Today I have the honour of speaking to the author of this extraordinary novel, Flames of the Cherry Tree. It's a sweeping, intimate portrait of a young woman's coming of age against the backdrop of colonialism, rebellion, and indeed the birth of today's occupied Kashmir—at once tender and unflinching. It traces the story of one family through oppression, repression, and resistance, illuminating the forgotten histories that have shaped Kashmir today and the hope that survives in its people.

Leena Khan is an extraordinary woman. She's currently a Juris Doctor at Harvard Law School with an interest in international human rights law, and she has a long history of studying at Georgetown University with many prizes and awards, including work on Arab studies, and has published on that herself.