Playing For Freedom
The Journey of a Young Afghan Girl
“As it was forbidden to play music, I began teaching myself in silence, by drawing notes on a sheet of paper. To get to school, I would walk for 2 hours through the streets of Kabul, always in fear of a suicide bomb attack or a car explosion.”
A passionate musician growing up in the war-torn streets of Kabul takes her forbidden talents abroad in this triumphant memoir from debut author Zarifa Adiba.
As an Afghan girl, Zarifa Adiba has big, unfathomable dreams. Her family is poor, her country mired in conflict. Walking to school in Kabul, Zarifa has to navigate suicide bombers.
But Zarifa perseveres, nurturing her passion for music despite its “sinful” nature under Taliban law. At sixteen she gains admission to the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, and at eighteen she becomes the lead violist, co-conductor, and spokesperson for Zohra, the first all-female orchestra in the Muslim world.
Despite Zarifa’s accomplishments―which include a stunning performance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland―her future in music demands a reckoning with her life back home. Many of the girls in Zohra are forced to marry, but Zarifa yearns to study, travel, and explore her independence. Her so-called “bad girl” identity puts her at odds with her culture and her family.
Playing for Freedom is the deeply compelling story of a woman who dares to compose a masterpiece even with all odds stacked against her.
Reviews
Praise for Playing for Freedom
“Adiba passionately supports education for all girls…Her unpretentious, earnest style as she recounts her life story with a matter-of-fact tone is as endearing as it is engaging. A must-have for any collection, especially in school and academic libraries. This memoir celebrates the power of one young woman to make a difference by speaking up and daring to be herself.” — Library Journal, starred review
“Adiba writes with feeling and genuine pride in herself and her Afghan cultural heritage, and will touch the heart of anyone spending time in her company.” — Booklist
“An often wrenching but ultimately hopeful and inspiring memoir of determination.” — Kirkus Reviews
“An incredibly daring and courageous testimony. A remarkable destiny recounted with the help of journalist Anne Chaon.” — Livres Hebdo
Press about Zarifa Adiba and the Zohra orchestra
Reuters (24 August 2021): As Taliban return, Afghanistan’s female orchestra fears the future
BuzzFeed News (11 September 2019): 18 Stunning Portraits Of Women In Kabul
Serenade Magazine (4 June 2017): Zarifa Adiba: Orchestra Is My Joy
VOA News (30 March 2017): First Afghan Women’s Orchestra Tries to Change Attitude
Washington Post (30 March 2017): Afghan girls orchestra aims to change the country’s ideas about music
USA Today (7 February 2017): Young Afghan women risk their lives to play music
NPR (31 January 2017): All-Female Orchestra From Afghanistan Is A Force For Change
Watch the trailer
Zarifa Adiba on CNN — Christiane Amanpour
“Spreading my wings through music” — Zarifa Adiba at TedxAUCA