The Alterations Lady

"A captivating book...Engrossing reading about a courageous immigrant." —Kirkus Reviews

“This is a beautifully written book that combines a strong bond of two women from very different worlds with a detailed personal account of living in Afghanistan as a woman and ultimately leaving to start a new life in America. A great and interesting personal pathway into Afghan culture, politics, geography, and history.” —Peter Bussian, photojournalist, photographer, and aid worker working in Afghanistan for fifteen years, author of Passage to Afghanistan, and founder of the Afghanistan Support Group

“The Alterations Lady is an inspiring book and a clear look at what it means to be an American refugee, with all the lost dreams of your life in your homeland and with the vision of new purpose in America. Cindy Miller’s beautifully told story of Lailoma Shahwali’s journey from Kabul and the Hindu Kush to Scottsdale and the dry terrain of Arizona gives us a firsthand view of the heritage and rich traditions of Afghan culture and the complexity of the past and present living side by side.” —Farah Pandith, adjunct senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former special representative to Muslim communities for the US Department of State