Mother liked to pretend that my name was a family decision. I was the third child born to Donato and Carmella Petruccelli of Davenport, Iowa

My fellow wanderers on the hippie trail have all gone to Goa for Christmas, and I am here alone. Herat is a bleak town in the winter.

Our house was forever alive with animal instinct. We grew up surrounded by a veritable menagerie, some more memorable than others...

I was brought up to expect to work. As young as thirteen, I was encouraged to take a paper round...