Afghanistan - Bev Russell, Library Director

(This column appeared in the October 21, 2007, Star-Herald)

One of the real joys of working at the library the past several years has been the opportunity to meet some of the teachers and students from Afghanistan. When their hectic schedules allow, we give them a brief tour of the library. These visits provide a small glimpse into their culture and make me realize how insulated I am from the life and death struggles in their country. For many Americans, the Afghanistan War has created an enormous interest in this remote country. Many recently published books help enlighten us about Afghanistan—its people, its culture and its struggles.

Over the years I have come to believe that a well-written, well-informed novel can provide a greater depth of understanding about an issue than the typical non-fiction book can. No author provides a clearer window on the suffering and disruption of modern Afghanistan than Khaled Hosseini does. Hosseini was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. His father was a diplomat with the Afghan Foreign Ministry, and his mother was a teacher. Hosseini’s family was stationed in Paris during the Communist Coup. Eventually they received asylum in the United States. After a brief career in the medical profession, Hosseini became a writer.

Hosseini’s first book "The Kite Runner" was an international bestseller. It tells the story of two young boys, growing up in the turmoil of the 1970s Afghanistan. One boy, Amir, escapes the chaos to the United States. The other boy, Hassan, the son of a family servant, remains behind. All his adult life, Amir is tormented by a childhood incident in which he betrayed his friend. When the Taliban murders Hassan and his wife, Amir is given an opportunity at redemption. Spurred by his guilt, Amir journeys to Kabul to save Hassan’s son. "The Kite Runner" is a thought-provoking book that should stand the test of time.

It is extremely difficult to have a successful follow-up book after a runaway bestseller, but Khalid Hosseini accomplished this feat with "A Thousand Splendid Suns". This widely acclaimed novel, also a bestseller, traces the lives of two women during the past thirty years of turbulence in Afghanistan. Raised in poverty by her unwed mother, Mariam’s wealthy father arranges a marriage for his 15 year-old daughter to a 40 year-old abusive husband. After years of marriage and no children, Rashid, age 60, takes 14 year-old Laila as his wife. Although they are hostile at first, the two wives eventually form a bond that becomes the heart of the novel. Hosseini’s empathetic portrayal of Mariam and Laila underscores for readers the tragic victimization of women in the Afghani culture.

Another information/entertainment source about Afghani culture is the video documentary, "The Beauty Academy of Kabul". A group of quirky American women decide to open a beauty school in Afghanistan. An odd decision perhaps, but these atypical hairstylists see it as a means of empowering Afghani women, some of whom at the risk of their lives secretly operated salons during the Taliban era. As the ladies learn about hairstyles and makeup, they also retell the horrors from the past. While learning a craft to improve their lives, these stoic wives and mothers go home to demanding husbands, who they often fear, and to clamoring children. Their lives are hard, but their determination is inspirational.

Learning need not be boring. "The Kite Runner", "A Thousand Splendid Suns", and "The Beauty Academy of Kabul" inform as well as entertain. Both books and the DVD are all available at the Scottsbluff Public Library. "Kabul Beauty School" by Deborah Rodriguez is also available in book and audio CD.

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