The Carpet Weaver by Nemat Sadat

Nemat Sadat is a well-known activist and journalist based in the USA and the first openly gay native from Afghanistan to advocate for LGBTQIA rights in Muslim communities worldwide. He has previously worked for prominent news outlets and holds six university degrees, including from prestigious institutions like Harvard, Columbia, and Oxford. With The Carpet Weaver, his debut novel, Sadat weaves a captivating tale of a young gay man's journey to find love and acceptance in the midst of war and persecution. Set in Afghanistan in 1977, the story follows Kanishka Nurzada, who falls in love with his friend Maihan, risking their lives in a nation where being gay is punishable by death. From Kabul to a refugee camp in Pakistan and eventually the USA, Kanishka's struggle for freedom and reunion with Maihan is a powerful and inspiring story of hope and resilience.