Reviews

The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad

laurawil's review against another edition

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informative sad slow-paced

3.5

simon_lathron_7_8's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

4.5

envy4's review

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3.0

It taught me a lot about the middle east!

reading_rahima's review

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informative reflective medium-paced

3.5

ell_zetko's review

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dark informative reflective sad fast-paced

4.75

judenoseinabook's review against another edition

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challenging informative sad medium-paced

3.5

Fascinating read. I just got so angry all the way through about the situation of women in Afghanistan,  and it's just as bad again I believe. I just can't comprehend how half of the population are basically slaves to their men folk, even their young sons or brothers,  and the religious zealots. But at the same time I had to admire Sultan a bit  for his tenacity in sticking to his love of books and culture, even when he was such a tyrant to everyone else. 
As it was published in 2002 I was keen to know what has happened too the family since then. Apparently  the patriarch is waiting for an UK asylum claim to be agreed but not sure about anyone else.

samcurb's review against another edition

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2.0

L'auteure détient une perspective impérialiste prévisible par la nature de sa présence en Afghanistan (accompagnement de l'OTAN). Par contre, l'auteure se base surtout de la perception des Pashtuns sur l'Afghanistan pour dresser un portrait socio-historique du pays. 

Le résultat? Le génocide (ou si vous ne le reconnaissez pas, la discrimination et le racisme systémique) des Hazaras est complètement effacé, ignoré et même banalisé. L'auteure réduit les tensions ethniques à de simples « conflits tribaux ». 

Elle délaisse l'histoire de discrimination et d'élimination systémique de la culture et du peuple hazara. On pense notamment aux tueries des hazaras civils par les Talibans qui persistent depuis 1996 ou même aux politiques racistes de la lignée monarchique de l'empire Durrani. 

Elle a une belle plume par contre! Sa perspective féministe est juste de manière générale également.

robreads123's review against another edition

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challenging informative sad medium-paced

3.75

saracox's review against another edition

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3.0

I really enjoyed this book. It give different views of members of a family and how they view other members and their life. It's interesting to see how the Taliban changed things, and how things changed post-Taliban. It is also interesting to read about the female-male difference, in responsibility and view.

drbatfcc's review

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5.0

Extremely interesting. Stark portrayal of real women's lives in Afghanistan.