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The Bookseller of Kabul
The Bookseller of Kabul
Author: Asne Seierstad, Ingrid Christophersen (Translator)
This profile of the pseudonymous Sultan Khan, proprietor of a Kabul bookstore whose passionately liberal ideas about literature and freedom to read are at odds with his traditional ones about the place of women, has been an international bestseller. It has also been the subject of controversy, as the actual bookseller in question -- a man named ...  more »
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ISBN-13: 9780316159418
ISBN-10: 0316159417
Publication Date: 10/26/2004
Pages: 320
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 304

3.8 stars, based on 304 ratings
Publisher: Back Bay Books
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover, Audio Cassette, Audio CD
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 174 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 11
I really enjoyed this book. A look into the lives of a modern Afghan family through the eyes of a journalist from Sweden. She lived with this family for three months and wrote about her experiences with them. As a western woman, the treatment of women was disturbing, but I have to remember that this is their culture, not mine, and that is to be respected.
For me, this is one more book and means along the way to understanding the rest of the world.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 174 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 5
Chilling account of life in Afghanistan, especially for the women. The consequences of almost constant war for the people and the change from one regime to another from one day to the next leaves confusion in the minds of the young people and a clinging to the old ways as a way to make sense of it all.
wardbunch avatar reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 88 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Not bad for an updated view of Afgan society, but I found it heavily filtered through Western eyes.
bookaddict avatar reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on
Helpful Score: 3
Just a fascinating account of life in Afghanistan, particularly as it relates to women. Written in "novel" form, but actually nonfiction journalism. Terrific read.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 11 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Very interesting insight of Afghanistan but does not have a strong story line. It really is just a brief look at a true life family and their daily life.
Read All 61 Book Reviews of "The Bookseller of Kabul"

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reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on
This is a brutally depressing book compounded by the fact that the stories within, as witnessed by or told to the author, are all true. The story of the carpenter and his starving family members will haunt me for some time as will the various depictions of how the "bookseller" treated the women in his own extended family.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 171 more book reviews
I found this to be a difficult read because it was depressing to me. The situation and the culture in Afghanistan is just so difficult, and especially oppressive to women. The family is truly trapped in the cultural expectations - even in an "educated and enlightened" family.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on
Great book
nccorthu avatar reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 569 more book reviews
Good book on how Afghanis live with the war and especially the women. Also gives a good exposition of the family life and marital situation, burka and all.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 92 more book reviews
I am so thankful to be an American woman with rights and privileges. This book is reality in the rest of the world for women and scares the life out of me. So thankful for a happy ending.
reviewed The Bookseller of Kabul on + 3 more book reviews
Fascinating tale of everyday life in Afganistan. The culture is unbelievable.

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