Description: From their privileged childhood in Egypt, the paths of once-inseparable twins Taher and Aisha diverge early: When the USSR invades Afghanistan, Taher abandons their shared plans to study medicine in Europe, instead joining their cousin, Ahmed, as a medic for the mujahideen fighting the Soviets. As Aisha's Western perspective grows, so does her fear for her brother, who is becoming increasingly radicalized during the civil war between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance. With powerful imagery, Danuta Hinc's When We Were Twins shows how innocence and loyalty to those we love can be twisted by political forces, leading a young man to choose a fateful path that changes the course of history.
Brief description: Danuta Hinc is a Polish American novelist, short story writer, and essayist. She holds an MA in Philology from the University of Gdańsk, where she won Poland's National Competition for Best Dissertation in the Humanities, and she received an MFA in Writing and Literature from Bennington College, where she was awarded the Barry Hannah Merit Scholarship in Fiction. She teaches writing at the University of Maryland.
Review Quotes: "Hinc's
enticing narrative draws us into a world we might prefer to ignore, even
despise. We identify with and appreciate the humanity of the protagonist-until we discover what he has become. Through When We Were Twins, we discover a whole new perspective on some
of the people and cultures we find hardest to understand and embrace. The story is fascinating, blending
fantasy with stark
reality, and memory with reflection. The message is compelling, and we are made better for the experience."
F. "Chic" Dambach, president emeritus, National Peace Corps Association