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June 06, 2013
Library Journal Reviews WHAT CHANGES EVERYTHING
Reba Leiding of James Madison University Library wrote the June 1, Library Journal review for What Changes Everything, Masha Hamilton’s fifth novel that was recently released by Unbridled Books.
The author has gained critical acclaim for her previous books, two of which were published by Unbridled, 31 Hours and The Distance Between Us. Below is the favorable Library Journal VERDICT….
In this new novel by Hamilton (31 Hours), who currently works at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul and founded the Afghan Women’s Writing Project, a seemingly disconnected series of narratives cohere around the theme of America’s experience in Afghanistan. When a refugee aid worker named Todd is kidnapped for ransom, his wife and daughter back home in Brooklyn struggle with trust—in the FBI and in each other. Stela, a Russian immigrant who owns a bookstore in Cleveland, has lost one son in Afghanistan; her other son, now a Brooklyn street artist, refuses to communicate with her. Mandy, a nurse, travels to Afghanistan ostensibly to bring medical supplies but in fact to find a connection with her embittered son, a veteran who is a double amputee. Amin, formerly an aide to a deposed Afghani president (whose fictionalized letters from prison lend the novel its historical perspective), is determined to negotiate Todd’s release. VERDICT Hamilton’s descriptions are vivid, especially when portraying the tension and uncertainty that families of political prisoners endure. Fans of topical fiction will appreciate this knowledgeable and nuanced view of the Afghan war
What Changes Everything is the story of Clarissa who learns that her husband has been kidnapped in Afghanistan creating a swirl of events here and abroad that send her into the late-night streets of Brooklyn and connects her to a wider world of warriors and survivors.
Previous to What Changes Everything, Masha Hamilton authored four acclaimed novels including 31 Hours, which The Washington Post called one of the best novels of 2009, and independent bookstores named an Indie choice. She also founded two world literacy projects, the Camel Book Drive and the Afghan Women’s Writing Project. She is the winner of the 2010 Women’s National Book Association award. She is the Director of Communications and Public Diplomacy at the US Embassy in Kabul.
Posted in: Events, New Books, New Features, Our Catalog, | Keywords: 31 hours, afghan women's writing project, camel book drive, library journal, masha hamilton, the distance between us, what changes everything
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