Amazon.com
It's difficult to imagine a harder first act to follow than The Kite Runner: a debut novel by an unknown writer about a country many readers knew little about that has gone on to have over four million copies in print worldwide. But when preview copies of Khaled Hosseini's second novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, started circulating at Amazon.com, readers reacted with a unanimous enthusiasm that few of us could remember seeing before. As special as The Kite Runner was, those readers said, A Thousand Splendid Suns is more so, bringing Hosseini's compassionate storytelling and his sense of personal and national tragedy to a tale of two women that is weighted equally with despair and grave hope.
We wanted to spread the word on the book as widely, and as soon, as we could. See below for an exclusive excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns and early reviews of the book from some of our top customer reviewers.--The Editors
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An Exclusive Excerpt from A Thousand Splendid Suns |
We have arranged with the publisher to make an exclusive excerpt of A Thousand Splendid Suns available on Amazon.com. Click here to read a scene from the novel. It's not the opening scene, but rather one from a crucial moment later in the book when Mariam, one of the novel's two main characters, steps into a new role.
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Early Buzz from Amazon.com Top Reviewers |
We queried our top 100 customer reviewers as of March 6, 2007, and asked them to read A Thousand Splendid Suns and share their thoughts. We've included these early reviews below in the order they were received. For the sake of space, we've only included a brief excerpt of each reviewer's response, but each review is available for reading in its entirety by clicking the "Read the review" link.
Joanna Daneman:
"His style is deceptively simple and clear, the characters drawn deftly and swiftly, his themes elemental and huge. This is a brilliant writer and I look forward to more of his work." Read Joanna Daneman's review
Seth J. Frantzman:
"Khaled Hosseini has done it again with 'A Thousand Splendid Sons', presenting a new, dashing and dark tale of two generations of women trapped in a loveless marriage, bracketed by great events." Read Seth J. Frantzman's review
Donald Mitchell:
"Khaled Hosseini has succeeded in capturing many important historical and contemporary themes in a way that will make your heart ache again and again. Why will your reaction be so strong? It's because you'll identify closely with the suffering of almost all the characters, a reaction that's very rare to a modern novel." Read Donald Mitchell's review
Lawrance M. Bernabo:
"All things considered, following up on a successful first novel is probably harder than coming up with the original effort and Hosseini could have rested on his laurels in the manner of Harper Lee, but as "A Thousand Splendid Suns" amply proves, this native of Kabul has more stories to tell about the land of Afghanistan." Read Lawrance M. Bernabo's review
Amanda Richards:
"There are parts of this book that will have grown men surreptitiously blotting the tears that are on the verge of overflowing their ducts, and by the time you get to the middle, you won't be able to put it down. Hosseini's simple but richly descriptive prose makes for an engrossing read, and in my opinion, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is among the best I have ever read. This is definitely not one to be missed." Read Amanda Richards's review
N. Durham:
"All that being said, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a bit more enjoyable than Hosseini's previous "The Kite Runner", and once again he manages to give we readers another glimpse of a world that we know little about but frequently condemn and discard. However, if you were one of the many that for some reason absolutely loved "The Kite Runner", chances are that you'll love this as well." Read N. Durham's review
John Kwok:
"Khaled Hosseini's "A Thousand Splendid Suns" is a genuine instant literary classic, and one destined to be remembered as one of 2007's best novels. It should be compared favorably to such legendary Russian novels like "War and Peace" and "Doctor Zhivago"." Read John Kwok's review
Thomas Duff:
"Normally I'm more of an action-adventure type reader when it comes to novels and recreational reading. But I was given the chance to read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (author of The Kite Runner), so I decided to try something out of my normal genre. I am *so* glad I did. This is a stunning and moving novel of life and love in Afghanistan over a 30 year period." Read Thomas Duff's review
Charles Ashbacher:
"This book manages to simultaneously capture the history of Afghanistan over the last thirty years and how women are treated in conservative Islamic societies.... In many ways it is a sad book, your heart goes out to these two women in their hopeless struggle to have a decent life with a brutal man in an unforgiving, intolerant society." Read Charles Ashbacher's review
W. Boudville:
"Hosseini presents a piognant view into the recent tortured decades of the Afghan experience. From the 1970s, under a king, to the Soviet takeover, to the years of resistance. And then the rise and fall of the Taliban. An American reader will recognise many of the main political events. But to many Americans, Afghanistan and its peoples and religion remain an opaque and troubling mystery." Read W. Boudville's review
Mark Baker:
"I tend to read plot heavy books, so this character study was a definite change of pace for me. I found the first half slow going at times, mainly because I knew where the story was going. Once I got into the second half, things really picked up. The ending was very bittersweet. I couldn't think of a better way to end it." Read Mark Baker's review
Grady Harp:
"Hosseini takes us behind those walls for forty some years of Afghanistan's bloody history and while he does not spare us any of the descriptions of the terror that continues to besiege that country, he does offer us a story that speaks so tenderly about the fragile beauty of love and devotion and lasting impression people make on people." Read Grady Harp's review
Robert P. Beveridge:
"When I was actively reading it, the pages kept turning, and more than once I found myself foregoing food or sleep temporarily to get in just one more chapter. When I had put it down, however, I felt no particular compulsion to pick it back up again. It's a good book, and a relatively well-written one, but it's not a great book. Enjoyable without leaving a lasting impression." Read Robert P. Beveridge's review
B. Marold:
"While the events in Afghanistan and the wider world create a familiar framework for the stories of these two women, it is nothing more than a framework. The warp and weft of everyday life, and the interaction of the two women and their close relatives is the heartbeat of the story." Read B. Marold's review
Daniel Jolley:
"Khaled Hosseini has written a majestic, sweeping, emotionally powerful story that provides the reader with a most telling window into Afghan society over the past thirty-odd years. It's also a moving story of friendship and sacrifice, giving Western readers a rare glimpse into the suffering and mistreatment of Afghan women that began long before the Taliban came to power." Read Daniel Jolley's review
Book Description
After 103 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and with four million copies of The Kite Runner shipped, Khaled Hosseini returns with a beautiful, riveting, and haunting novel that confirms his place as one of the most important literary writers today.
Propelled by the same superb instinct for storytelling that made The Kite Runner a beloved classic, A Thousand Splendid Suns is at once an incredible chronicle of thirty years of Afghan history and a deeply moving story of family, friendship, faith, and the salvation to be found in love.
Born a generation apart and with very different ideas about love and family, Mariam and Laila are two women brought jarringly together by war, by loss and by fate. As they endure the ever escalating dangers around them-in their home as well as in the streets of Kabul-they come to form a bond that makes them both sisters and mother-daughter to each other, and that will ultimately alter the course not just of their own lives but of the next generation. With heart-wrenching power and suspense, Hosseini shows how a woman's love for her family can move her to shocking and heroic acts of self-sacrifice, and that in the end it is love, or even the memory of love, that is often the key to survival.
A stunning accomplishment, A Thousand Splendid Suns is a haunting, heartbreaking, compelling story of an unforgiving time, an unlikely friendship, and an indestructible love.
Customer Reviews:
A thousand and more excuses to read........2007-10-19
This is a great read. Worth every penny. Hosseni's writing made me feel that I was standing next to these woman. His book reminds you how alike we all are. Very relevant.
Great read!.......2007-10-19
I loved this book. I found myself staying up late every night just so that I didn't have to put it down. It's a great story of two women in the middle of a bad situation. It makes you realize how women's rights are in different all over the world.
A Thousand Splendid Suns.......2007-10-18
I read the Kite Runner which was a pleasure to read then immediately started reading Hosseni's second book "A Thousand Splendid Suns". All I can say is: "Don't waste your time or money", seems like the second book was published as a first draft, poorly edited and way too fragmented. The main character fades away after 14 chapters then a different person takes her place, the book ends leaving you wondering where you started. It seems as two different poeple wrote Hosseni's books.
Powerful Writing.......2007-10-18
I bought this book because I learned so much from Kite Runner. Wow! I'll re-read this. I believe we should all be more informed about other cultures. If only Bush and friends had studied the history of Iraq and then used more wisdom. I am a writer and study this writing to improve my own. Powerful Writing!
riting
A Modern Dickens.......2007-10-18
There, I said it. Possible literary heresy, but I'm gonna stand by it, and hopefully it won't generate ~too~ much Amazon controversy. The beginning of this book reminded me of Oliver Twist and David Copperfield, the middle evoked Great Expectations, and the end pays tribute to A Tale of Two Cities. Hosseini has talent. He creates characters of flesh and blood and maps out their arcs in ways that are suprising, thought-provoking and completely believable. As Laila and Mariam's lives are woven together, there are moments of brutal heartbreak and also ones of tremendous hope. It takes a skilled writer to balance the two without manipulating the reader. Khaled Hosseini is one more great book away from becoming my favorite contemporary writer.
There are plenty of books out there to tell a good tale. But it is a rarity for the book to actually have something to say. Rarer still is a book that educates. A Thousand Splendid Suns is an eye-opening introductory course in Afghanistan's turbulent history. That it does so with such heart, conviction and even, dare I say it, morals, is not just worthy of applauding, it's downright astonishing. This work reveals the greater truths of life. There is great pain within. The abuse and violence are not for the faint of heart. But it is real. The characters are heroic in their suffering and sacrifice. The author quotes poetry and the Koran with the same reverence as refuges of healing amid strife. "Surely he is the Mighty, the great Forgiver." I loved this book.
Finally, I wanted to record here my favorite passage from the book. I will never forget the moment in the book, but Hosseini states it so beautifully, I wanted the passage verbatim. (So please stop reading here if you haven't read the book yet, because it reveals a major plot point)
"..she could not accept what the Mujahideen readily had: that sometimes in war innocent life had to be taken. Her war was against Rasheed. The baby was blameless. And there had been enough killing already. Laila had seen enough killing of innocents caught in the cross fire of enemies."
Book Description
The astonishing, uplifting story of a real-life Indiana Jones and his humanitarian campaign to use education to combat terrorism in the TalibanÂ's backyard
Anyone who despairs of the individualÂ's power to change lives has to read the story of Greg Mortenson, a homeless mountaineer who, following a 1993 climb of PakistanÂ's treacherous K2, was inspired by a chance encounter with impoverished mountain villagers and promised to build them a school. Over the next decade he built fifty-five schools—especially for girls—that offer a balanced education in one of the most isolated and dangerous regions on earth. As it chronicles MortensonÂ's quest, which has brought him into conflict with both enraged Islamists and uncomprehending Americans, Three Cups of Tea combines adventure with a celebration of the humanitarian spirit.
Customer Reviews:
Couldn't put it down.......2007-10-18
This amazing story will capture your heart and keep you glued to your chair turing page after page. Hats off to Dr. Greg and all who help allieviate the worlds problems one person at a time.
Great Book.......2007-10-18
This is a great novel, I also recommend "Detained Differences" by J. Robert Rowe. That is also a great Afghanistan novel as well.
Three Cups of Tea.......2007-10-17
It was a book required to read in an English class. The book has a good message.
Admire the Commitment and Accomplishments, but..........2007-10-15
What Mortensen accomplished with commitment and perseverance is undoubtly a great humanitarin effort. However, the book is irritating to read. Mortensen's name is used so many times over and over it is distracting. "Mortensen this" and "Mortensen that"! It reads like Mortiensen is a demi-god and it really presents like this when you realize he is a coauthor. Why not write this inspiring story in "first person"?
The humanitarian effort is inspiring if you can get through the book!
A book every American should read.......2007-10-15
An excellent story and very well written. It is particularly timely today given what is going on in that part of the world. It certainly gives much to think about. I would recommend this to everyone I know.
Amazon.com
In his debut novel, The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini accomplishes what very few contemporary novelists are able to do. He manages to provide an educational and eye-opening account of a country's political turmoil--in this case, Afghanistan--while also developing characters whose heartbreaking struggles and emotional triumphs resonate with readers long after the last page has been turned over. And he does this on his first try.
The Kite Runner follows the story of Amir, the privileged son of a wealthy businessman in Kabul, and Hassan, the son of Amir's father's servant. As children in the relatively stable Afghanistan of the early 1970s, the boys are inseparable. They spend idyllic days running kites and telling stories of mystical places and powerful warriors until an unspeakable event changes the nature of their relationship forever, and eventually cements their bond in ways neither boy could have ever predicted. Even after Amir and his father flee to America, Amir remains haunted by his cowardly actions and disloyalty. In part, it is these demons and the sometimes impossible quest for forgiveness that bring him back to his war-torn native land after it comes under Taliban rule. ("...I wondered if that was how forgiveness budded, not with the fanfare of epiphany, but with pain gathering its things, packing up, and slipping away unannounced in the middle of the night.")
Some of the plot's turns and twists may be somewhat implausible, but Hosseini has created characters that seem so real that one almost forgets that The Kite Runner is a novel and not a memoir. At a time when Afghanistan has been thrust into the forefront of America's collective consciousness ("people sipping lattes at Starbucks were talking about the battle for Kunduz"), Hosseini offers an honest, sometimes tragic, sometimes funny, but always heartfelt view of a fascinating land. Perhaps the only true flaw in this extraordinary novel is that it ends all too soon. --Gisele Toueg
Book Description
The timely and critically acclaimed debut novel that's becoming a word-of-mouth phenomenon...
Download Description
"Taking us from Afghanistan in the final days of the monarchy to the present, The Kite Runner is the unforgettable, beautifully told story of the friendship between two boys growing up in Kabul. Raised in the same household and sharing the same wet nurse, Amir and Hassan nonetheless grow up in different worlds: Amir is the son of a prominent and wealthy man, while Hassan , the son of Amir's father's servant, is a Hazara, member of a shunned ethnic minority. Their intertwined lives, and their fates, reflect the eventual tragedy of the world around them. When the Soviets invade and Amir and his father flee the country for a new life in California, Amir thinks that he has escaped his past. And yet he cannot leave the memory of Hassan behind him. The Kite Runner is a novel about friendship, betrayal, and the price of loyalty. It is about the bonds between fathers and sons, and the power of their lies. Written against a history that has not been told in fiction before, The Kite Runner describes the rich culture and beauty of a land in the process of being destroyed. But with the devastation, Khaled Hosseini also gives us hope: through the novel's faith in the power of reading and storytelling, and in the possibilities he shows for redemption."
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-10-17
The Kite Runner
This is one of the best books I've read this decade. I went through so many emotions reading this book. Its a must read!!!
Best Book EVER!!.......2007-10-16
What an amazing experience reading this book...roller coaster of emotions. truly captivating. a MUST read...this is my favorite book of all time :)
The frailties of hope and redemption.......2007-10-16
This was quite simply one of the most profound and touching books that I have read in some time. It was so heartfelt and moving and is so many stories in one--the story of the friendship of two young boys, of a son's struggle to win his father's acceptance, of a culture on the verge of collapse, of the insidious power of those in a position of privilege over the underprivileged. And yet none of it was preachy and none judgmental. There are characters who are clearly evil but even the good characters are finely drawn and complex. Hosseini describes how goodness is not only a virtue but a state of being to which anyone can aspire; in the words of Rahim Khan, "There is a way to be good again."
The quest for goodness is a central theme of the book. Hosseini does a wonderful job of describing the elusive nature of goodness. It is never simplistic in this novel and even those characters the reader might deem "the good guys" have done some downright vile things. The novel reflects the desire that most of us have to be "good" and the choices we make and the struggles we have during the course of that quest. Amir makes both good and bad decisions. He doesn't always do the right thing. Yet at his core, he is like every other human being, caught between his own wants and needs and those of others. It is his humanity that makes him such a sympathetic characters and gives this novel such color. What reader hasn't felt as Amir has and hasn't made choices of which they are ashamed long after said choices have been made?
This novel is also an extraordinary portrayal of Afghanistan and is especially valuable to those who are ignorant of its past. Afghanistan is a country that has suffered much at the hands of various powers. Its people share the same hopes and desires and love of their land as any American. The childhood of Amir and Hassan could be that of nearly any typical American child. Differences that seem so great are really very small when compared to similarities.
Disturbing Themes.......2007-10-15
After reading A Thousand Splendid Suns first, and absolutely loving it, I picked up The Kite Runner. The Kite Runner was extremely well written, with rich detail, much like A Thousand Splendid Suns, but I felt there were a couple of problems with this book. One, was that child sexual molestation was a large part of the story line, and any kind of abuse of children, particularly sexual, distrubs me. Had I known that this was a main theme, I probably would not have read the book. The second problem was that some situations were obvious and others highly improbable. Amir's "meeting" with the "Talib Official," and the events that followed were not believable to me.
Also, I didn't like Amir. He tried to redeem himself, but I never found respect for him, despite his efforts. I thought his betrayal of Hassan was so profound and unforgiveable, that no matter what he did, he would never make up for it. Yes, Amir was only a child, but so was Hassan and Hassan never waivered from standing up for Amir, no matter how frightening the situation. Amir was absolutely right; had he somehow helped Hassan, the course of their lives would've changed drastically. Also, I thought Baba was a complete hypocrite and any respect one may have had for him, was lost by the end of the novel.
WOW.......2007-10-13
This was one of the most wonderful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. The story was so real I felt as if I knew each character, their stories, their motivations, their emotions. I had a tough time putting it down. I'm recommending it to everyone I know that loves a good book. Pick it up, read it before you see the movie. I know you won't be disappointed.
Book Description
Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills–as doctors, nurses, and therapists–seemed eminently more practical than her own, Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, despaired of being of any real use. Yet she soon found she had a gift for befriending Afghans, and once her profession became known she was eagerly sought out by Westerners desperate for a good haircut and by Afghan women, who have a long and proud tradition of running their own beauty salons. Thus an idea was born.
With the help of corporate and international sponsors, the Kabul Beauty School welcomed its first class in 2003. Well meaning but sometimes brazen, Rodriguez stumbled through language barriers, overstepped cultural customs, and constantly juggled the challenges of a postwar nation even as she learned how to empower her students to become their families’ breadwinners by learning the fundamentals of coloring techniques, haircutting, and makeup.
Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts: the newlywed who faked her virginity on her wedding night, the twelve-year-old bride sold into marriage to pay her family’s debts, the Taliban member’s wife who pursued her training despite her husband’s constant beatings. Through these and other stories, Rodriguez found the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again, Afghan style.
With warmth and humor, Rodriguez details the lushness of a seemingly desolate region and reveals the magnificence behind the burqa. Kabul Beauty School is a remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom.
Customer Reviews:
A spoonful of sugar to help the bad stories go down.......2007-10-16
The last book I read before this one was A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini (see my review) and I absolutely loved it. I was telling a friend of mine in New York about it and she suggested that I read Kabul Beauty School next. She said that it had the same theme, but that this one was written in a more lighthearted tone and read more like a gossip column. I immediately picked up this one and was instantly immersed back into the bleak existence of the women of Afghanistan and the harsh, cruel lives they have to endure. My friend was right on the money...this story is much easier to swallow and keep down since it's told from the perspective of an average American beautician, and not written in a high brow literary style (not that that's necessarily bad, but doesn't make for easy beach reading and sometimes you just want to be entertained without having to grab the dictionary).
Kabul Beauty School is a non-fiction account of hairstylist Debbie Rodriguez's time in Kabul and how she tried desperately to help these women change their lives for the better the only way she knew how. This book makes an excellent companion piece to A Thousand Splendid Suns and actually helps explain some things that I couldn't figure out from the first one such as the differences between the different Afghani tribes (Pashtun, Hazara, Uzbek, etc.). There are also some juicy insights into Afghan culture that Hosseini, being a man, just wouldn't think to include but are very fascinating, like how both brides and grooms have to get ALL their body hair removed the night before their wedding. Ouch!
*Plot spoilers in this paragraph only*
See, Debbie is a hairstylist by trade and while that may be an acceptable and lucrative occupation for women in most parts of the world, the Taliban had all but wiped out beauty salons in Afghanistan during their rule. Debbie originally went to Kabul just after 9/11 as part of a non-profit organization's mission to help people in need but when she arrived, she realized she was the only one there without any practical medical or other essential training. She was embarrassed that all she could do was makeup and hair, but when people heard about what she COULD do, they went nuts! She had no idea how desperately in need the other aid workers, Westerners and even Afghani brides were to get their hair styled by someone that knew what they were doing. Once Debbie found out that now since the Taliban weren't in control anymore, the local women could actually make a living as beauticians and use beauty parlors as a sanctuary where men couldn't come in and bother them and they could socialize without having to be covered in burquas or head scarves, she had a great idea. She decided to use her personal skills and open a beauty school for the locals so they could earn some money for their dreadfully poor families and change all their lives.
There have been some extremely negative reviews of this book saying that Debbie is an opportunist and exploited these women so she could "rake in the bucks" and leave them without a penny of compensation. They've called her horrible names and accused her of horrible things, but I truly believe that she did everything with only the best of intentions. I read the NPR news article about how the women in Kabul said that since she told their stories and published pictures of them without their coverings (which aren't in the copy of the book that I have and that I still have only seen on the NPR site, which is ironic) they are now being persecuted in their community, but really they were previously and always have been! She didn't force anyone to come to her classes or to take the jobs she offered them. She was just trying to help these women in the only way she knew how. I volunteer a LOT of my time with various non-profit organizations, but I don't think I could ever go halfway across the world to such a hostile land with such drastically different views and rules as Afghanistan, I'd be too scared to really help anyone else. Therefore, I hail Debbie as a hero and very much respect what she accomplished, even if her efforts haven't been 100% successful. I don't think anyone in their right mind would expect her to change an entire country's ways by herself, but her attempt to start to change it one woman at a time should certainly be commended.
I found that this story, like A Thousand Splendid Suns, was sad at times, but overall had a light, sometimes even funny tone. Debbie describes all the sad, shocking stories of these Afghani women she grew to be friends with in detail, but it's really a story about hope. Debbie gave these women hope that if they work hard and open their minds, someday they can feel safe in their homes and neighborhoods and not feel like they are being treated worse than animals. She gives me knowledge of these efforts and hope that more people will get involved to help them as well. I thank her for her efforts and her story. And mostly I thank her for making me feel thankful and lucky to be born in a country that gives everyone an equal chance at happiness, no matter what gender, culture or religion we are. Hopefully, one day, everyone on the planet can feel the same way too.
Very good book!.......2007-10-01
I had heard the author on a radio station and bought the book afterwards. I really enjoyed her fresh and candid style of describing her experiences in Afghanistan. Her uncomlicated style of writing made the book a pleasure to read.
BIG HEART.......2007-09-29
I think that Deborah Rodriguez teachs us a beautiful lesson of kindness and love when she decided to leave her own family to go to Afghanistan to help women to build a life for them, and even when people said that she did wrong going there beacuse of the consecuences of this book for the afghan women, i strongly recognize that not all of us have the courage to leave the comfort of our lives here in the U.S to go to third world countries to help people and forget ourselves helping them.
Has Life for Afghani Women Improved Because of Rodriguez?.......2007-09-27
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's easy to read and certainly provides an interesting and informative portrayal of what life is like for the women of Afghanistan. I'm not sorry I read it, but it did seem to drag on in the end and I started counting pages wondering when it would be over. There is one heartbreaking and shocking story after the next, and too many "characters" to wrap one's mind around. This mélange of stories primarily boils down to this: Terrorizing Men and Terrorized Women. I don't believe life for Afghani women has improved because of the Kabul Beauty School, and from what I understand, because of their portrayal in this book, some of the women are in more danger now that the book is out and Rodriguez has fled.
In the end, reading Kabul Beauty School did not elicit the feelings I thought it might, which was to have met an extraordinary, selfless woman who achieved a major accomplishment. Throughout the reading, I didn't understand or appreciate the author's motivation. It's excellent memoir or journal material, but that's where the excellence ends. Does it entertain? Absolutely not. Unfortunately, there's a certain lack of credibility from the merely average writing skills of the author. (Perhaps hairdressers should stick to creating hairstyles rather than trying to create prose.) Deborah Rodriguez often comes across as victim of circumstance. She makes a series of foolish choices particularly when it comes to marriage, acts rashly, and often irreverently, probably drinks too much and smokes. (This may be harsh, but these traits, to me, have nothing to do with "beauty.") For example, it doesn't make her the least bit likeable when we learn she verbally assaults a man at an outdoor market when he follows her around and grabs her backside. Embarrassing and endangering her closest friend (and translator) in the process, the friend tells her outright that she will "never go to the market with her again." Rodriguez brings her strong, independent and liberated American woman traits with her, wears them on her sleeve, and it does not earn her respect from the people around her, or from this reader. It makes her nickname "Crazy Debbie" perfectly understandable. Also, she lets her friends arrange a marriage for her, (and granted the presence of an Afghani husband, "Sam," does help her cause in one dangerous and surprising circumstance after another), but this man already has a wife, and we soon learn, a baby on the way. It's all very bizarre.
It feels as though Rodriguez returned to Afghanistan (after her first genuine venture there to provide aid after the ousting of the Taliban) in search of an extraordinary life rather than because she wanted to be the savior of Afghani women. I'm not saying this is true (I don't know this woman), but if the purpose of this book was to tell the world who she is and why she went to Afghanistan at great personal expense to become the director of a beauty school with the hope of making life better for the women there, she has been successful. The book, published by a major house, and the movie deal also deem her "successful." As for the school and the cause? A failure. She is not, like the book jacket indicates, living in Afghanistan and still running the school. According to an article on NPR, "the subjects of her book say Rodriguez and her newfound fame have put their lives in danger. They say they've seen none of the money or help to get them out of Afghanistan that Rodriguez promised them in exchange for having their stories appear in the book." Rodriguez counters by saying the women misunderstood what she promised them.
In spite of this rather negative review, I do think Kabul Beauty School is an excellent choice for book clubs as it will no doubt, provoke a very interesting and thoughtful discussion about the lives of women living in Afghanistan, and whether or not the outside world should or shouldn't have something to say or do about this culture and the emancipation of women there.
From the author of "A Line Between Friends," McKenna Publishing Group.
Eye Opening But Sad.......2007-09-26
Clearly a memoir instead of a polished expose, this book showed both the best parts of the human spirit and the downfalls of being human and learning as we go.
The author's energy, enthusiasm and heart for her students clearly shows in her writing. Her honest good will and perseverence are a tribute to the best of human nature.
Unfortunately, like the rest of us, she learns through her mistakes. Some she recognizes, others she breezes over and leaves us to wonder at. For example, being married to a man who already has a wife. Though acceptable in that culture, it seems to go against all her other intentions to improve the lives of women in her new home.
I recommend this book if only for the insight the author's experiences have made available into the lives of Afghani women. The things they live and perservere through will make you daily grateful for the life we lead here in America and give a little more clarity and heart to the battle our brave men are fighting over there.
Average customer rating:
- Attempts At Understanding Rural Afghanistan
- Interesting but not what I thought it would be
- Left in limbo by The Places in Between
- The Places In Between
- Highly recommend - a Bold look at a slice of Afghanistan
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The Places In Between
Rory Stewart
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ASIN: 0156031566 |
Book Description
In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan-surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion-a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following.
Through these encounters-by turns touching, con-founding, surprising, and funny-Stewart makes tangible the forces of tradition, ideology, and allegiance that shape life in the map's countless places in between.
Customer Reviews:
Attempts At Understanding Rural Afghanistan.......2007-10-11
When I picked this book off the bookstore table, I really only had a vague idea that it was one man's story about traveling through Afghanistan. Beyond that, I didn't know what to expect.
The book tells the story of Rory Stewarts walk across Afghanistan, from Herat to Kabul, and some of the people, villages, and feelings he had along the way. He states he wanted to walk across Asia, and this part helped to complete this quest. He managed to do this shortly after the Taliban were defeated in 2002, which is a bit interesting.
I can't say that I was fascinated by this book, yet I can't say that I was disappointed, either. I am glad I read it. I've a few books about Afghanistan that were centered in Kabul, and it was interesting to find out more information regarding the rural parts of Afghanistan and to find out just how drastic the difference between the two are. We here in the US always hear about how difficult it is fighting a war in rural Afghanistan because of the geography and because of tribalism. This book really helped to bring an understanding of those concepts to me. In that, I found the book fascinating.
The book does seem to drag, however. And the villages do seem to be strikingly similar until they all seem to fade together. Chapter after chapter of villages one cannot find on a map filled with nothing but mud huts gets a bit tedious to read about. Yet, for me, anyway, when Mr. Stewart speaks to the historical parts of Afghanistan, I found it be very interesting. And when he spoke of the people he met along the way, I was fascinated. He did seem to dwell on those individual who were less than savory, though. It would have been refreshing to read more about people he'd met who had been nice, helpful, and thoughtful. I'm sure there must have more than just 3 or 4?
I did enjoy reading about the various customs within some of the different tribes. I thought that to be very interesting. Some of the items Mr. Steward writes about were amusing, some were shocking to my Western mindset, and some were just outright disturbing (the Afghan Islamic view on the treatment towards dogs was especially difficult for this dog lover!). In all it was an interersting book, but there were some flaws.
Interesting but not what I thought it would be.......2007-10-11
Kind of interesting to learn what life is currently like in rural Afghanistan. But I was expecting more of a "World's Most Dangerous Places" type of travelogue which this book isn't. Very meditative with interesting "smaller" observations.
Left in limbo by The Places in Between.......2007-10-01
If you are into a lot of facts about history and culture, then this might be the book for you. As for myself, I felt like I was reading college history and sociology textbooks. So many facts, with little or no human connection to Rory Stewart, or the people who accompany him on his trek across Afghanistan. Stewart writes early on in the book, "I feel like I have been preparing for this all my life". To me that is a powerful statement, which in my opinion Stewart never really expounded on, and in the end could have made this book a little more interesting.
The Places In Between.......2007-09-28
Well written and exciting journey that a brave man wrote about. Very good reference to the differences between villiages and provinces encompassed by the overarching history of the country.
Highly recommend - a Bold look at a slice of Afghanistan.......2007-09-08
This book is a fascinating and easy read for anyone looking to learn about Afghanistan.
The audacity of what Rory Stewart does in this book is amazing. Walking from Herat to Kabul across central Afghanistan relying on the hospitality of the local in each village he passes through. It is not a comprehensive look at Afghanistan but a first hand micro level look at life in a select few Afghan villages. At the same time, he throws in larger historical and research perspectives. Like all books that I've read about the country, there is a pointient sadness to what these people have been through.
Book Description
Charlie Wilson's War was a publishing sensation and a New York Times, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times bestseller. In the early 1980s, a Houston socialite turned the attention of maverick Texas congressman Charlie Wilson to the ragged band of Afghan "freedom fighters" who continued, despite overwhelming odds, to fight the Soviet invaders. Wilson, who sat on the all-powerful House Appropriations Committee, managed to procure hundreds of millions of dollars to support the mujahideen. The arms were secretly procured and distributed with the help of an out-of-favor CIA operative, Gust Avrokotos, whose working-class Greek-American background made him an anomaly among the Ivy League world of American spies. Avrakotos handpicked a staff of CIA outcasts to run his operation and, with their help, continually stretched the Agency's rules to the breaking point. Moving from the back rooms of the Capitol, to secret chambers at Langley, to arms-dealers' conventions, to the Khyber Pass, this book presents an astonishing chapter of our recent past, and the key to understanding what helped trigger the sudden collapse of the Soviet Union and ultimately led to the emergence of a brand-new foe in the form of radical Islam.
Customer Reviews:
Hopefully, the movie doesn't screw up this story.......2007-10-05
There will be three main kinds of people who won't read this book. The first are those who see no reason for military intervention anywhere, ever. The second are those who are hypersensitive to any speaking of ethnicity, race, gender, etc., within a kilometer of earshot. The third are those who don't like long books, and "Charlie Wilson's War" is certainly longer than most. All this would be too bad, because the book is a wealth of little known and critical current history, as well as a real rip-snorting adventure. The most intriguing icing on the cake is that Charlie Wilson, one of the boldest and effective national-interest congressmen of the last century, was a Democrat. He was a Democrat who pushed Republicans forward for a decade, mostly to do the right things. How many right things, of course, remains to be seen in coming decades.
Much of the book is written in colloquial style, as the author reproduces many discussions among a very wide variety of people. This sometimes comes out sounding a little coarse, but the reader should see this quickly as a writer trying to be accurate. Charlie Wilson, the man himself, also might turn many readers off. He abused his body with food and drink, mostly drink; he was a maverick to the point of almost being a loose canon; wild, he certainly was. No one, though, can deny that he was one of those rarest of politicians. Here was a man who did not stop with saying what he wanted to do, he found ways to do what needed to be done. Then he kept at it, and at it. Here was a man of his word.
This interesting story suffers only a small weakness as a narrative, and only if the reader minds. The action chapter by chapter, even section by section, does not always tell us what was happening at the same time with other people, and at other places. Rather, the author likes to keep a thread of a theme or thought and follow it to the end. This can be irritating and a little confusing if you are trying to keep things straight for any particular group of years at a time. If this does not make a problem for reader, then so much the better. A last suggestion: this book goes down especially well by audio CD, and the voice narrator does well with dialogs and accents.
A great true story.......2007-10-04
This is a truly amazing tale. Never told until now and soon a movie. Buy this book and read the true story about how a "wild" congressman and a rogue CIA agent changed history. Better by far than all those fictional adventures!
four and 1/2 stars........2007-10-01
steve coll's excellent book "ghost wars" whet my reading appetite for more on the soviet war in afghanistan. since that military action, with the unanticipated consequences it spawned for the united states, was such a catalyst for the 9/11 attacks, it seems essential for an american to get a grip on what took place there. "charlie wilson's war" is a thrilling account of that international drama. though much of the book deals with funding america's covert involvement through congressional appropriation subcommittees, and with CIA office politics, the narrative is interesting page for page throughout this long work. not once did i find it a chore to continue, or feel an urge to skip past anything. george crile brings the colorful personalities of those involved to vivid life through his clear prose. he actually makes appropriation subcommitees, and their methods of work, interesting. and his portraits of afghanistan and pakistan, and their respective political environments and key political players, is brilliantly executed. the story is told completely from the american perspective, true. you will have to seek elsewhere for a more balanced view (by this i mean one that takes into account the soviet soldiers side of things). but this book being what it is, is a fascinating read, and one you can learn much from.
Great.......2007-09-08
One of the most intriguing stories of American foreign policy making. This book was recommended to me by a staffer for a military oriented Congressional committee. He was quite emphatic in stressing that this book, better than any other, offers a great perspective on the influence Congress can have on foreign and war policy. I don't know how representative it is of the day to day activities of members of Congress, but it certainly shows how a dedicated member of Congress CAN get seriously involved in an issue.
Charlie Wilson is one of the most interesting politicians to have walked on the stage in the past 50 years. Part JFK, Nixon, LBJ, and Clinton - both good and bad parts - Wilson was a smart and dedicated defender of CIA efforts to support the mujaheden in Afghanistan against the Soviet Union. More than any supposed hardline conservative, including President Reagan, Wilson, a socially liberal Democrat from Texas, was the most agressive elected official to back the CIA in its anti-Soviet effort in Afghanistan. Wilson was also wildly able to get in the worst kinds of trouble: womanizing, drunk driving, and questionable uses of public money. I guess it goes to show that people are incredibly complex and contain a much more dynamic mix of good and bad within them. Kind of like the Incredible Hulk, but with less green.
Hard to read.......2007-08-29
Content was OK, I'm sure acurate, but about 210 pages into this 500+ page book I had to give in - I just couldn't make myself want to read it. I am only 31, so I do not know of Charlie Wilson, or the political temperature in the 80s, but this book was recommended to me so I tried, but couldn't make myself do it.
Book Description
The bravery displayed by our soldiers at war is commonly recognized. However, often forgotten is the courage required by veterans when they return home and suddenly face reintegration into their families, workplaces, and communities. Authored by three mental health professionals with many years of experience counseling veterans, Courage After Fire provides strategies and techniques for this challenging journey home.
Courage After Fire offers soldiers and their families a comprehensive guide to dealing with the all-too-common repercussions of combat duty, including posttraumatic stress symptoms, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. It details state-of-the-art treatments for these difficulties and outlines specific ways to improve couple and family relationships. Courage After Fire also offers tips on areas such as rejoining the workforce and reconnecting with children.
Customer Reviews:
Down Range: To Iraq and Back.......2007-10-18
My son suggested I read this before he comes home from his tour of duty in Iraq. It has been very helpful to understand what he has to deal with in terms of adjusting from daily combat and normal day to day life at home. Most people don't have a clue what these brave men and women have to deal with. They cannot just turn off their emotions just because they are back home.
Eveyone who has a loved one serving in a war zone should read this book.
2 tours and it nearly killed me.......2007-10-04
It wasn't the war, it was when I returned home and could not function. I applaud this book for it's intent and gratitude that it gives to our young warriors. It is one of the few written for "our" generation. Thank you
-Timothy Kendrick author-PTSD: Pathways Through the Secret Door
Great Book.......2007-09-01
I was skeptical when purchasing this book, but the topics are discussed in such a way that you do not feel like you're reading "self-help". The focus is not on PTSD (although that is one of the topics covered), but more on a healthy transition from a chaotic environment. I would recommend this to any serviceman, spouse, parent, or close friend.
Compelling and pragmatic.......2007-05-13
As a disability service provider, I found this book particularly helpful. It is practical and to the point. Veterans can find tips on everything from how to sleep better to how to relax and cope with stressors. The triggers of anxiety are explained well, as are the ways veterans typically handle their pain. At the end of each chapter are helpful tips for family members. After I read it, I ordered ten copies of this book to give away to student veterans and their families.
Courage After Fire.......2007-04-02
Books such as these are essential for the friends and family of returning Veterans of Foreign Wars, as well as for those who have experienced war firsthand.
Download Description
For more than twenty years, Sultan Khan has defied the authorities, whether communist or Taliban, to supply books to the people of Kabul. He has been arrested, interrogated, and imprisoned, and has watched illiterate Taliban soldiers burn piles of his books in the street. Yet he has persisted in his passion for books, shedding light in one of the world's darkest places. This is the intimate portrait of a man of principle and of his family - two wives, five children, and many relatives sharing a small four-room apartment in this war-ravaged city. As they endure the extraordinary trials and tensions of Afghanistan's upheavals, they also still try to live ordinary lives, with work, relaxation, shopping, cooking, marriages, rivalries, and shared joys. Most of all, this is an intimate portrait of family life under Islam. Even after the Taliban's collapse, the women in Khan's family must submit to arranged marriages, polygamous husbands, and crippling limitations on their ability to travel, learn, and communicate with others. Seierstad lived with Khan's family for months, experiencing first-hand Afghani life as few outsiders have seen it. Stepping back from the page, she allows the Khans to speak for themselves, giving us a genuinely gripping and moving portrait of a family, and of a country of great cultural riches and extreme contradictions.
Customer Reviews:
The Bookseller of Kabul.......2007-10-19
This is a beautifully written book that chronicles a fascinating man committed to saving the culture of Afganistan. In it the author, who was granted amazing access, reveals the incredible hardships muslim women suffer and the indominable spirit of a resourceful man.
A wonderful and rich look at everyday life in Kabul.......2007-09-19
A year in the life of a wealthy (by Afghan standards) bookseller whose focus is the preservation of literature and books for the next generation. The lengths to which he will do this often compromise his family, best revealed in the irony of denying his sons the privilege of going to school so they can work in his shops. Beautifully observed and touching, particularly the roles of women in the patriarchal family structure, who must carefully manage how much they can dream about their own lives. You won't soon forget this story after you have read the last page.
Reading as a Dangerous Activity.......2007-08-23
This amazing story follows an Afghani bookseller and his family, who opened their doors to a Western journalist (Norwegian Asne Seierstad). She becomes part of the family in a desire to understand what daily life is like for Afghanis in their own country, particularly women. In this book, Seierstad shares this family's hardships, sorrows, and joy. Reeling from the ravages of war, mired in poverty, and limited by traditions of the Taliban, the Afghanistan that Seierstad brings us is even more compelling because of its inside look at what one middle class family must endure.
She brings us into the heart of matters: the bookseller's determination and drive to continue his trade (which included spending several years in jail, as well as living under censorship and illegal border crossings to bring books to the people of Kabul). She also examines the life of his children and his two wives. No other book captures so graphically what it is like to be a woman in a burka living in Afghanistan today. This book will have every Western woman thanking her lucky stars that she was born into more tolerant conditions that allow her a choice of career, marriage partner, and pursuit of her own happiness...freedoms most Westerners take for granted.
Because of her journalist status, Seierstad is able to show us the stories of both men and women. With a war correspondent's background, she is able to fill in the historical perspective while still maintaining an unprecedented level of intimacy in this tale. This is truly a remarkable book, well written and compelling. Its value is sure to stand the test of time.
A fascinating look at Afghanistan.......2007-08-23
The Bookseller of Kabul is a fine book which illuminates a culture and country with both honesty and understanding. It is written like a novel, yet the reader is convinced of the authenticity of the narrative; and Seierstad is clear when she expresses her own opinions. It is not difficult to share her views of the treatment of women in the Afghan household where she herself is hospitably and generously treated. The lack of opportunity to escape the stifling and destructive prison of womanhood in Afghanistan is tragic. She also examines the power of the authoritarian head of the family who denies his own children an education or freedom to make some choices of their own.
It is evident that the thoughtless acceptance of traditional beliefs of the role of women or the rights of the "man of the house" cannot be easily changed or even modified. I closed the book with a feeling of sadness and hopelessness, but with admiration for Asne Seierstad's skill and sensibilities.
Bookseller is the Best.......2007-07-19
A gripping story and personal insight into a wealthy Kabul family. I could hardly put it down and learned a lot about modern Afghanistan life.
Amazon.com
Steve Coll's Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001 offers revealing details of the CIA's involvement in the evolution of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in the years before the September 11 attacks. From the beginning, Coll shows how the CIA's on-again, off-again engagement with Afghanistan after the end of the Soviet war left officials at Langley with inadequate resources and intelligence to appreciate the emerging power of the Taliban. He also demonstrates how Afghanistan became a deadly playing field for international politics where Soviet, Pakistani, and U.S. agents armed and trained a succession of warring factions. At the same time, the book, though opinionated, is not solely a critique of the agency. Coll balances accounts of CIA failures with the success stories, like the capture of Mir Amal Kasi. Coll, managing editor for the Washington Post, covered Afghanistan from 1989 to 1992. He demonstrates unprecedented access to records of White House meetings and to formerly classified material, and his command of Saudi, Pakistani, and Afghani politics is impressive. He also provides a seeming insider's perspective on personalities like George Tenet, William Casey, and anti-terrorism czar, Richard Clarke ("who seemed to wield enormous power precisely because hardly anyone knew who he was or what exactly he did for a living"). Coll manages to weave his research into a narrative that sometimes has the feel of a Tom Clancy novel yet never crosses into excess. While comprehensive, Coll's book may be hard going for those looking for a direct account of the events leading to the 9-11 attacks. The CIA's 1998 engagement with bin Laden as a target for capture begins a full two-thirds of the way into Ghost Wars, only after a lengthy march through developments during the Carter, Reagan, and early Clinton Presidencies. But this is not a critique of Coll's efforts; just a warning that some stamina is required to keep up. Ghost Wars is a complex study of intelligence operations and an invaluable resource for those seeking a nuanced understanding of how a small band of extremists rose to inflict incalculable damage on American soil. --Patrick O'Kelley
Book Description
To what extent did AmericaÂ's best intelligence analysts grasp the rising threat of Islamist radicalism? Who tried to stop bin Laden and why did they fail? Comprehensively and for the first time, Pulitzer PrizeÂ-winning journalist Steve Coll recounts the history of the covert wars in Afghanistan that fueled Islamic militancy and sowed the seeds of the September 11 attacks. Based on scrupulous research and firsthand accounts by key government, intelligence, and military personnel both foreign and American, Coll details the secret history of the CIAÂ's role in Afghanistan, the rise of the Taliban, the emergence of bin Laden, and the failed efforts by U.S. forces to find and assassinate bin Laden in Afghanistan.
Customer Reviews:
Current history come to life.......2007-10-11
Steve Coll has done an outstanding job in presenting the history of our relationship with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the Afghan freedom fighters and shows how that history foretells what is occurring in the world today.
Many other books about the rise of Osama Bin Laden are out there but this gives an honest depiction of who he was and is, how he came to power and what he uses to retain that power. It gives the reader a better understanding of the tribal nature of Afghanistan, the machinations of the intelligence services in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and how the Taliban came to rule after the Soviets were chased out. It also shows how the United States in the administration of Bill Clinton dropped the ball numerous times in understanding and dealing with terrorism. From the bombing of the World Trade Center in 1993 to the bombing of the USS Cole in 2000, Clinton did little to forestall further such events. The reader will see what roles Sandy Berger and Richard Clarke played in advising the president and yet the terrorism continued.
A few heroes are introduced- mainly from the CIA and Afghan tribes.
Steve Coll is an excellent writer and captures the reader with his excellent prose and command of the players and facts of the times
a fine place to start at understanding 9/11.......2007-09-30
on 9/12/2001 i figured that i should take a stab at getting a better picture in my head of the political turbulence that storms through the middle east. but i'm a lazy person. and such an undertaking seemed a chore. i have enough chores in my life, so i procrastinated. i bought a small stack of books on the topic over the years, but they only served to make me feel bad, because i really didn't want to read any of them. but this month, about 6 years later than it should have been, i took the plunge. I picked up steve coll's "Ghost Wars," and started reading the thing. well, lo and behold it was not a chore at all. the first 475 pages flew by with ease, pulling me along eagerly. mr coll builds a narrative momentum here, while threading complex strands of people, countries and events into a coherent whole, that is superlative. his portrait of the saudi, afganistan, and pakistani governments, and their interactions with the united states government was particularly well done and fascinating. my only complaint (and the reason i give this book 4 stars instead of 5) is that after the bombing of our warship in yemen by bin laden's group, the narrative suddenly grinds to a halt and becomes bogged down in about a hundred pages of overly detailed description relating to unsuccessful plots to get bin laden himself. since we all know that bin laden was not caught, this long stretch of failed planning simply takes up too much space at the end of the book, and is not all that interesting. that said, by all means read this book for the excitement and enlightenment cast in the first 475 pages or so. i believe this book to be about as good a place to start as any for someone looking to better understand the road that led us to 9/11.
issues to be informed about.............2007-09-23
Interesting. A must read. I hope Mr. Coll writes the next segment of Afghanistan's history from September 11, 2001 onward.
The book covers a lot of ground and is lengthy, but is well written and reads quickly. Coll outlines the people and policies (or, the lack thereof) from the Soviet chapter in Afghanistan until the day before September 11, 2001. Throughout the historical narrative, the book covers and addresses scary amounts of money flowing in and out of Afghanistan, the conflicts between the CIA, the State Dept. and other U.S. agencies/policymakers in addressing issues related to Afghanistan, the Taleban, Al Q, and Bin Laden, and who understood what and when related to Al Q, Bin Laden, et al. Coll also critically addresses the roles of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in U.S. policy considerations, and those countries policies toward Afghanistan/knowledge of Al Q and Bin Laden.
Beyond the headlines, I was not very well informed on the history of Afghanistan. This book will bring the reader up to speed very quickly.
Unbeliveable history of Afghanistan.......2007-08-17
Don't be scared away by the 600+ pages. It flows freely and is really a riviting historical read. It provides quite a narrative on the history of this area and the difficult political and military situations that the US, Pakistan, Soviet Union and other influcencal Middle East countries had in this area of the world..
Ghost Wars.......2007-07-14
Ghost Wars is an account of U.S. assistance to the mujahedin during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and U.S. attempts to curtail Osama bin Laden's influence. Ghost Wars focuses on the CIA but author Steve Coll, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who covered Afghanistan for the Washington Post between 1989 and 1992, also covers the interagency policy making process in Washington.
The U.S. policy of helping the mujahedin in Afghanistan harass and ultimately defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan was, of course, a success. U.S. officials realized that the contending forces in Afghanistan were unlikely to form a unified national government after the Soviet's departure, but the United States was in Afghanistan to hurt the Soviet Union, not to build a new nation in Afghanistan. U.S. assistance efforts in Afghanistan were advanced by two allies, in particular, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Coll argues that, while the allies' interests coincided in containing Soviet expansion, U.S. interests were hurt by the efforts of Pakistan's intelligence service (the ISI) to strengthen radical Islamists after the Soviet collapse in Afghanistan and by Saudi Arabia's unwillingness to confront radical Islamists at home and in Afghanistan.
Coll criticizes U.S. policy in Afghanistan on several grounds. First, the United States relied heavily on the ISI to deliver assistance to the mujahedin, despite the ISI's preference for radical jihadists. Second, the United States' reliance on Saudi oil made it too hard for the United States to confront its ally over terrorism policies. Third, the United States missed opportunities to engage India as a democratic ally in South Asia. Fourth, the United States failed to develop "a strategy for engagement, democratization, secular education, and economic development among the peaceful but demoralized populations of the Islamic world."
U.S. policy toward bin Laden, in particular, could also be criticized for a lack of coherence. Coll's narrative describes a reluctance to give unambiguous instructions to kill bin Laden, even though capturing him alive would have been nearly impossible. Numerous opportunities arose to attack bin Laden but policymakers always demurred because they were reluctant to offend other governments or risk civilian deaths. At one point, referring to bin Laden, CIA director George Tenet announces that "We are at war," but the resources and single-minded determination that this announcement implies never materialized.
Book Description
“Here is what you will not find in the news–the personal cost of war written as clear and beautiful as literature worthy of the name is. These stories are the real thing, passionate, imaginative, searing.”
–Richard Bausch, author of Wives & Lovers
The first book of its kind, Operation Homecoming is the result of a major initiative launched by the National Endowment for the Arts to bring distinguished writers to military bases and inspire U.S. Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen and their families to record their wartime experiences. Encouraged by such authors as Tom Clancy, Mark Bowden, Bobbie Ann Mason, Tobias Wolff, Jeff Shaara, and Marilyn Nelson, American military personnel and their loved ones wrote candidly about what they saw, heard, and felt while in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as on the home front. Taken together, these almost one hundred never-before-published eyewitness accounts, private journals, short stories, letters, and other personal writings become a dramatic narrative that shows the human side of warfare.
• the fear and exhilaration of heading into battle;
• the interactions between U.S. forces and Afghans and Iraqis, both as enemies and friends;
• the boredom, gripes, and humorous incidents of day-to-day life on the front lines;
• the anxiety and heartache of worried spouses, parents, and other loved ones on the home front;
• the sheer brutality of warfare and the physical and emotional toll it takes on those who fight;
• the tearful homecomings for those who returned to the States alive– and the somber ceremonies for those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their nation.
From riveting combat accounts to profound reflections on warfare and the pride these troops feel for one another, Operation Homecoming offers an unflinching and intensely revealing look into the lives of extraordinary men and women. What they have written is without question some of the greatest wartime literature ever published.
“Andrew Carroll has given America a priceless treasure.”
–Tom Brokaw, on War Letters
Proceeds from this book will be used to provide arts and cultural programming to U.S. military communities. For more information, please go to www.OperationHomecoming.gov.
Customer Reviews:
*Tissue alert*.......2007-07-26
This book was very moving. I laughed and I cried. There were sad stories and poignant stories and many positive stories. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a real look at how the military and their families feel about going through these deployments. I also recomment it for families going through the deployments now. I have learned a lot about what my son may be going through and may not be willing to share with us right now.
Crying, laughing, both at the same time.......2007-03-06
I am a military wife. My young daughter and I survived 12 months while my husband served in Iraq. This book was absolutely amazing. I cannot come up with the words to describe how much this book meant to me. I don't know about other spouses, but no matter how much my husband and I talk, it is not easy for him to communicate his thoughts or feelings on his service in Iraq. It was even difficult for him to describe his life over there when asked directly. I think a lot of it is him trying to protect me, but also, his brain does not work that way. He was there, he did what he had to do as a soldier, end of story. This book brought me insight into my husband. It made me laugh. It made me cry. It made me sick. It made me angry. It made me happy. It made me joyful. It made me all of these things at the same time. I am so thankful to the organization(whose name escapes me right now) that made this book possible. It is a book that touched my heart and soul. I will never be the same, and I am greatful for that. It is in know way a "light" read. I read it quickly, as I do everything, but because I was hungry to read more, to know more, to feel more. Do not read it without a box of tissues next to you.
Nothing has been closer to home for me .......2007-03-03
I am a NCO in the army and have been to Iraq 4 times and this book sent chills through my bodie many times with the pure honest look at war. Most of the stories are reflections of events that any service member will identifie with. Then there are some events told in this book only a select few will truely grasp. This is a must read if you would like a insight into the mind of a Military member who has been deployed. I cant recomend this book more then just get it read it and prepair to get choked up. I know i did
AN IMPORTANT BOOK.......2007-02-12
This book really gives you a taste for how it is in Iraq...I think everyone should read it...especially Pres. Bush.
Excellent Audio Version.......2007-01-20
I listened to the audio version of this book. It was one of the most moving panoramic portrait of emotions of this war. Hearing these letters read aloud bring them to life in a way not possible in a reading. My congratulations to the publishers and producers of this work of art. Very very moving. Makes this war more of a reality for me here at home; it doesn't take sides, but expresses the good and the sad about this conflict. I laughed and misted up. A truly beautiful and broad compilation of real life stories.
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- Architectural Graphic Standards Student Edition: An Abridgement of the 9th Edition
- Building Type Basics for College and University Facilities
- Systematics and Evolution of the Ranunculiflorae
Water for Elephants: A Novel
The Kite Runner
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)
Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia
