A Girl Called Genghis Khan is a compelling and detailed biography on athlete Maria Toorpakai Wazir.
Pakistani born Maria loved sports and longed to play games just as the boys around her were allowed to. However, the rules of her Pashtun home town did not allow this and girls were expected to stay at home. However, with the support of her parents she was able to pursue her passion for sport by looking more like a boy.
Her change in appearance went unnoticed and she was named Genghis Khan until she was accepted into a sport club where her birth certificate was needed to enrol. It was then that everyone discovered she was infact a girl and though she was granted a place at the club many people around her did not agree.
Maria, did not let such negativity come in the way of her dreams but when the Talibans demands became more threatening she had to stop.
But Maria’s story doesn’t stop there. She has gone on to do a great many things and her dream of becoming a famous squash player has become a reality. She became the first tribal Pakistani girl in international squash tournaments, turning professional in 2006.
The biography goes into great detail on how this happened and it’s something that has happened so recently! With inspirational quotes along the way and striking illustrations this is such an informative and motivational read.
Disclaimer: I was gifted a copy of this book from the publisher. All words and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.