From my memories

the long version

The author was imprisoned as a political prisoner at age 6 and held for 15 years without trial, verdict or definite sentence. He secretly taught himself to read and write several languages, including Farsi, his own. After his release, he and his family were under house arrest for another 5 years. "This is his true story of the trials and tribulations his family endured, from coping with the merciless executions of his uncles and cousins to the severe mistreatment they experienced during and after imprisonment ... His recollections shed light on some of the darkest chapters of Aghanistan's history and provide insight regarding the social ills and political injustices that brought the country to its current state of chaos and anarchy". --From back cover.