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3.43 AVERAGE
3.43 AVERAGE
I loved this book and I learned a lot. It was very compelling.
Partly memoir/adventure story, partly an excuse to tell about the lives of Afghan women. Kabul Beauty School is an interesting look at a confusing time in a very difficult place. It's an easy read, albeit heartbreaking.
The book had a ghostwritten feel to it (and I believe there is a second author)--the voice of the narrator does not quite match her actions and the authors make a point of trying to explicitly define the narrator's character. Frequently. It seems overly self-conscious and rings a bit false.
The book had a ghostwritten feel to it (and I believe there is a second author)--the voice of the narrator does not quite match her actions and the authors make a point of trying to explicitly define the narrator's character. Frequently. It seems overly self-conscious and rings a bit false.
Got a glimpse of current life in Afghanistan. Engaging. Informative.
A woman leaves a bad marriage to help Afghanistan in the days following the fall of the Taliban. However, all the well-intentioned Americans around her are doctors, dentists and nurses. She is a hairdresser. Eventually she decides to open a beauty school to train Afghan women. Their ability to earn money will elevate their status within their households. The stories the author shares about the women she meets as students, clients and friends is a fascinating peek into the Afghani culture. The opening scene in which she gets a friend ready for her wedding is a complete culture shock! She presents her stories with an open mind as she truly loves the Afghan people. An honest and interesting book.
I am more inclined to say 2.5 stars, but am rounding up.
The longer I listen to this book, the more I am tempted to punch the CD player in my car. At first the relaxed, simple writing style was pleasant and easy - like having a conversation with a friend who has had a great adventure. Now it is just annoying.
There is so much happening in Kabul and in this book, but the author exhibits no skill in taking us from one place to next, from one story to another. Smooth transitions are as foreign to the author as marital affection is to her Afghan husband.
I was enthralled by her introduction to Kabul and her spontaneous decision to commit herself to making a difference to the women in the city. Her drive and devotion were laudable. But after a while, it wanes and what begins to emerge is a foolhardy woman who leaps without looking.
The issues with the government and the break with local organizations leads me to believe there were things happening behind the scenes that the author chose not to reveal. Was she the vital player she describes in her book? How were her actions truly viewed/received? Did she burn bridges? I sense there may have been some of that going on in the background.
She talks about her failed and abusive marriage, but doesn't really give us an idea of why or how she is able to make this great change in her life. She spends incredible amounts of time in Muslim society, yet is shocked and amazed to learn that her behavior is offensive; she is even married to an Afghan man (what was up with that sudden and rash choice???) but still requires someone to translate their arguments; she is surrounded by horrible lives and tales, yet continues to sob uncontrollably at the drop of a hat. She is definitely a quirky individual full of contradictory personality traits.
It is the stories of the women she encounters that are both heart-breaking and uplifting. These are the things that made me feel like I better understand the plight of women in that country.
It is tragic to learn that her book has created life-threatening problems for the women she profiles. I am doing internet searches to learn their fates and to learn more about how she is helping them with the royalties from her book and the sale of the movie rights.
The longer I listen to this book, the more I am tempted to punch the CD player in my car. At first the relaxed, simple writing style was pleasant and easy - like having a conversation with a friend who has had a great adventure. Now it is just annoying.
There is so much happening in Kabul and in this book, but the author exhibits no skill in taking us from one place to next, from one story to another. Smooth transitions are as foreign to the author as marital affection is to her Afghan husband.
I was enthralled by her introduction to Kabul and her spontaneous decision to commit herself to making a difference to the women in the city. Her drive and devotion were laudable. But after a while, it wanes and what begins to emerge is a foolhardy woman who leaps without looking.
The issues with the government and the break with local organizations leads me to believe there were things happening behind the scenes that the author chose not to reveal. Was she the vital player she describes in her book? How were her actions truly viewed/received? Did she burn bridges? I sense there may have been some of that going on in the background.
She talks about her failed and abusive marriage, but doesn't really give us an idea of why or how she is able to make this great change in her life. She spends incredible amounts of time in Muslim society, yet is shocked and amazed to learn that her behavior is offensive; she is even married to an Afghan man (what was up with that sudden and rash choice???) but still requires someone to translate their arguments; she is surrounded by horrible lives and tales, yet continues to sob uncontrollably at the drop of a hat. She is definitely a quirky individual full of contradictory personality traits.
It is the stories of the women she encounters that are both heart-breaking and uplifting. These are the things that made me feel like I better understand the plight of women in that country.
It is tragic to learn that her book has created life-threatening problems for the women she profiles. I am doing internet searches to learn their fates and to learn more about how she is helping them with the royalties from her book and the sale of the movie rights.
What rare insight into the Afghani culture. I was shocked by the oppression that these women lived in. And I was amazed at their courage in dealing with it. I can't agree with all the choices and actions of the author but she saw a way to help hundreds of women and give them some independence in their lives and she did it!
Along the same lines as three cups of tea. Not extremely well written, but amazing to see how one woman can make a change in so many lives. It is heartbreaking to read how Afghani women are treated even in these "modern" times. That's not to say there aren't any progressively thinking men, but that's not the norm.
Full disclosure. I didn’t finish it. I got to page 75 and was exhausted by how boring and self-congratulatory every sentence was. Really… i’m not sure how exciting I thought this book might be, but I definitely thought it would be a little bit more interesting. I was really struggling to turn the pages, and then I realized life is just too short to read garbage books. NEXT!
Great book! this was a window into the lives of Afghan women and one woman's efforts to help transform their lives.