Hardship Post: With terrorism on the rise and his marriage on the ropes, an American moves to Pakistan to work for the Aga Khan

Was It the Opportunity of a Lifetime… or an Invitation to Disaster?

The job was intriguing—working for the Aga Khan, the rich and influential imam of the Ismaili Muslims, building the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi. They said it would be a world-class institution, the best on the subcontinent. But he had his doubts. Yes, Pakistan was exotic, and mysterious, and full of adventure. But he had a good job and a shaky marriage, and Pakistan didn’t seem like the right place at the right time. People were being kidnapped and killed over there…the American Embassy at Islamabad had recently been overrun and burned, and next door, Afghanistan had been invaded by Russia. They were making big promises to lure him there…could they pull it off, or was it just hype? In Hardship Post, winner of the 2012 Royal Palm Literary Awards Competition for unpublished memoir, Robert Taylor examines the complexities of being called to serve overseas in a foreign culture, with all the excitement, pitfalls, learning experiences, and challenging lessons. This compelling real-life adventure will keep you captivated from the first page to the last.