- [on his novel 'And the Mountains Echoes'] Fiction accomplishes things that the writer probably doesn't intend - it has a life and a significance beyond what the writer wanted. I could say I write my books so that people understand Afghanistan better, but it wouldn't be true. I write because I love these characters. A single image began this book: a man walking across the desert, pulling a Red Radio wagon behind him with a little girl inside and a boy following them. I had to figure out who these people were and what was happening.
- The Afghan people deserve peace. There is a very young and energized population in Afghanistan that is eager to engage with the outer world. I hope that those young Afghans are given the specific economic and security space to make their aspirations come true.
- Everywhere I've been, I've seen the industriousness and the resilience of refugees. Although there may be a short-term cost in welcoming refugees and opening the doors, the long-term dividends are undeniable.
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