"This is a remarkable book: an utterly engrossing read that provides a window into a culture that has long existed on the periphery of the world's vision…Pazira's account exudes an unself-conscious frankness and intelligence that will give readers a perspective on the last 30 years of Afghan politics and society that simply cannot be gleaned through media accounts."
-Quill and Quire

"A Bed of Red Flowers is more than the remarkable story of Nelofer Pazira's difficult life in war-torn Afghanistan, her family's sacrifices and escape, and her eventual triumph as a writer, teacher, journalist and actress. Written movingly, honestly and lyrically, it is the story of Afghanistan itself, a haunting diary of the tragedies that have plagued Pazira's nation in the last thirty years."
-Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner

"Through occupation and civil war, from being a refugee to a movie star - Nelofer Pazira's journey is a story told with passion, humanity and eloquence. Her unforgettable story provides a searing reminder of Afghanistan's long years of war and how a country was held hostage long before September 11. A Bed of Red Flowers is a deeply moving tribute that will grip you from beginning to end."
-Ahmed Rashid, author of Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and Fundamentalism in Central Asia

"A Bed of Red Flowers is a straightforward, open account of a childhood stained by war and stupidity. It is also a chronicle of the choices one woman made to live her life with courage and dignity, and for the benefit of others."
-The Globe and Mail

"Powerfully and thoughtfully written, A Bed of Red Flowers is a rare account of a misunderstood country and its intrepid people, trying to live ordinary lives under extraordinary circumstances."
-Winnipeg Free Press

"It's a remarkable journey. An inspiring read."
-The Gazette (Montreal)

"Equal parts lament for a long-gone era and memoir of a remarkable life, Nelofer Pazira's A Bed of Red Flowers does exactly what a contemporary book about Afghanistan should do. It reminds us that behind that nation's endlessly chronicled conflict and strife are real, three-dimensional people caught in the crossfire of political agendas and battles for supremacy."
-Toronto Star

"The juxtaposition of Pazira's life in Canada with that of Dyana, desolate and suicidal in Kabul, leavens the book and gives it both seriousness and page-turner appeal."
-The London Free Press

"[A Bed of Red Flowers] is both a love letter to a country that no longer exists, and an optimistic-tempered with just the right amount of clear-eyed realism-look into a possible future."
-Edmonton Journal

"Pazira presents the moving and stunningly written memoir of her childhood curtailed by the arrival of Soviet rule in Afghanistan and her family's sacrifices and eventual escape to Canada."
-Concordia University Magazine

"A Bed of Red Flowers is not merely a remarkable memoir of one family's struggle; it's also a succinct account of Afghanistan's political history. Within these 400 suspenseful pages lies a concise retelling of the complexities and futility of war in a country constantly used as a battleground for other people's ideologies. Pazira shows the reader the frustration of a diverse culture in which people have always had to choose between lack of safety and lack of sovereignty. This book is a victory, bringing us a truth banned or distorted by most with the power to speak about it. An enriching and heartrending read."
-NOW (Toronto)

"Pazira is a gifted and cinematic story-teller. Every page is a scene, moving the story through wartime survival and sacrifice to a relentless search for answers."
-The Observer


From the Hardcover edition.