Yasmina Khadra; John Cullen (Login chapteraday) Forum Owner
The Swallows of Kabul by Yasmina Khadra; John Cullen Buy book: $9.11
Set in Kabul under the rule of the Taliban, this extraordinary novel takes readers into the lives of two couples to offer an unflinching but compassionate insight into a society that violence and hypocrisy have brought to the edge of despair.
I have read this selection and stand in complete awe of the author. I cannot enourage all of you enough to get your hands on a copy ASAP and read it through. This is a VERY important book. Having said that, I should also disclose that it is in some ways very difficult to read. That is so often the case with the truth. Note that the author is actually a man. He wrote the book under cover of a female pseudonym out of fear. He was a member of the Afghan armed forces at the time. Extraordinary does not do this selection justice. PLEASE read it!
Thanks for the recommendation. Now I plan on reading it. I am still reeling from The Kite Runner (5 stars) and am eager to read more "fiction" about/from Afghanistan.
This is not on my selection category, but thr title intrigued me so I looked at the review comments. I will get this from my library. May I also be bold and venture a suggestion of the book by Randy Alcorn called Safely Home..Another truth filled book...but about China
I read this book recently and was very disappointed in the style of writing. It's not an easy read, maybe something is lost in the translation. It's very dry and does not flow easily. I would recommend instead the Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad, a woman Norweigan journist who lived with an Afgan family and talks about Afganistan before, during and after the Taliban.
I'm so disillusioned with the whole war and such, I know I should probably read this, but I can't bring myself too. I guess I'll be missing out on a good read. I'm going to have to hit delete on this one.
This book facinates me. Here's a country that's the polar opposite to North American culture. There are few personal rights and no freedom of expression. It's impossible to imagine but the author paints a picture of it for us.
It may be a bit dry, but how does one describe scenes like the public stoning without being overly graphic? I believe the author is using the first few chapters for setting the tone of the book and is doing it well.
I read Kite Runner and thoroughly enjoyed it and I will try to get a copy of The Bookseller of Kabul. I will finish this book as well. It won't be an easy read, but I need to know more about this land that's hade a key role in shaping modern history.
I am definitely going to find this book and read it. I agree that it is not an easy book to read. I am the kind of reader who put off reading The Kite Runner because I wondered how could I possibly relate to a story about Afghanistan. How wrong I was! What I read was a HUMAN story, set across the world from me. I am feeling this way about The Swallows of Kabul. As our world gets smaller and smaller I think it is even more important to try and understand our global neighbors. Thanks for bringing this book here!
I was particularly glad to read a book that stretches my literary senses (and global knowledge) as this book does. Also when a book is so out of the ordinary in every way especially the depth and prose of this one, I am so glad I've come across it. That's the beauty of Dearreader ~ sitting in my nightgown and being exposed to such a variety of authors.
