deeply personal look into the struggles and triumphs of advocating for women's education in Afghanistan。 Pashtana Durrani， a relentless advocate for female education， shares her journey with raw honesty and courage， painting a vivid picture of the challenges faced by women and girls in a country torn by conflict and oppressive regimes。Durrani's narrative is both inspiring and heart-wrenching， providing insight into the resilience and determination required to pursue the cause of education in the face of overwhelming obstacles。 Her story is a testament to the transformative power of education and the impact that one individual's unwavering commitment can have on their community and beyond。 Through her eyes， readers gain a nuanced understanding of the cultural and political complexities of Afghanistan， especially regarding gender roles and education。Co-author Tamara Bralo plays a crucial role in bringing Durrani's experiences to a broader audience， skillfully weaving together Durrani's personal reflections with broader socio-political context。 The collaboration between Durrani and Bralo ensures that the narrative remains accessible without diminishing the gravity of the issues discussed。 Their partnership enables the book to resonate with a wide range of readers， from those familiar with the plight of Afghan women to those new to the subject。"Last to Eat， Last to Learn" does more than just recount Durrani's life story; it serves as a call to action， highlighting the urgent need for support and solidarity with women fighting for their rights and education worldwide。 The memoir is not only a personal account but also a critical commentary on the international community's role in advocating for and supporting women's education in conflict zones。The book's title itself encapsulates the core message: in many societies， women and girls are often the last to receive resources and opportunities， including education。 Durrani's work challenges this status quo， advocating for a world where women are given the priority they deserve in all aspects of life， including learning。In conclusion， "Last to Eat， Last to Learn: My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women" is an essential read that sheds light on the courage and perseverance of women in Afghanistan。 Pashtana Durrani's story is a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for women's rights and education in the face of adversity。 It is a moving tribute to the spirit of Afghan women and a compelling call for global awareness and action。 。。。more
Louise Foerster
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I was floored by the courage， ingenuity， and huge-hearted action taken by Pashtana Durrani in LAST TO EAT， LAST TO LEARN in securing education for women in Afghanistan。 Offered the rare opportunity to leave Afghanistan for advanced studies， Durrani chose instead to remain in her repressive， controlling culture to work for other women to be given the same chance to study， to learn， to think for themselves as she was given by her loving father。 I was inspired， taken aback， and roused to cheering t I was floored by the courage， ingenuity， and huge-hearted action taken by Pashtana Durrani in LAST TO EAT， LAST TO LEARN in securing education for women in Afghanistan。 Offered the rare opportunity to leave Afghanistan for advanced studies， Durrani chose instead to remain in her repressive， controlling culture to work for other women to be given the same chance to study， to learn， to think for themselves as she was given by her loving father。 I was inspired， taken aback， and roused to cheering the incredible journey undertaken by a young woman with a passion for education and leadership in her country。 This book might well be under consideration for high school students taking for granted the hard-won victories of Durrani in securing learning for women。 I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own， unbiased opinions。 。。。more
Kristine
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Looking forward to starting this one。 It sounds quite inspirational and incredible how this author decides to give girls a chance at an education as she did。 We need more strong women role models for young girls in areas where their education is often seen as unimportant。
pickfordm
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This is an amazing story and the author herself is inspiring。 At times I wasn’t as gripped as I’d expected， but overall I found this book to be interesting and moving。 As a US citizen， it was informative to read the role our country has played in Afghanistan， both good and bad。 I’m glad the author has moved forward with her mission to educate the young women of Afghanistan， and hope she continues to succeed
esme
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Well written about how Pashtana wants to educate and provide women in Afghanistan which always concluded as people who "Last to Eat， Last to Learn"。 Many sacrifices she made and gone through。 I think one of them that brought me into liking this book is the way she wrote her emotions so 'raw'。 Also， as a person living in a third world country， I can somehow relate to the situation， although the situation I experienced is nothing compared to what Pashtana's has had experienced。 Well written about how Pashtana wants to educate and provide women in Afghanistan which always concluded as people who "Last to Eat， Last to Learn"。 Many sacrifices she made and gone through。 I think one of them that brought me into liking this book is the way she wrote her emotions so 'raw'。 Also， as a person living in a third world country， I can somehow relate to the situation， although the situation I experienced is nothing compared to what Pashtana's has had experienced。 。。。more
Jeanne King
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Inspiring！ Glad I won this on a Goodreads Giveaway！
Luis Cuesta
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I received this book as a Goodrfeads giveaway。 Pashtana Durrani's memoi weaves its narrative through the conflict， societal norms， hierarchy， and powerful tribal system that characterizes Afghanistan while She is striving to provide education to the girls and young women of her country。 Raised in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan， she was secretly educated by her parents who believed that the only way out of the camp was education。 Witness to war， hunger， and many other hardships， Pashtana defi I received this book as a Goodrfeads giveaway。 Pashtana Durrani's memoi weaves its narrative through the conflict， societal norms， hierarchy， and powerful tribal system that characterizes Afghanistan while She is striving to provide education to the girls and young women of her country。 Raised in an Afghan refugee camp in Pakistan， she was secretly educated by her parents who believed that the only way out of the camp was education。 Witness to war， hunger， and many other hardships， Pashtana defied all odds， including attempts on her life， to become an Amnesty International Global Youth Ambassador， a United Nations Youth Envoy， and a successful tribal leader。 The aspect of her memoir that I like the most is how Durrani reintroduces the legacy of her predecessors， determined to put women of the region into a historical context and to resurrect a period that lost its way in the crisis。 。。。more
Ishieta Chopra
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A girl + a part of the world that we do not know much about + education as liberation in its simplest form + a supportive father and a family united。。。。 in a nutshell a heart touching story of a young person going against the odds， against a personal future that was set up for success， and instead taking a path to make a difference to so many lives。 When I read such books it really makes me think about how I， and how each of us， is really creating an impact in our spaces。 It was a good read， it A girl + a part of the world that we do not know much about + education as liberation in its simplest form + a supportive father and a family united。。。。 in a nutshell a heart touching story of a young person going against the odds， against a personal future that was set up for success， and instead taking a path to make a difference to so many lives。 When I read such books it really makes me think about how I， and how each of us， is really creating an impact in our spaces。 It was a good read， it is well written and relatable。 。。。more
（a）lyss（a）
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I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。This is an interesting autobiography of Pashtana Durrani and her experience bringing education to women across Afghanistan。 She shares her own life and experience with education and why education is important to her。 She talks about the role her father played in her educational life and how he helped bring similar experiences to other women and girls。 The book ends a bit abruptly which I didn't expect， but overall I received a copy of this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review。This is an interesting autobiography of Pashtana Durrani and her experience bringing education to women across Afghanistan。 She shares her own life and experience with education and why education is important to her。 She talks about the role her father played in her educational life and how he helped bring similar experiences to other women and girls。 The book ends a bit abruptly which I didn't expect， but overall it's an informative and captivating read。 。。。more
LeeAnn
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More than anything， this memoir is the story of a daughter， her parents， and the people she comes to。value most。 Sometimes doing the right thing hurts。 Sometimes becoming the person you are meant to be hurts。 And sometimes， listening to your ancestors makes you strong enough to pursue the difficult path。"I imagined my father saying with a smile， "See？ I told you。 All it takes is one woman and you can trun things around。'" More than anything， this memoir is the story of a daughter， her parents， and the people she comes to。value most。 Sometimes doing the right thing hurts。 Sometimes becoming the person you are meant to be hurts。 And sometimes， listening to your ancestors makes you strong enough to pursue the difficult path。"I imagined my father saying with a smile， "See？ I told you。 All it takes is one woman and you can trun things around。'" 。。。more
Clare O'Beara
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This is an insider's view of the Afghanistan and Pakistan border， by a third generation refugee girl， who found Pakistanis called her an Afghani and Afghan people called her Pakistani。 Also because she was from a tribal family， city people looked down on her anyway。 The real hero comes across as being her father， a big-hearted man of means who happened to have girl children before a boy， and so gave his time and resources to the growing girls。 He showed the author how to meet the people in his t This is an insider's view of the Afghanistan and Pakistan border， by a third generation refugee girl， who found Pakistanis called her an Afghani and Afghan people called her Pakistani。 Also because she was from a tribal family， city people looked down on her anyway。 The real hero comes across as being her father， a big-hearted man of means who happened to have girl children before a boy， and so gave his time and resources to the growing girls。 He showed the author how to meet the people in his tribe and care about their problems， speak up for them and help them。 Having been educated at home and schools， the author found it hard to explain to patriarchs why they would be interested in educating girls and women。 The obvious answers to give - that women run the home and it's safer if they can read， plus they will educate both boys and girls at home - took her three months to find。 With some unusual choices， and heart-stopping moments - a bomb， deaths， the regular sound of gunfire in Kabul， sitting on a still plane for six hours waiting to get out of the country - the author fought bureaucracy and endemic corruption to bring education to girls in their homes。 She's brave and determined， and while I hadn't heard of her， I don't use facebook or twitter so others probably have。 The story is well written and highly readable。 NGOs should read this book and learn the lessons exposed。 For instance， stop funding school building when the locals blow up the buildings and girls are not allowed to go outdoors anyway。 Distribute pre-loaded solar powered tablets。 Great solution。 I read this e-ARC book from Net Galley。 This is an unbiased review。 。。。more
Nuzhat Nisar
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What initially attracted me to this book- Last to Eat， Last to Learn， My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women is the title。 But it is so much more than that， it is about the courage and struggles of Afghan women， a never-failing， never-ending struggle to find their path， the significance of education， the value of educators， the resonating impact of community， and the resilience of the human spirit。 I am glad I picked it up。 I recommend everyone to read this book。
Risha Lilienthal
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Just finished reading this Goodreads giveaway！ #LastToEatLastToLearn by Pashtana Durrani is a thought-provoking read。 A contemporary telling of the author's life - her struggles and achievements - in the Middle East。 It's easy to forget the limitations on freedoms that are given so easily to most of us in the United States。 Pashtana Durrani writes in such a way that it is simple enough to understand or grasp the political and social events going on in her life， yet also colorful enough to paint Just finished reading this Goodreads giveaway！ #LastToEatLastToLearn by Pashtana Durrani is a thought-provoking read。 A contemporary telling of the author's life - her struggles and achievements - in the Middle East。 It's easy to forget the limitations on freedoms that are given so easily to most of us in the United States。 Pashtana Durrani writes in such a way that it is simple enough to understand or grasp the political and social events going on in her life， yet also colorful enough to paint pictures and hold interest throughout the story。 Events not even three years old are described！ Coming March of 2024 - be on the lookout！ A good read！ #BetweenTheChapters 。。。more
Desiree Trott
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I read this book for free thanks to NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback。 As a teacher and mother， I am passionate about children's access to a fair and equitable education。 However， the children in my life have never suffered from lack of education support as detailed in this beautifully written memoir。I pray that someday， all children regardless of gender， race， faith or country have access to an excellent and free education。Thank you for your memories。 I hope you may return home somed I read this book for free thanks to NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback。 As a teacher and mother， I am passionate about children's access to a fair and equitable education。 However， the children in my life have never suffered from lack of education support as detailed in this beautifully written memoir。I pray that someday， all children regardless of gender， race， faith or country have access to an excellent and free education。Thank you for your memories。 I hope you may return home someday。 。。。more
Chelsea Pittman
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I was immediately impressed by Pashtuna Durrani’s motivation and drive。 She saw cracks in her environment and she made it her mission to fill them bit by bit。 She sacrificed her own future and life to help others。 This book really helps you realize how fortunate you are as an American citizen。 We can bash the government publicly as much as we want with no punishment。 As a girl and woman， I had almost everything at my fingertips。 I love that she had parents who supported her and made her who she I was immediately impressed by Pashtuna Durrani’s motivation and drive。 She saw cracks in her environment and she made it her mission to fill them bit by bit。 She sacrificed her own future and life to help others。 This book really helps you realize how fortunate you are as an American citizen。 We can bash the government publicly as much as we want with no punishment。 As a girl and woman， I had almost everything at my fingertips。 I love that she had parents who supported her and made her who she is， even if they regretted how bold she became at times。 Obviously check out Malala’s book if you are interesting in reading something similar to this。 I think this would be a great book for young girls to read and see they can go against the standards the world sets for us。 Thank you to NetGalley， Pashtana Durani， Tamara Bralo， and Kensington Books for the opportunity to read Last to Eat， Last to Learn。 I have written this review voluntarily。 。。。more
Alanna
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When women are educated it helps the whole village。 This is an idea that has unfortunately been lost in some parts of the world， specifically Afghanistan under the Taliban rule。 I really enjoyed reading this book which shows how women are expected to survive on the crumbs that are left when the men are done。 This isn't just in relation to food but also to education and learning。 Pashtana is a strong woman who was lucky enough to have a father who thought enough of her to make sure that she recei When women are educated it helps the whole village。 This is an idea that has unfortunately been lost in some parts of the world， specifically Afghanistan under the Taliban rule。 I really enjoyed reading this book which shows how women are expected to survive on the crumbs that are left when the men are done。 This isn't just in relation to food but also to education and learning。 Pashtana is a strong woman who was lucky enough to have a father who thought enough of her to make sure that she received an education and then supported her in her dreams of bringing more education to the girls of Afghanistan。 Her struggles to set up her NGO and then show the men in the villages why educating women is important are well documented in this book。 I especially found her story of hiding from and escaping from the Taliban forces as they retook control of the country as the Allied forces pulled out to be both gripping and insightful。 I was aware of the struggles of many of the Afghans who had supported the Americans and other forces but to read a first-hand experience was especially impactful。 I think it is really important that we read and understand these first-hand stories。 The fact that she fought so hard and gave so much of herself to advocate for girls to be given proper education， and then had to run away from the country she loves and wanted to see flourish is heartbreaking。 Her story is not over， and neither is the story of the nation of Afghanistan， hopefully， one day there will be a follow-up to this story that will tell of Pashtana returning to her country and find its girls have been given the opportunity to learn and grow and support their communities。This book and its story was well-written and absorbing， and really showed the struggles of the people in all areas of the Afghan country and I would recommend it to my audience。I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley。 All opinions are my own。 。。。more
Linda Hartlaub
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Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway。Pashtani Durrani is the founder and head LEARN， an NGO dedicated to furthering education for the girls and young women of Afghanistan。 In this book， the author describes life in Afghanistan as it is dictated for women。 Against the customs of the times， her family and especially her father stressed the importance of education for his children。 As refugees in Pakistan， it was difficult to find schooling for them so her father started a Disclaimer: I received this book through a Goodreads giveaway。Pashtani Durrani is the founder and head LEARN， an NGO dedicated to furthering education for the girls and young women of Afghanistan。 In this book， the author describes life in Afghanistan as it is dictated for women。 Against the customs of the times， her family and especially her father stressed the importance of education for his children。 As refugees in Pakistan， it was difficult to find schooling for them so her father started a school of his own， specifically for girls。 All members of the family were integral to the success and teaching in the school， even little Pashtana who would return from her English classes and turn around to teach others。 She was not particularly thrilled with this arrangement， or with the idea of school itself， until one of her classmates failed to show up for school even though she was a star student。 Upon investigation， it was discovered that she was married off because her family was too poor to continue to feed her。 She was nine。 Not nineteen。 NINE。 Through the book， the author describes her life growing up in the refugee camp， her return to Afghanistan to intern for companies in Kabul， her acceptance to the American University there， and continues to the Taliban takeover after the US withdrawal from the country。 I applaud the author's determination and drive to help her girls， but as a mother， I understood her mother's angst when Ms。 Durrani was embarking on her often dangerous journeys。 The biggest takeaway from the book is how fortunate those of us in the Western world are to have the freedoms that we do。 Even though there are many who would deny us the right to learn what we want， read what we want and have autonomy of our bodies， we are still in a better place than so many in the rest of the world and we need to learn to treasure our freedoms。 We also need to VOTE in order to preserve these rights or we could follow other countries down the dark well of wishing we had the ability to attend school。 This is an eye-opening book that everyone should read。 。。。more
Claudia
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This is a fascinating autobiography。 The author outlined her experiences in a world most Americans will never fully comprehend。 In my opinion， she described her circumstances very clearly and I was able to appreciate the difficulty of life for women in Afghanistan。 I found the narrative very engaging and emotional。I would recommend this book to anyone interested in women's rights， Middle Eastern studies， and education。 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased This is a fascinating autobiography。 The author outlined her experiences in a world most Americans will never fully comprehend。 In my opinion， she described her circumstances very clearly and I was able to appreciate the difficulty of life for women in Afghanistan。 I found the narrative very engaging and emotional。I would recommend this book to anyone interested in women's rights， Middle Eastern studies， and education。 Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review。 。。。more
Mary
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Thank you， NetGalley and Kensington Books， for the advanced copy of "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" for review consideration。 All opinions are my own。 "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" brings the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan to life。 Ms。 Durrani's passion， determination， and confidence are truly inspiring。 There are no words for how touching it was to read about her relationship with her father and how he elevated her - no matter what anyone else said。 It is obvious that his complete faith in his Thank you， NetGalley and Kensington Books， for the advanced copy of "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" for review consideration。 All opinions are my own。 "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" brings the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan to life。 Ms。 Durrani's passion， determination， and confidence are truly inspiring。 There are no words for how touching it was to read about her relationship with her father and how he elevated her - no matter what anyone else said。 It is obvious that his complete faith in his daughter is what gave her such passion， determination， and confidence。 After reading about the founding of Ms。 Durrani's NGO， LEARN， I look forward to following up on how this innovative organization grows。 "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" should have a place of honor in every US school library， and LEARN's tablets would be incredible tools to help educate American students in overpopulated and rural schools that lack broadband access。 According to a recent FCC Report， "22。3 percent of Americans in rural areas and 27。7 percent of Americans in Tribal lands lack coverage from fixed terrestrial 25/3 Mbps broadband。" Much can be learned from Ms。 Durrani and Ms。 Bralo， not only about Afghanistan， Pakistan， and Islam， but also how we could potentially increase educational opportunities in portions of the US。 I highly recommend "Last to Eat， Last to Learn。" 。。。more
Arya
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In the war-ravaged Afghanistan where women， under the 'new improved ' Taliban rule， stripped of all human rights – their work， visibility， opportunity for education， voice， healthcare， and mobility live in the most inhuman conditions， Pashtana Durrani， daughter of a well respected Afghan tribal chief and Amnesty International Global Youth Ambassador， fights against all odds to help the illiterate girls。 Last to Eat， Last to Learn - My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women is an upcoming In the war-ravaged Afghanistan where women， under the 'new improved ' Taliban rule， stripped of all human rights – their work， visibility， opportunity for education， voice， healthcare， and mobility live in the most inhuman conditions， Pashtana Durrani， daughter of a well respected Afghan tribal chief and Amnesty International Global Youth Ambassador， fights against all odds to help the illiterate girls。 Last to Eat， Last to Learn - My Life in Afghanistan Fighting to Educate Women is an upcoming book in which Pashtana Durrani， a girls' education activist and the Founder and Executive Director of LEARN Afghan （an NGO delivering much-needed literacy and education to Afghan girls via covert community schools， online medium， etc。） portrays her struggles and hardships she faced while setting -up her dream project to educate girls in Afghanistan， her homeland。I received an advance online copy via NetGalley （expected publication time February 2024）。This read is Touching。 It is intense， emotional， eye-opening and makes one think about one's blessings in life。 The book starts with the childhood of the author in Pakistan as an Afghan tribal refugee。 The struggles she faced as an outsider， of being a girl in a pro-male community， of being a tribal， etc。， make us deeply emotional。 From an early age， she witnessed the cruel and underprivileged condition of women especially， those related to education， and all of these paved the way leading to the formation of her dream NGO。 As the daughter of an educated great tribal leader who understood the importance and power of education， one could say she was privileged。 Pashtana exploited her privilege to help those underprivileged girls around her no matter what。 In a community where girls were considered lower than animals， Pashtana's father ran a school within his home for girls and she took this 'family business' （in the book， she says， "Educating girls was our family business" which melted my heart to no ends） to a whole another level becoming a name of hope for hundreds and thousands of hapless Afghan girls。The book starts with one of the most touching， intense， and hard decisions Pashtana took in her life: the decision not to go to the preparatory program of Oxford， one of the golden tickets out of the unpredictable life her community was leading in Afghanistan and Pakistan。 She felt that she needed to be in the community， in the presence of those poor girls to be able to do something helpful。 All of us can agree that not many people will be able to make such a momentous decision and turn their lives upside down。 It is this fact， this courage to fight headlong， that made me a fan of this prodigious young woman。Her never-ending tries to forge a way forward， the ingenious idea of the tablets in education， bravery even in the face of immediate death， and the profound love and support of her family aiding and abetting her in each step towards achieving her dream for her homeland; all of these makes us proud that love for fellow-beings is still a facade of humanity。The book covers the atmosphere in Afghanistan between the period of 2016- 2021 when once again Afghanistan fell under Taliban rule。 The conditions of tribal population in Afghanistan， the anti-tribal attitude of the pre-Taliban government， the government's western-oriented approaches in education that were not helping the population， neglect of rural areas， how the government is looting money in the name of non-existent education， and many such crucial issues are described in detail in this small but matter-of-fact book。Written in a simple style， in heartfelt language， this profoundly inspiring autobiography will not disappoint the reader at all。Last but not least， the title of the book。 The words ‘Last to Eat， Last to Learn’ are the exact condition of women， not only in Afghanistan but in many such countries where fundamentalist governments rule。 The title itself is enough to make one sit and think hard about the condition of women in our ‘ultra-modern liberal’ world。 This will surely be an eye-opener for those who take education for granted。 Without a doubt， I will refer this to all those teachers and students out there。 I will not be surprised if her book becomes a part of a school curriculum somewhere in the future。Thank you Kensington Books， Citadel， and NetGalley for an advance copy of this wonderful autobiography。 。。。more
Regina Mastrogiacomo
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What an amazing young woman Pashtana Durrani is， she not only succeeded in helping women in Afghanistan get an education but when everyone else said it was impossible， she found a way。 I thoughly love reading this book and following Pashtana in her quest to help others get education。 As Miss Durrani leads us through her life， I find a heartwarming family that embrace love and education for everyone and that kindness and helping others was their goal。 After Pashtana Durrani described the risk and What an amazing young woman Pashtana Durrani is， she not only succeeded in helping women in Afghanistan get an education but when everyone else said it was impossible， she found a way。 I thoughly love reading this book and following Pashtana in her quest to help others get education。 As Miss Durrani leads us through her life， I find a heartwarming family that embrace love and education for everyone and that kindness and helping others was their goal。 After Pashtana Durrani described the risk and strength her father had not only in his own life but in helping others， it made me wish that he would have lived long enough to watch his daughter succeed， but I think he still did。 I also think that what she learn from her family was perseverance and doing whatever it takes to succeed， good for her。 However， I was a little on her mother side when she didn't go to Oxford for an education， thinking that staying in Afghanistan would help her be closer to the women she wanted to help。 I wondered the connections she would have made if she went to Oxford and if it would have made her mission more successful and not so hard。 I liked how she took us on her journey from the refugee camps to parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan and what she had to do to complete her education and find a way to start her mission in life。， it is very colorful and descriptive。 I was very impressed when the elders of her tribe chose her to succeed her father as elder until her brother came of age， and it must have given her a wonderful feeling。I can go on and on about this wonderful young woman but then you wouldn't read the book and you should definitely read this book。 I hope she will write more books on what she is doing now and what her plans are going to be for the future， because I think it will be just as amazing。I want to thank Kensington Books， Citadel and NetGalley for an advance copy of this wonderful autobiography。 。。。more
Lori
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I received a copy of "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" from NetGalley。 Pashtana Durrani， the author of this book。 Was Born in Afghanistan for part of her childhood she lived there before her family had to move to Pakistan。 She writes of what is it like to be girl growing up in Pakistan and Afghanistan。 Girls do not have the same rights as boys。 Her father had high status and backed up girls having a right to an education。 Pashtana knew the importance of an education for girls。 She fought hard for gir I received a copy of "Last to Eat， Last to Learn" from NetGalley。 Pashtana Durrani， the author of this book。 Was Born in Afghanistan for part of her childhood she lived there before her family had to move to Pakistan。 She writes of what is it like to be girl growing up in Pakistan and Afghanistan。 Girls do not have the same rights as boys。 Her father had high status and backed up girls having a right to an education。 Pashtana knew the importance of an education for girls。 She fought hard for girls to get an education。 she faces the tragedy of loosing her father to Covid and shortly after the Taliban forced their way back into power which made it more impossible for females to get an education let alone have any power。 She writes a very honest and hard to read book about her struggles to have her voice and to also get more education for herself where she tries leave her country。 I was very impressed by her perserverance to try and get an education for girls。 A good interesting read that has me want to know more about her and the years into the future。 。。。more
Courtney Wilson
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We all know that the news doesn’t tell the whole story， but the story told by this third-generation Afghan refugee is eye-opening。 She fights with fierce determination against threat from both her family and the Taliban to bring education to the ones most forgotten in the country she loves so much。 “You don’t make history simpler by ignoring parts of the population who don’t fit into the narrative。”“You can rage， and you should， over child labor， but if you condition education on attendance on y We all know that the news doesn’t tell the whole story， but the story told by this third-generation Afghan refugee is eye-opening。 She fights with fierce determination against threat from both her family and the Taliban to bring education to the ones most forgotten in the country she loves so much。 “You don’t make history simpler by ignoring parts of the population who don’t fit into the narrative。”“You can rage， and you should， over child labor， but if you condition education on attendance on your terms， you’re simply excluding children that need it the most。”“Afghanistan was a child of a bitter divorce of cultures， a battlefield where someone else’s principles were printed on the banners of the fighting armies。 We lost ourselves。”The writing style wasn’t my favorite and she sometimes over- or under-explained things。 But the story and her intense desire to continue fighting for Afghanistan made me keep reading until the very end。 。。。more
Jill Dobbe
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Pashtana Durrani's indomitable spirit and ferocity come alive in the pages of Last to Eat， Last to Learn。 She writes about her life's mission， to open schools and teach Afghan girls while having to receive permission from warlords， tribesmen， and Taliban members。 Despite the Taliban's crusade to keep all women down， Durrani continued her mission。 A truly incredible and inspiring story that reminds us of the importance of education and how much we take it for granted in the U。S。 Thank you to Netg Pashtana Durrani's indomitable spirit and ferocity come alive in the pages of Last to Eat， Last to Learn。 She writes about her life's mission， to open schools and teach Afghan girls while having to receive permission from warlords， tribesmen， and Taliban members。 Despite the Taliban's crusade to keep all women down， Durrani continued her mission。 A truly incredible and inspiring story that reminds us of the importance of education and how much we take it for granted in the U。S。 Thank you to Netgalley， Durrani， and publisher for this ARC。 。。。more
Johnny Wimmer
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This book， "Last to Eat， Last to Learn"， was a strong subject for me。 I had always thought that the warriors lacked a good education。 This book explains that it's not just the warriors that need to learn， but their women as well。If I had a daughter， I would tell her the same， better to educate。 There is so much conflict in the Middle East， women live with fear。 This book further explains why the fear。。。。and a possible solution to the problem， learning。 This is highly recommended This book， "Last to Eat， Last to Learn"， was a strong subject for me。 I had always thought that the warriors lacked a good education。 This book explains that it's not just the warriors that need to learn， but their women as well。If I had a daughter， I would tell her the same， better to educate。 There is so much conflict in the Middle East， women live with fear。 This book further explains why the fear。。。。and a possible solution to the problem， learning。 This is highly recommended 。。。more
Alexandra
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Oh my goodness， I just finished this book and am in complete awe of Pashtana Durrani。 She is a true hero and inspiration for Afghanistan， education and women everywhere。Durrani Afghanistan。 She includes narratives about living in a war torn country and being a refugee， but despite these setbacks she continues to strive for the greater good。 We have always heard about the war and ongoing troubles in Afghanistan but they continued for so long we perhaps became immune to the human rights violations Oh my goodness， I just finished this book and am in complete awe of Pashtana Durrani。 She is a true hero and inspiration for Afghanistan， education and women everywhere。Durrani Afghanistan。 She includes narratives about living in a war torn country and being a refugee， but despite these setbacks she continues to strive for the greater good。 We have always heard about the war and ongoing troubles in Afghanistan but they continued for so long we perhaps became immune to the human rights violations。 It's horrible to think of people suffering so in this day and age。I hope that Durrani will write another book to let us all know how she did when she came to the US， and what she has done since。Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more
Penny
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An eye opening account of one woman’s grit and determination to better the circumstances for women in her country。 You can’t help but root for Pashtana as she fights with such passion。 I am praying she will release another book in the future about her time at Wellesley and how the future pans out for her。
Lily
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In Last to Eat， Last to Learn， Pashtana Durrani brings the reader to Pakistan and Afghanistan in her autobiography。 Focusing on her life as a refugee in Pakistan and her return to Afghanistan as a NGO organizer to educate girls in rural Afghanistan。 Durrani is honest about her struggles growing up and starting her NGO LEARN in Kabul。 Durrani also emphasizes her learning experiences and the emotional highs of her life thus far， and she provides a detailed perspective about her life and her activi In Last to Eat， Last to Learn， Pashtana Durrani brings the reader to Pakistan and Afghanistan in her autobiography。 Focusing on her life as a refugee in Pakistan and her return to Afghanistan as a NGO organizer to educate girls in rural Afghanistan。 Durrani is honest about her struggles growing up and starting her NGO LEARN in Kabul。 Durrani also emphasizes her learning experiences and the emotional highs of her life thus far， and she provides a detailed perspective about her life and her activism。 Durrani’s language is powerful， vivid， and thought-provoking， and she does not shy away from the hard topics surrounding Afghan women， their education， and the political situation in the region。 Durrani， throughout the book， provides background information and in-depth information about the internal infrastructure challenges that she ran into while building LEARN。 Durrani even addresses more recent events， from COVID-19 to the American withdrawal from Afghanistan， and she emphasizes the international coverage of events she experienced firsthand。 By drawing attention to her work and her world， Durrani is giving voice to the struggles faced by Afghan women （under the Taliban and not） and the importance of spreading educational access to this population。 。。。more
yamiyoghurt
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It was an enlightening read about another culture。 Books like this helps to put a human context to the conflicts that are reported in news。 I appreciated the insights into the community and the fortitude of the author。 We should celebrate the people to serve and lead with their hearts。
Victoria Monaco
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