Beyond Hope: From an Auckland prison to changing lives in Afghanistan

A powerful story of how one man didn’t let other people define him

‘Bariz gifts us his truth-telling, delivered with unwavering optimism.’ Matt Brown, author of She Is Not Your Rehab

At age 18, Bariz Shah found himself in an Auckland prison. He’d defined his life by the way others treated him: as an Afghan migrant after 9/11 and as a boy who kept making mistakes. Picking fights and robbing dairies, Bariz spiralled into crime and drugs – until prison made him rethink the story of his life.

Inside, Bariz met men who helped him set his life on track. He rediscovered his faith, found purpose and learned how to silence the devil on his shoulder. Years later, in Christchurch, Bariz had turned his life around when a gunman walked into the local mosque and took 51 lives of people Bariz knew and loved. Grieving and thrust into a position of leadership, Bariz reflected on hate, hope and positive change.

A memoir about the journey from boy to man, Bariz talks about his search for belonging, purpose and self-belief. It’s a reminder we are made, not born, and that we always have the power to change ourselves for the better.

Format: Paperback
Pages: 320
Imprint: HarperCollins NZ
Publication date: 06/03/2024