# Book review: "The Bookseller Of Kabul"



## bossi (2 Nov 2004)

I was originally supposed to have appeared on television with the author, Asne Seierstad, but she was recalled suddenly to cover a fast-breaking story (not sure, but it might have been the illness of Yassar Arafat).  And so, I found myself reviewing her book on the TV show "Fine Print" (I kinda felt like the Tin Man from "The Wizard of Oz", thinking to myself "... if I only knew how to review books ...").

Anyway, the novel is based on Seierstad's experiences in Kabul immediately after the fall of the Taliban (she had been covering the war, travelling with the Northern Alliance).  Once in Kabul, she happened upon a bookseller (somewhat of a rarity, considering the incredibly low literacy rate in Afghanistan) and ended up living with his family for several months.

She chose to turn her experience into a novel, and "wrote herself out of the story".  Thus, the characters are the family members and the dialogue is their conversations.  She acknowledges it may not be perfectly accurate, due to translation difficulties, however I'm confident it's not a complete work of fiction.

It's an easy read, and I found it fascinating inasmuch as it was a glimpse into the life of a family who lived behind one of the innumberable walls I drove by when on patrol.

For anybody going to Afghanistan, this is a relatively painless way for you to do some "cultural sensitivity" reading - much more enjoyable than some dry textbook ... and the characters come to life, instead of being mere statistics.  I've discussed this book with my Afghan neighbours, and the grandfather said it was a fair portrayal of life in Afghanistan.

(but, of course, I'm writing this from the perspective of a CIMIC guy ... chuckle!)


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