Laila Re is a self-published poet, and novelist based in Toronto. Born in Kabul, Afghanistan, she was a young child when her family fled the Afghan Civil War, finding shelter in Islamabad, Pakistan for a couple of years prior to emigrating to Canada in 1992. Re earned a B.A. in psychology and a B.Ed. from York University. She also holds an M.Ed in Language, Culture and Teaching.
Fiction
Nila: The Bleeding Garden
Toronto: Mawenzi House, 2022.
e-book, Access restricted to members of the university community
Publisher’s Synopsis (From its website)
Nila: The Bleeding Garden describes the turbulent journey of an Afghan girl called Nila who suddenly has to escape her homeland during the long Afghan war. As a child refugee, she experiences the trauma of displacement during which her family struggles to survive and slowly falls apart. This collection describes first hand the loss and dysfunction caused by war and displacement in our times.
Poetry
Beauty and Love
: CreateSpace, 2018.
Synopsis (From the author’s website)
Beauty and Love is the third poetry collection by Laila Re based on her own personal life. This collection is focused on her poetic insights, lessons and wisdom that helped bring more beauty and love back into her life.
Poetry
Pieces to Peace
: CreateSpace, 2014.
Synopsis (From the author’s website)
Pieces to Peace is a poetic account of Laila’s journey of self-discovery in Toronto as a 26-year-old Afghan-Muslim woman living on her own for the first time. It is her story of pursuing her dreams while coping with personal issues of grief, trauma, poverty, cultural identity and belonging. Laila is a woman in becoming as she rebuilds herself through poetry from pieces to peace. The collection includes over 150, mostly long, chronological poems.
Poetry
Soul Led
: CreateSpace, 2016.
Synopsis (From the author’s website)
Soul Led is the second collection of poems in the souletry series after “Pieces to Peace.” The first book dealt with creating peace with oneself one piece at a time through poetry. Soul Led continues that use of poetry to grow through what one is going through. This collection includes over 130, mostly short, chronological poems.