Description: On September 11, 2001, the lives of two boys on opposite sides of the world are changed in an instant. Baheer, a studious Afghan teen, sees his family's life turned upside down when they lose their livelihood as war rocks the country. A world away, Joe, a young American army private, has to put aside his dreams of becoming a journalist when he's shipped out to Afghanistan. When Joe's unit arrives in Baheer's town, Baheer is wary of the Americans, but sees an opportunity: Not only can he practice his English with the soldiers, his family can make money delivering their supplies. At first, Joe doesn't trust Baheer, or any of the locals, but Baheer keeps showing up. As Joe and Baheer get to know each other, to see each other as individuals, they realize they have a lot more in common than they ever could have realized. But can they get past the deep differences in their lives and beliefs to become true friends and allies? Enduring Freedom is a moving and enlightening novel about how ignorance can tear us apart and how education and understanding can bring us back together.
Brief description: Jawad Arash'shome country of Afghanistan has been at war throughout his entire life. Nevertheless, Jawad remained optimistic for his future. Despite challenges imposed by war or harsh Taliban regulations, he developed a love for learning and wanted to help build a new and better Afghanistan through educating people. To that end, he began teaching English in 2003 while he was still in high school. Later, he earned a BA in English at Herat University in 2011 and his master's in Linguistics/TESL from Indiana State University in 2014. Jawad Arash is currently pursuing a PhD in linguistics and phonetics from the English and Foreign Languages University in Hyderabad, India. Since 2012, he has worked as an assistant lecturer at Herat University. He has presented papers widely in international conferences on English teaching and linguistics/phonetics. Enduring Freedom is his debut novel.