Author Description

Lela Meinhardt, a tribal art trader in Afghanistan, traveled and traded with migratory Afghan tribes from 1975 to 1980, a time when Americans, and their money, were welcomed by the Afghan people. Lela?s adventures, recorded in the letters she sent to her husband, Paul, are more the stuff of legend than a modern journey. To the people who knew her, Lela was heroic, gentle, caring, and a brilliant business woman. Her five years of travel provided not only self-discovery, but through Lela?s efforts, the museums and art world gained spectacular insight into the tribal art and culture of the Afghan people. Most significant is Lela?s effort in saving many Afghan lives. She aided the migration of her Afghan friends and families through tribal warfare, bombings, land mines, tank assaults, earthquakes, and lethal political infighting. She also rescued a substantial part of the Afghan tribal art heritage. The Afghan Queen portrays Lela?s experiences in the form of a novel. While an attempt is made to dramatize these experiences, everything in the book reflects true experiences. Included in the book is a full color insert of photographs from Lela?s travels and the art she acquired.