THE LIGHTLESS SKY

Gulwali was sent away from Afghanistan at the age of 12, fleeing both the Taliban and US Armed Forces. In this memoir he will describe his harrowing journey to seek sanctuary, fraught with near misses, dangerous escapes, memorable characters, and the constant fear of a child, alone, in uncertain circumstances. It is a stunning, timely, and urgent book, the first to put an Afghan refugee’s journey into compelling firsthand perspective.

It took Gulwali eight countries and one year until he made it to the UK where, unlike many of his peers who still struggle, Gulwali devoted his life to education. Today, twenty-one years old, he is set to graduate from the University of Manchester with a degree in Philosophy and Politics. He is a member of many prestigious political, aid, and youth groups, each a stepping stone to his ultimate goal: to run for Presidency of Afghanistan.

Gulwali has given a Tedx talk, and in 2012 was invited to carry the Olympic Torch, a symbol of the incredible potential we all have, a living bridge between the Middle East and the West. He has already forged important connections for the book, including a relationship with Jon Snow, who called him an “extraordinary man - achieving against all odds,” and occasional appearances on the BBC and Channel Four news as a commentator.

Like the protagonists of "I Am Malala", "Long Way Gone", and "Enrique’s Journey", Gulwali’s youth will offer a compelling perspective on a contemporary human rights issue.
Framed in a thrilling narrative, with a likable child protagonist, this book is certain to get people talking and bring awareness to the ongoing Afghan crisis.

Co-writer Nadene Ghouri is the author of "The Favored Daughter: One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future", a memoir from the most popular female politician in Afghanistan, as well as "Born into the Children of God: My Life in a Religious Sex Cult". She has reported from conflicts in countries as diverse as Iran, DR Congo, Liberia, India, Gaza, Pakistan and Afghanistan. She has been twice shortlisted for “Journalist of the Year” at the One World Media Awards and twice nominated for an Amnesty International Human Rights Media award.