Tale of Ahmed is a gripping fictional account of the dangerous journey of a teenage boy, Ahmed, who travels from Afghanistan, across the Middle East and Europe, to seek refuge in England.

Author Henry Cockburn lives at one end of a long trail stretching from Afghanistan to the southeast coast of England. His home in Kent is close to where small, frail boats arrive bringing refugees on the last lap of their 6,000-mile journey from Kabul and the Hindu Kush. Meeting and talking with refugees, Henry became aware that even they themselves rarely understand the heroic nature of their odyssey. The journey's never-ending risks have become second nature to them. For most other people, they are simply unknown. Correcting such misperceptions is one of the objectives of this powerful story.

Written in the form of an epic poem and richly illustrated by the author, Tale of Ahmed describes how its eponymous hero gets help from fellow travelers and finds unexpected friends along the way. But Ahmed is also exploited for money by crooks and cheats, as well as targeted as a pariah. This unusual and unputdownable fable recounts with great sensitivity the Afghans' sufferings and their courage and resilience in making a grueling passage.

• Leverage coverage and relationships from Henry's last book, Henry's Demons published by Simon and Schuster in the UK and Scribner in the USA. The book received coverage in The Guardian, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, Publishers Weekly, The Washington Post, NPR, and more.
• Utilize relationships with Patrick Cockburn, Henry's father, correspondent for The Independent and frequent contributor to the London Review of Books, and Andrew Cockburn, Henry's uncle and Washington editor of Harper's Magazine.
• Pitch op-eds, excerpts, and reviews to The New York Times, Washington Post, the Nation, The Guardian, the i- paper, The TLS, London Review of books, The Sunday Times, The London Magazine, The Wolf, Granta, and Agenda.
• Pitch television, radio, and podcast interviews on BBC radio 4 book program, Literary Friction podcast, The London Review Bookshop podcast, The Poetry Society, and more.

About the Author

Henry Cockburn is an artist and writer who grew up in Moscow and Washington DC, where his father Patrick Cockburn worked as a journalist. He now lives in Canterbury, Kent. His life changed dramatically when he had a breakdown in 2002, after which he spent several years in mental hospitals. With his father, he wrote Henry's Demons, which was shortlisted for the 2011 Costa prize.

Nelofer Pazira-Fisk was born in Kabul and was 6 years old when the Russians invaded Afghanistan. After a decade of war, Nelofer and her family escaped to Pakistan, and from there to Canada. She is an internationally acclaimed film producer and the author of A Bed of Red Flowers, which is a compelling portrait of the life of Afghan under occupation, and their resilience in the face of war.

Reviews

"Rings true to my own terrifying experience of escape."
-Atiqullah Khan, former asylum seeker

"An astonishing and inflammatory work."
-Jane Gardam, Booker Prize finalist

"[Evokes] the ordeal that millions today endure unseen - the hope and horror of the refugee experience."
-Anthony Summers, Pulitzer Prize finalist

"Vivid, haunting and a call to conscience."
-Fergal Keane, foreign correspondent and author

"A tremendous feat of imagination and empathy."
-Derek Sellen, poet

Book Information
ISBN 9781682194270
Author Henry Cockburn
Format Paperback
Page Count 240
Imprint OR Books
Publisher OR Books