News Release

San Francisco, CA - San Francisco Public Library is pleased to announce that West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story by San Francisco writer Tamim Ansary is the 2008 One City One Book: San Francisco Reads selection.

Mayor Gavin Newsom says, “With West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story, we all have a chance to learn more about a country that we hear about in the news all the time, but may not yet have a personal connection to. Tamim Ansary gives us that chance, to learn about the history and culture of Afghanistan, to consider the connections between San Francisco and the Middle East and to learn one man’s story of defining a life where his Afghan and American identities meet.”

San Francisco Public Library and One City One Book partners will explore and celebrate San Francisco author Tamim Ansary’s memoir with book discussions, author events, a film series, a Litquake event, a knitting program and more. Program guides and other materials will be available at libraries, bookstores, and other venues throughout San Francisco.

Sponsors for One City One Book 2008 include the San Francisco Public Library, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, the Wallace Alexander Gerbode Foundation and the San Francisco Foundation. The program is also supported by bookstore partners including Books Inc., Green Apple Books, Book Passage, Booksmith, Cover to Cover, Stacey’s, City Lights, Borders, B&N, SFSU Bookstore, Red Hill Books, Modern Times, Get Lost Books, Christopher’s Books, Bibliohead, Asian Art Museum Bookstore; program partners including Litquake, Northern California Independent Booksellers Association, Book Group Expo, LitMinds, Mechanics’ Institute; and media sponsors including KPIX/CBS5.

One City One Book: San Francisco Reads is an annual citywide literary event that encourages members of the San Francisco community to read the same book at the same time and then discuss it in book groups and at events throughout the City. By building bridges between communities and generations through the reading—and most importantly the discussion of— one book, we hope to help make reading a lifelong pursuit and to build a more literate society. Previous selections include Cane River and The Hummingbird’s Daughter.

In West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story, we travel at Ansary’s side, and he gives us rare access to Afghan culture—from the time of “old Afghanistan,” through Soviet rule, and later the Taliban. After 9/11, Afghanistan once again found itself upon the world’s stage and in direct conflict with the United States—and yet, the country was as obscure to the West as ever. Tamim Ansary, who has lived embedded in both American and Afghan society, is uniquely capable of reaching across both cultures, and through his experiences he begins to inspire the empathy necessary to transcend differences. His stirring memoir offers much to discuss.

After 9/11, Afghanistan once again found itself upon the world’s stage and in direct conflict with the United States – and yet, the country was as obscure to the West as ever. Tamim Ansary, who has lived embedded in both American and Afghan society, is uniquely capable of reaching across both cultures, and through his experiences he begins to inspire the empathy necessary to transcend differences. His stirring memoir offers much to discuss.

West of Kabul, East of New York is available at the Library in paperback and audio format.

About the Author:

Tamim Ansary, author of West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story, the 2008 selection for One City One Book: San Francisco Reads, writes and lectures about Afghanistan, Islamic history, democracy, schooling and learning, fiction and the writing process, and other issues as they grab his imagination. He also directs the San Francisco Writers Workshop, the oldest continuous free writers’ workshop in America and the hub of a growing community of Bay Area writers. He lives in San Francisco and is currently at work on his next book. Visit his website for more information: http://www.mirtamimansary.com/



NOTE TO EDITOR: Review copies of West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story and author interviews with Tamim Ansary are available upon request. Please contact Marcia Schneider, (415) 557-4252.

For more information about the program, including a discussion guide and resources, see http://sfpl.org/news/ocob/onecity.htm.

One City One Book Event Schedule for September and October 2008

September Events

One City One Book Launch Day
Saturday, September 6
Ferry Building and local bookstores throughout the City

Author reading at Booksmith
Thursday, September 11 at 7pm
1644 Haight St., SF, 415.863.8688

Author reading at Western Addition Branch
Saturday, September 20 at 2pm
1550 Scott St., SF, 415.355.5727

Author reading at Book Passage
Sunday, September 21 at 2pm
1 Ferry Building, SF, 415.835.1020

Excelsior Branch Arts & Culture Salon featuring Tamim Ansary
Wednesday September 24 at 7pm
4400 Mission St., SF, 415.355.2868
Book sales by Red Hill Books

Book Discussion at Marina Branch
Thursday, September 25 at 6:30pm
1890 Chestnut St., SF, 415.355.2823

Book discussion at Books Inc. Laurel Village
Thursday, September 25 at 6:30pm
3515 California St., SF, 415.221.3666

Book Discussion at Merced Branch
Saturday, September 27 at 2pm
155 Winston Drive, SF, 415.355.2825

October Events

Instant Book Club with Tamim Ansary at Books Inc. Opera Plaza - Moderator/librarian Lauren John will lead a lively discussion about literature and life—with the author at our side!
Thursday, October 2 at 6:30pm
601 Van Ness Ave., SF, 415.776.1111

Litquake presents “East of Istanbul: Voices from the Muslim World” - Featuring authors Tamim Ansary, Anita Amirrezvani, Persis Karim, and Niloufar Talebi. Moderated by Sandip Roy.
Monday, October 6 at 6pm
Mechanics Institute 57 Post St., SF, 415.393.0101

Rebuilding Afghanistan: Literary, Artistic and Cultural Endeavors - Tamim Ansary will moderate this panel discussion with special guests Mo Qayoumi, president of California State University: East Bay; UC Berkeley professor Wali Ahmadi; photographer Joseph N. Hoyt*; and Humaira Ghilzai, president of Afghan Friends Network.
Presented in partnership with The Office of Exhibitions and Programming.
Wednesday, October 15 at 6:30pm
Main Library, Koret Auditorium
100 Larkin St. (at Grove), 415.557.4277

Book Discussion at Books Inc. Marina
Thursday, October 16 at 6:30pm
2251 Chestnut St., SF, 415.931.3633

Knitting for Afghanistan: Show and Tell and Learn - Presented by afghans for Afghans. Learn how and why Bay Area residents and students are volunteering to knit for the people of Afghanistan. Enjoy slides from Afghanistan; show and tell about your own knitted blankets and garments bound for Afghanistan; see examples of authentic Afghan knitting styles; hang out and knit with us for the afternoon. And, bring your excess wool yarn to swap with others! For information, please visit afghansforAfghans.org.
Sunday, October 19 at 2pm-4:30pm
Main Library - Latino/Hispanic Room B
100 Larkin St. (at Grove), 415.557.4277

Book Discussion at Books Inc. Market Street
Thursday, October 23 at 6:30pm
2275 Market St., SF, 415.864.6777

Tamim Ansary in Conversation with Oscar Villalon - Join us for a special discussion about the writing life with our One City One Book author and the San Francisco Chronicle Book Editor.
Wednesday, October 22 at 6:30pm
Main Library – Koret Auditorium
100 Larkin St. (at Grove), 415.557.4277

Noe Valley Branch & Cover to Cover Bookstore present “Tea and Talk with Tamim”
Saturday, October 25 at 2pm
451 Jersey St., SF, 415.355.5707

Asian Art Museum Family Festival author reading
Sunday, October 26
200 Larkin Street, SF, 415.581.3600

(unless specifically noted, the author will not be present at book discussions)

Related Exhibitions

*Afghanistan 1970-1975: Images from an Era of Peace on view in the Skylight Gallery at the San Francisco Main Public Library from October 12, 2008 through January 18, 2009. Joseph N. Hoyt’s black and white photographs of a peaceful time in this culturally and historically rich nation depict Afghanis of all ages, stunning landscapes, ancient ruins and thriving textile markets.

One City Four Films: On Afghanistan

Presented in partnership with the Audiovisual Department and the Office of Exhibitions and Programming.
In the Koret Auditorium at the Main Library - Thursdays at 12 p.m.

• October 9 – Osama (2003, 83 min.) Chronicles the true story of a young girl in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy to save her family from starvation. In Pashto with English subtitles.
  
• October 16 – Charlie Wilson’s War (2007, 102 min) A drama based on Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets have some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
  
• October 23 – The Kite Runner (2007, 128 min. ) A powerful adaptation of Fremont author Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel of life before and during the reign of the Taliban. In multiple languages with English subtitles.
  
• October 30 – The Beauty Academy of Kabul (2006, 74 min.) A quirky group of Western hairstylists armed with blow dryers and designer scissors open a school in post-Taliban Kabul to teach eager Afghan women the art of fixing hair. The six teachers were all volunteers; three had fled Afghanistan over 20 years ago.