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3.55 AVERAGE
3.55 AVERAGE
It's non-fiction but you're instead given a story to read. Seierstad writes in the foreword why she decided to remove herself completely from the narration and instead present it in literary form; that explanation did nothing for me because by excluding herself, she presented me with a book that is not at all unique but just one of those other paperbacks out there that take it upon themselves to show how deplorable and absolutely hopeless the situation in Afghanistan is, more so for women. Why even the two stars then? Her character sketches are riveting!
emotional
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
Portrays the daily life of the bookseller family, but didn’t give much context to the cultural practices.
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
This book made a huge impression on me. I find myself thinking about it a lot, even though I read it two years ago. It really taught me a lot about the daily life of those living in the Muslim world. I had culture shock just reading about it, but I gained an appreciation for what normal, peaceful Muslims believe instead of Extremist or Jihadist beliefs which is all we hear about in America these days. I had a hard time not being judgmental of the way the women are treated though, and there were some sad and sometimes very upsetting occurrences in the book. It's all true. I definitely gained perspective from reading it and appreciate the new outlook I have on their society and partially understand how and why they live the way they do.
Not entirely about a bookseller in Kabul - each chapter narrates a different event or scoop of different family members, which results in a portrait of Afghani family and the political and moral atmosphere post 9/11.
Can’t say how accurate an image the novel portrays as very journalistic in style.
At times dry, but held my interest because of the Middle Eastern theme.
Can’t say how accurate an image the novel portrays as very journalistic in style.
At times dry, but held my interest because of the Middle Eastern theme.
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
fast-paced
A human fractal.
A very interesting tale, which brings parallels to the old tales of the Decameron and the once-revered and, frankly, terrible culture of the 'chivalrous' High Middle Age and the terrible, sick and mishappen culture of the modern Afghanistan, which, all dues given, has become so unfortunately crooked due to centuries of warfare and cronyism.
Funnily, or perhaps, regretfully enough, this culture of tradition and safety and male entitlement is exactly what lies at the root of the Afghan problem - in its domestic policy, as well as in foreign relations. To destroy the crazy barbarian autocrats at home, they had to go and provoke the crazy barbarian American taliban, while unfortunately assassinating several thousands normal americans and who knows how much Afghan civilians in the process.
It always gets better, but our generation, my generation, is in for a long and bloody night. Fascism and autocracy is a relentless and self-regenerating enemy which lives just next door.
A very interesting tale, which brings parallels to the old tales of the Decameron and the once-revered and, frankly, terrible culture of the 'chivalrous' High Middle Age and the terrible, sick and mishappen culture of the modern Afghanistan, which, all dues given, has become so unfortunately crooked due to centuries of warfare and cronyism.
Funnily, or perhaps, regretfully enough, this culture of tradition and safety and male entitlement is exactly what lies at the root of the Afghan problem - in its domestic policy, as well as in foreign relations. To destroy the crazy barbarian autocrats at home, they had to go and provoke the crazy barbarian American taliban, while unfortunately assassinating several thousands normal americans and who knows how much Afghan civilians in the process.
It always gets better, but our generation, my generation, is in for a long and bloody night. Fascism and autocracy is a relentless and self-regenerating enemy which lives just next door.