West of Kabul, East of New York is based on true historic events that received international attention. At the center of this story is Tamim Ansary. Ansary, an Afghan-American, lives a double life of conflicting nationalities and cultures. His Afghan background is saturated with Islamic tradition, while his American background is engrossed in secular practices. As expected, this duality presented him with identity struggles, especially because of living in a nation that demonized Afghan life.
These struggles were exasperated after militant Islamic terrorists destroyed the World Trade Center during September 11, 2001. This event inspired Ansary to write and send a compelling email message to twenty of his friends. The email message expressed his opinion of the United States' contempt toward Afghanistan regarding the Twin Towers attack. His message was shared beyond his group of friends, reaching millions of people.
It touched the hearts of people from many different backgrounds, including soldiers and pacifists. Even conservative Christians and devoted Muslims shared deep appreciation for Ansary's heartfelt honesty. Although the message was written in a short period of time, it captured the depth of his complex life with admirable sophistication. He became a hero who helped unite people of clashing cultures with his truthful words. He wanted the world to understand reconciliation is possible, even after a devastating tragedy.
