Article--Lesley

The Bookseller of Kabul responds

An Afghan bookstore owner displeased with his portrayal in a bestseller based on him and his family has written his own book telling his angry, bewildered side of the story.

February 25, 2009|Laura King

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN — There's one bookstore in the world where you'll never, ever find a copy of "The Bookseller of Kabul."

That would be the Bookseller's. The epic literary feud that erupted with the book's publication more than five years ago still endures -- at least from the perspective of Shah Muhammad Rais, who hated his depiction as Sultan Khan, a liberal intellectual in public but a tyrant in his own home.

http://articles.latimes.com/2009/feb/25/world/fg-afghan-bookseller25

November 19, 2001

RESISTANCE

Behind the Burka: Women Subtly Fought Taliban

By AMY WALDMAN

HERAT, Afghanistan, Nov. 18 — In the walled garden of her house, Soheila Helal waged a quiet
rebellion against the Taliban. On a patio softened by rugs and book-ended by two small
blackboards, she ran a school for 120 students, mostly girls. It was a transgression on two counts: as a
woman Mrs. Helal was not supposed to work, and her female students were not supposed to learn.

So her students' lessons included what to tell any Taliban forces who stopped them — that they were
just going to visit her. The after-school activities included learning how to leave discreetly in small
groups, so as not to attract attention.

Mrs. Helal, a teacher for 17 years, saw no other choice. Her husband died as the Taliban came to
power, leaving her with three small children to support. She says that continuing to teach also kept her
sane.

"I thought of killing myself many times," she said of life under the Taliban. As a woman she was not
supposed to leave home without a male relative; as a widow she had no choice. Buying groceries could
bring a beating from the religious police. "Only my love for my students saved me."

That love no longer needs to be hidden behind an adobe wall. The school where Mrs. Helal worked
before the Taliban came to power is reopening now that they are gone from Herat and much of
Afghanistan. In areas now controlled by the Northern Alliance, the petty brutality that women endured
for nearly a half decade has ended. When Ismail Khan, the commander now in control here, arrived last
week, he made clear that he believed that women should be in school and at work.

The freedom is still too new to completely trust, and the wounds too fresh to be healed, but for the first
time in years, women here say they have hope — that they will be treated like human beings, not
wayward cattle; that they will be free to leave their homes and work; that their daughters will be able to learn.

"The good days are ahead," said Rana Entezari, a neighbor who stopped by Mrs. Helal's house today. A doctor, she was fired from a laboratory for being a woman after the Taliban came to power.

Herat is still full of women in burkas, the full-length shroud that covers even the face, rendering a
woman more column than human, and making it impossible for close friends to recognize each other on
the street. But now many of the burka-clad women are on their own or with other women. A week ago, that would have brought a lashing.

Today women showed off bruises and scars earned for going it alone or daring to speak in a
government office. They described the cruel illogic of the Taliban: male doctors were not allowed to
treat women but female doctors were not permitted to be trained; many widows here who were the sole support of their family were barred from going to work. Many of them resorted to shelling nuts or
washing clothes at home, barely earning enough to fill their children's stomachs.

Women also showed resilience, even crafty defiance, for those who were expected to be neither seen
nor heard. Knowing they would be lashed, they went out alone anyway. Confined to their homes, many
taught their daughters to read. They started secret schools or secured small concessions — permission
to open a nursing school, for example — from the Taliban bureaucracy.

Nouri, who uses only one name, described going to a courtroom on behalf of a relative who had been
wrongly arrested. The Taliban beat her so hard for appearing there that her hands were swollen for
days.

"Why are you doing this?" she said she shouted. "Aren't you Muslim? Aren't you afraid of God?" They
told her they would do it as long as she was out of the house. Today she was out looking for work at the office of Habitat, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlement. Many other women were there as well.

Sima Rezahi, 22, said she needed to support her elderly parents but had been allowed to work only in a
relief distribution center since her family returned from Iran two years ago. She has been well educated, she said, and being restricted to such a lowly job smarted.

Her younger sister, Zahra, went out of the house today for the first time in two years. No one knew it
was her since she wore a burka. But within the confines of the maternity clinic where Habitat's office is situated, the 17-year-old removed the veil, let the sun hit her face and allowed herself to think about a life outside four walls and after the Taliban. All she did for two years was cook.

"It was like being in jail," said another woman, Delband.

Today, the prisoners were free. Fatimeh Sadeghi brought her 16- year-old daughter to the office, hoping she could get a job sewing. Mrs. Sadeghi has seven children, one at her breast, and no foreseeable way out of poverty. Her only education had come from a childhood friend, Kobra Zeithi, who runs the Habitat office. Mrs. Zeithi, who had an education, shared what she had learned with her friend.

Mrs. Zeithi is a pharmacologist who became an activist. She was briefly imprisoned by the Taliban for
traveling to Pakistan to pick up educational materials. She saw the Taliban threaten to beat her
daughter, then 13, for not covering her face. She saw the opportunities for Afghanistan's women narrow unbearably.

She would not give up fighting, she said. "If we stayed home these five years, we would lose what little
culture we have."

She managed to get permission from the Taliban to start a sewing program for women, although the
permission took a month to get. She got permission to teach the Koran to women at a new cultural
center, although the permission was then revoked. Her organization was one of the only places in Herat that women could get jobs. For 80 jobs at the cultural center she received 1,500 applications, mostly from educated women. Her activities were financed by international organizations. She and other employees had to swear to the Taliban that they would continue to uphold the Islamic values.

Now jobs, not to mention dreams and plans, do not have to be scrimped and hoarded. Mrs. Zeithi had
forced her 16-year-old daughter to go to a nursing school started here three years ago because it was
the only schooling available to women. Her daughter cried because she wanted to be anything but a
nurse. Now she is free to choose.

The nursing school was a hard-won victory. It has 230 students, including Jamileh Ramani, 18, who said she enrolled because the country desperately needed medical practitioners — and because it was the only avenue out of the house.

The school's director, Sadaat Satahi, said she expected that applications would drop now that women
have other options. But the problem that took root during Taliban rule remains: Doctors here say the
lack of female surgeons and specialists working over the last few years has led to a higher mortality
rate among women.

Afghanistan's illiteracy rate is high but education is valued, particularly in this wealthy western city.
Woman after woman lamented that she had been educated only to be reduced by the Taliban to menial
labor or no labor at all.

"I was educated but it was worth nothing," Mrs. Helal, the teacher, said. "The Taliban did not care."

Her daughter Ghazal, 13, would ask her why boys could go to school when she could not. Mrs. Helal
could only tell her to thank God she was not in a society that buried women alive. Mrs. Helal also said
she was so desperate financially that she had considered marrying Ghazal off as many desperate
families here have done with young girls. Now she feels optimistic enough to let Ghazal wait for
marriage.

For Mrs. Helal, one thing will not change — she will continue to wear her burka in public. Her
husband's family would be very upset if she did not, she said. Showing her face in public would suggest
she was looking for a new husband.

To the outside world, the burka was the most obvious and chilling symbol of the Taliban rule. Its
meaning here is more complicated, which helps explain why women have not thrown it off en masse.
Many women here said they would like to return to wearing a chador, which leaves the face exposed,
but are frightened that the Taliban may return.

"If other women take off their veils, I'll take mine off," said Tayebeh Amini, 48, a mother of three out
shopping alone today.

Many other women, usually poor or less-educated, said that they would continue to wear the burka as
they had done before the Taliban came to power. "I wore it then and I'll wear it now," said Maryam
Nazhamat, 55. "I'm a Muslim." Nonetheless she said she was thankful the Taliban were gone: she
wanted her 11-year-old, whom she had taught to read at home, in school.

Many men who say women should be able to work or go to school still say they should wear the burka.
"It is a tradition in Afghanistan," said Gholom Mohammed, 55. The dusty street around him was filled
with women in light blue burkas.

Ismail Khan, the local commander, said he would not enforce the wearing of the burka but would not
ban it either. He said he supports full rights for women, but that progress might be slow — in appointing women to government posts, for example.

"The Taliban created very bad notions about women," he said. "If we go to the other extreme some
people might confront us in hostile ways." He said that after he announced that television broadcasting
would resume here, some men had approached him to argue that women should not be on television.
"Afghanistan is a backward country," he said. "There's a kind of patriarchy in most families, especially
in the villages, in which men tell women what to do and what to wear."

But for most women here what they wear is the least of their worries. That is certainly true for Parigol
Abdulrasoul. She is 50, with no schooling, eight children and a dead husband. Unable to leave the house
under Taliban rule, she shelled nuts in the dark at home, her eyes weakening from the strain of working
with no electricity. Even now, she wonders how she will be able to earn enough to feed her family. "It
doesn't make any difference who rules here," she said. "We are hungry."

On Saturday, though, she came on her own to Herat's main hotel to look for a person powerful enough
to help her get food for her family from relief shipments entering the country. She assertively corralled
journalists and buttonholed government officials — male officials. It was a mission she could never have undertaken under the Taliban.

http://homepage.uab.edu/svan/behindburka.html

Images--Lesley

http://mhpbooks.com/mobylives/?p=4005

http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/The_Bookseller_of_Kabul

http://www.travelthewholeworld.com/afghanistan.html

^^This website had a lot of interesting facts and pictures about Kabul and Afghanistan.^^

Images - Kelli

http://www.flickr.com/photos/seekabul/82953982/

http://afghanistan.travel-culture.com/3days_kabul_tour.shtml

http://www.kabulguide.net/kbl-bookseller.htm

http://www.outlookindia.com/photoessays.asp?serial=5&foldername=20070723&filename=Photo+feature+%28F%29&storyid=2&mode=

Sources - Kelli

http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/05/14/karzai.taliban.talks/index.html?iref=allsearch

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/14/afghan-official-troops-killed-civilians/?iref=allsearch

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/13/more-than-two-dozen-suspected-taliban-militants-killed/?iref=allsearch

http://afghanistan.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/13/kabul-residents-karzai-needs-to-make-jobs-not-war/?iref=allsearch

These articles all involved the Taliban, which was closely linked and discussed through-out the book. It provides greater detail of what the current situation is involving the Taliban and discusses issues in Kabul, where the book takes place the majority of the time.

Journal #4: May 11, 2010

What surprised us in the chapter titled, My Mother Osama, was how the U.S involved themselves in reconnaissance sorties with Afghan warlords. From an objective standpoint, we understand that the U.S associating themselves with them was needed in order to retrieve information about the enemy, but at the same time we are the U.S, and are we or are we not supposed to not the spread of terror. We just felt that by supplying the warlords with guns and aircraft that they used upon one another only adds to the conflict rather than by trying to make it come to an end. In the chapter, A Broken Heart, all of us as we read the chapter hoped the Leila would finally get her happy ending. But then at the end of the chapter, we read how she was put in a corner and therefore had no other choice but to say nothing (meaning to accept) when it came to her potential engagement to Wakil’s no good for anything son. Though Leila’s bad luck is realistic to the Afghan culture, since many Afghan women do not usually marry whom they love, we still wanted a happy ending. But we are Americans that tend to expect a happy ending to stories, but that just is not realistic. In the Epilogue, we were and were not surprised on how everything turned out for the Khan family. This is because, Seierstad throughout the book prepared us, her readers, for the ultimate split of the family. She did this by showing Mansur’s disrespect and his actions, along with Leila’s attempts to break free. So when the ending finally came that told us that the Khan family split up due to tensions, we were not that surprised. However, what was surprising was that Sultan, who came across as stubborn in the book, actually let his family go.

With now having finished the entire book, we as a group feel that the ideal audience for this book is really anyone who does not have much knowledge of the Afghan culture, but is interested in it as a subject. With so much of the book dedicated to Mansur and Leila, we feel that it would not be biased towards one gender of the other. Though we all agreed that perhaps women might enjoy the book more than men, due to Seierstad’s more feminine writing style.

As a whole we would recommend this book to others. It gave us a better idea of what life is like over in Afghanistan, and has therefore broadened our horizons just a bit. We think that the book is a good source to begin with when one wishes to learn more about the Afghan culture, since the story keeps the reader’s attention with it’s content and Seierstad’s writing style.

Graphic Org. 5/11/10: Brittney

I used the filter graphic to visualize the main causes for why the Khan family broke apart in the end of the book. I personally felt that Sultan's position as head of the family, caused his family to fear him and his unwillingness to compromise. I also thought that the pressure Sultan put on his sons, for example Mansur, to always follow the plan Sultan had chosen for him, and for his son Aimal, who Sultan puts pressure on to always work. And lastly I chose the restrictions placed on the Khan women as a contributing factor to the family's breakdown. Leila, who left with her mother and the others to live away from Sultan, was unable to work or marry whom she wanted. Such restrictionsI believe played great roles into why the family did not survive as one intact family unit.

Disscussion Leader-Lesley-5/11/10

1. How did your feelings for the family, or for particular members of the family, change throughout the book?

My feelings changed most for Leila; in the beginning of the book there wasn't really much about her but by the end of the book we had a look into her daily life as well as her secret feelings and desires and felt sorry for her. The author related her to Cinderella to help us to feel a connection with her situation and feel even more sorry for her, and it worked.

2. What chapter(s) did you feel were most, or least, significant in the book? Should the least significant have been left out? What would you have changed?

I felt that the chapter, "My Mother Osama" was least significant. I didn't think that it needed to be in the book because, even though it was about one of the cousins of the family, it didn't relate to the core family that we saw through the whole rest of the book very well. Sierstad should have either not included these characters or only briefly discussed them rather than adding a whole chapter about them.

3. Did you enjoy the book? Why or why not?

I did enjoy the book as a class reading, but it is not something that I would read by choice. The style of writing isn't the type that I would normally read and I felt that if it had not been an assignment I would have gotten bored of it.

Vocab (Article Finder) - 5/11/10 - Kelli

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/832a3020-5deb-11df-8153-00144feab49a.html

Obama calls Kabul tensions ‘overstated'

US President and Afghan President tried to come together to figure out plans against the Taliban and realized there is still much to do about the issue at hand. They thanked each other and plan to continue conversations and develop a way to get rid of the Taliban. They also discussed when and what will happen when US Troops are taken out of Aghanistan.

This article related to what is being discussed in the book because it's prime focus is the Taliban. Throughout the entire book, the Taliban has been very involved and causing many of the families and all Afghan familie's problems. This article discussed how to get rid of the Taliban, which is what the Afghan families want so they are able to get back to living a normal, safe lifestyle.

Summarizer-Steph 5/11/10

For this final job, rather than summarize the entire book, I will focus on the second part of the summarizer's job: analyzing the writing style throughout the book. Although the author identifies herself in the foreword, she is remarkably absent from the rest of the book. This could be seen as an attempt at objectivity. The author also seems to take a very objective tone, merely stating the facts and offering no commentary. As a whole, though, the book is not objective. Seierstad expresses her opinions through the way she organizes the book and how much attention she pays to each of the characters and their individual plights. For example, she uses a lot of the book to talk about Leila, even choosing to end with Leila's engagement, and never portrays her in a negative light, unlike most of the other characters in the book. The reader can sympathize with Leila, but at the same time realizes that no one is perfect and that perhaps the author's connection to Leila affected how she was portrayed in the book.

Article Finder 5/10: Brittney

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/world/asia/16afghan.html?_r=1

This article relates to the day's reading for multiple reasons. For one, the article is dedicated to Afghan women and how the new government passed a law that further limits their rights as human beings. The law was intended to make women even more of a possession of their husband's than before. Ideas brought up in the Bookseller of Kabul, are seen in the article, like for example, the way that the women are allowed to dress. The new law made it illegal for women to refuse to 'dress up' if that was what her husband wanted her to do. This is similar to how Sultan forbade Sonya to wear her burka after the Taliban left. This article is important because it brings the story even more to life, and makes one realize how true some of the experiences felt by the women in the book really are.

Graphic Organizer-Steph 5/10/10

This chart pertains specifically to the last chapter of the book, "A Broken Heart." In this chapter, Leila's husband is decided. There are four potential candidates: an aunt's lazy son, Wakil's son, her cousin Khaled and Karim. Although she didn't know Karim very well at all, Leila hoped very much that her family would choose him because he was the most appealing of the three. This chart demonstrates what seems to be the factors in her family's decision of a suitor for her. In no particular order, they look at wealth, respect and family. It is important if the suitor is well-off and can care for the daughter. Preference is also given to suitors within the family. The respect of the individual is also taken into consideration, the family doesn't want a daughter going to a less than worthy family.

Summarizer-Lesley-5/10/10

This section included the last two chapters, "My Mother Osama" and "A Broken Heart", as well as the Epilogue. I felt that the chapter "My Mother Osama" was somewhat unnecessary, because it told the story of a man named Tajhir who really had very little relation to the Khan family what-so-ever. The only connection was that his mother was Sultan's older sister, but the family was not very connected to Sultan so the story of this chapter didn't really relate to the rest of the book very well and was a bit of an unneccessary add. The last chapter came back to the family, but ended the book in a strange way, I thought. This chapter talked about how Leila was being courted by a man named Karim and how he assisted her as she continued to try to get her teachers registration. This chapter really ended up making me feel sorry for Leila, even more than I already did. Nothing ended up going her way, after all of her hoping and dreaming she was stuck, forced to lead a life that she hated, a life as a servant. I was glad that the Epilogue was included because I felt that, without that, the book would have been to open ended and wouldn't have provided the sum-up of what happened with the family the way it did with the Epilogue.

Discussion Leader - 5/10/2010 - Kelli

Why does Tajmir have such a difficult life and is forced to continue work he does not want to do? He is the only provider for his family and has no other option. His mother was killed at an early age and his father took on another wife. They continued to have children. As long as the children did not behave, especially Tajmir they were beaten. Tajmir, being the step-son was themost severely beaten and the father soon gave up on caring for the son.

Why does Leila keep Karim a secret?

She is forced to keep him a secret because the love letters and gifts are unacceptable to send and received. As she kept them hidden, the youngest brother found out and reported to the eldest brother, Mansur.

Why must she marry the man her family chose for her instead of Karim?

She is unable to marry the love of her life because tradition shows that it is a great dishonor to not marry who your family chooses for you. You are supposed to silently accept and live the life that they have chosen for you. Although it is not the life she wants, nor the man she wants, she feels she doesn't have an option. Unknown to her, Mansur knows of the letters and knows of the Aunt's husband's wish for his son to marry Leila. Because they are family, Mansur believes it is their right to have the choice and would first defend family before a man. This, and other reasons, she is left with a broken heart.

Why does Sonya pray for a girl?

Because there have been so many problems, she feels that having a boy would be a disappointed and in a sense, a curse onto the family. She wishes to make her husband happy and to provide for them a help to the household. She feels that having another girl is only going to provide more problems, the similar problems that they have already faced with the first daughters.

Dis. Leader 5/7: Brittney

Do you think that the chapter, Can God Die? ends too abruptly?

• Yes, I found that the chapter ended before it should have. With Seierstad ending the chapter in the way that she did, made me question exactly what I was supposed to get out of the chapter. Was the chapter meant to show the expectations put on the eldest son in the Afghan culture? Or, perhaps was it show how strict schooling was in an Afghan classroom? I just do not know.

What do you think about how Seierstad titles her chapters?

• I thought that the author did quite well when choosing what to title her chapters. I found that each title pertained to the main focus of each chapter. For example, the chapter titled, The Dreary Room, was a chapter discussing Aimal's daily life in the shop that he himself calls the "dreary room".

In the chapter, The Dreary Room, did you think that there was too much of back story given on the political changes in Afghanistan?

• Personally, I thought that there was. During the course of the chapter, though I realize that some of the information given was useful knowledge, some seemed to be repetitive, which made it hard to keep everything straight. I found this to be especially true when Seierstad started to described the UN Conference.

What did you think of Seierstad's portrayal of Mansur in the chapter, The Carpenter?

• I actually really enjoyed seeing how Seierstad chose to portray Mansur in this chapter. At the start, Mansur was depicted as one who embroiders a story in order to make himself look good, but towards the end of the chapter, a deeper sense of his character is shown in his struggle to follow his father's orders about the carpenter's fate, when he knows what will happen to the Carpenter's family. It showed more of a humane side to Mansur, which I enjoyed reading.

Summarizer - 5/7/10 - Kelli

In the chapter, Can God Die?, Fazil is interragated by the teacher on information about God. He is asked if he can die, if he can talk, etc. Fazil is unable to answer these questions and becomes increasingly embarrassed. He is puished and forced to better learn his lessons or he wont be allowed to continue in class. As he does his homework, he reads and learns about the prophet. Mariam, the eldest and smartest son, is treated the best because they want to keep his brain healthy. At the end of the chapter, you see Fazil finally understanding his lessons and he knows some of the answers in class, even if he is still too shy to answer.

The chapter, The Dreary Room, focuses on Aimal. The chapter is called The Dreary Room because that is what he calls his little room in a hotel where he sells things in hopes of earning a little extra money. He is Sultan's youngest son and works for twelve hours a day even though he is only twelve himself. The chapter describes the hotel and it's history. It tells the story of how it was built in the 60's and faced terrible times when the Taliban were in control. It also details his daily life and tasks for while he works. Aimal is not obligated to go to school because he runs the shop and his family makes plenty of money that it is not necessary for him to attend classes. However, Aimal wants to attend class, so does Mansur. But, Sultan continues to tell him later and does not let him go to school. At the end of a chapter, a minister is beaten to death by pilgrims and you see Aimal sad and mourning this man in his dark little shop.

In the chapter, The Carpentar, Mansur catches a carpentar stealing 200 postcards, at least that is what it seems. He is carrying a parcel and brings it to his father and reports the theft. Mansur has an entire elaborate story created about hwo he caught the thief and forced him to come clean and empty his pockets, catching him red-handed. However, the story was told quite a bit differently than how it actually happened. In reality, it was Abdur who caught the theif and forced him to open his pockets for Mansur. The man claims that he was going to pay and had forgotten so Sultan agrees that he is going to straighten out the matter and then finds out that Mansur had fabricated part of the story.

Graphic Organizer-Lesley-5/7/10

These three chapters focused on the three characters in the Venn Diagram above and all three of the characters were connected by one thing, misery. All three of these boys are miserable living their lives the way they do. Fazil hates school because he doesn't know all of the homework and doesn't like being punished. Aimal is quite the opposite, he is miserable because Sultan, his father, will not allow him to go to school; he is forced to work twelve hours a day, every single day and he hates it. Mansur is also upset with his life because of Sultan. He hates having to do everything his father says out of fear for what he would do if Mansur were to disobey him.

Vocab Builder-Steph 5/7/10

1. stipulate (pg. 201): to make an express demand or arrangement as condition of an agreement

2. tatty (pg. 201): shabby or ill-kept, ragged, tawdry

3. threadbare (pg. 201): meager, scanty or poor

4. infidel (pg. 202): a person who does not accept a particular faith

5. foyer (pg. 205): the lobby of a theater, hotel or apartment house

6. superficial (pg. 205): being at, on or near the surface

7. mullah (pg. 205): a title of respect for a person who is learned in, teaches or expounds the sacred law

8. charlatan (pg. 211): a person who pretends or claims to have to have more knowledge or skill than he or she possesses, quack

9. disheveled (pg. 218): hanging loosely or in disorder, unkept

10. bemoan (pg. 219): to express distress or grief over, lament

Journal Entry #3 - 5/5/10

In the chapter, The Call From Ali, we were surprised that Mansur starts to rebel. While his friend, Akbar, says that his father said it was OK to go on his trip, he never went back and checked with his dad, likely because he knew that he would either say no or change his mind. The reason this was surprising is because we aren't used to people in the book going against what Sultan says. In the next chapter, The Smell of Dust, it was surprising how Leila was portrayed. Throughout the chapter, the situations she was in, like how the nephews spoke so disrespectfully to her, she came off as, in a sense, a slave girl. The chapter, An Attempt, was also a little surprising because it had Leila, in a way, rebelling because she was trying to become a teacher. In the chapter, The Carpenter, Mansur claims to witness someone stealing post-its. While reiterating the events to Sultan, he makes himself out to be the hero in the story, and tries to give Sultan a greater impression of himself.

The chapter, The Smell of Dust, made us wonder how the author felt about Leila. While the author sometimes spoke poorly of one character's attributes, she always seems to speak highly of Leila and ignores any possible negative characteristics. Throughout the book, we sometimes get a feel through her writing that she preferred some of the people in the house over others. While some of her writing seems to side with some characters over others, it makes us question if the portrayal of the characters is accurate to how they really are in life. Her writing style seems to be opinionated. The author’s way of writing in the chapter, Can God Die, not only gave us insight into characters, but helped us question things. She puts questions out there that you can’t necessarily answer, but it really makes you think. It put us in the boy’s shoes and helped us relate to him because we have all been in the situation where we’re put in front of the class or group, been asked questions, and not known how to respond.

Something we were wondering was why the chapter, The Call From Ali, was so long. We felt a lot of information was included that wasn't completely necessary and we found ourselves bored while reading the chapter. Not only was the chapter long, but it seemed repetitive and the situations they found themselves in didn't seem meaningful to the book, at least not to the point that it deserved that much of the book. It seems like because it is so long, that there would have been a lot more meaning behind but we couldn't find that meaning.

If we wanted to find more information, we could go online to look. We came across an article that discussed Sultan’s reaction to the book. Although the names were changed, Sultan’s character, whose real name is Reis we believe, says that the author did not do a good enough job of covering up who the family was. He claims that he is now a political refugee due to the outcome of this book and the city of Kabul knew that his family was the family in the book. He claims they have received a hard time once the book was translated and people in Kabul starting receiving the book and information from the book. Not only was he upset that his family was not well hidden, but he was also upset because he believes the author did a poor job defining his character. While he seemed like a hardworking, providing family member, he was also made out to be demeaning and domineering mostly to the women around him but also to male family members. Reis/Sultan, claims that none of that is true about him and says he is very involved in women’s rights and the fair treatment towards women.

Summary for chapters 12-14 5/5/10: Brittney

The chapter titled, The Call from Ali, gives a detailed account of Sultan's son Mansur's experience when he traveled on a pilgrimage to Ali's tomb in Mazar-iSharif. The chapter first describes how badly Mansur wants to go, since he feels he needs to be cleansed of his sins. Mansur's eagerness cannot only be seen in his actions described, but also in how Seierstad uses Mansur's thoughts to emphasize the importance of the pilgrimage. When Mansur is told that he is allowed to attend, he has to undergo a long and dangerous journey to get to Mazar-i-Sharif. At the tomb he finds himself to be redeemed and decides to dedicate his life to being a pious Muslim.

In the chapter, The Smell of Dust, Seierstad dedicates the chapter to Sultan's younger sister Lelia. Leila's way of life is described as being a dedicated servant to everyone in the family. The words along with the stories Seierstad chooses to include creates a feeling of sympathy within the reader. By giving only examples of Leila's obedience and only mistreatment by her family members it is obvious that Seierstad chose to do this purposelessly to encourage her readers to like Leila. And, for her readers to view Leila as a modern day Afghan Cinderella, just without the happy ending.

Leila's story continues in the next chapter, An Attempt. In this chapter, the reader learns of Leila's plan to become a teacher and how difficult it is for her due to the strict traditions that tie her down. Traditions such as her as a woman being unable to walk alone in public, and most of all her needing Sultan's permission as head of the household to teach in the first place. In this chapter Leila's craving for a little Independence is easily felt due to how Seierstad conveys the story.

Vocab. - Lesley - 5/5/10

Nauroz (Pg. 132) - "New Day", originally "New Light") is a traditional ancient Iranian[2] festival which celebrates the start of the Iranian New Year.

Soverigns (Pg. 132) – possessing supreme or ultimate power

Polemic (Pg. 133) – a strong verbal or written attack on someone or something

Mausoleum (Pg. 133) – a building, esp. a large and stately one, housing a tomb or tombs.

Colonnades (Pg. 143) – a row of columns supporting a roof, an entablature, or arcade.

Flank (Pg. 151) – be situated on each side of or on one side of (someone or something

Paradoxically (Pg. 165) - seemingly absurd or self-contradictory

Indeterminable (Pg. 170) – not able to be definitely ascertained, calculated, or identified

Contemptuously (Pg. 179) – showing contempt; scornful

Reprimands (Pg. 184) - a rebuke, esp. an official one

Discussion Leader-Steph 5/5/10

1. In the chapter, "The Call From Ali" Mansur has his purchases blessed. Afterwards he can't keep from smiling. Although the pilgrimage is supposed to be made for religious reasons, what seems to be the real cause of Mansur's happiness?

Rather than being excited about making the pilgrimage and being "cleansed" of his sins, Mansur's happiness seems to be due to the absence of his family. For the first time in his life he is on his own. This is the first day in his life that he hasn't seen a member of his family. The independence and the knowledge of life outside of Kabul is thrilling for him.

2. Why is Sultan's family's treatment of Leila ironic?

Sultan's sons, Eqbal and Mansur treat Leila very badly, often taunting her by telling her she doesn't belong in the household. They also call her names and blame her if anything goes wrong at home. This is ironic because Leila almost single-handedly keeps the home running. She wakes up early to prepare breakfast for everyone and then proceeds to spend her day cleaning until it is time to make the next meal. The family takes advantage of her and don't appreciate what she does for them.

3. Why doesn't Leila like Sonya, Sultan's second wife?

Leila resents the fact that Sonya doesn't help with housework, that she only spends her day taking care of her child. Leila is also upset that Sonya was given the chance to be educated, but was too "stupid." Despite her animosity towards Sonya, Leila recognizes that it's not entirely Sonya's fault. Sultan doesn't allow Sonya to help with housework and that being a wife at 16 is not an easy task, especially being Sultan's wife.

4. How does Fazil's story guide Leila's actions?

Leila considers what happened to Fazil a possible future for her. Fazil was a hard worker and very useful to the family and only needed food and shelter in return. This is very similar to Leila. She performs her duties very well and makes the lives of the others in the household easier. She is scared that like Fazil, Sultan will one day send her away on a whim, despite her hard work. This causes her to go to the school to try and find a job teaching English at a school to try and secure her future.

Graphic Organizer - Kelli - 5/5/10

For the first time in five years, they are able to feast because the Taliban and forbidden it. The story then describes to us that Ali is second in line after Muhammad to the Sunni Muslims, fourth to the Shi’s Muslims. But to both, he was a great hero. He was murdered in Kufu during the year 661. Mansur wants to go to his tomb that is believed to be in Afghanistan, after it was moved from Iraq. Sultan will not let him go because he has just received a new shipment of books. Mansur decides to go with Akbar, believing Ali is calling him to come. They drive through his mother’s old village, and also pass a battlefield. They finally catch up with everyone else where they find themselves at a dead-stop in the fog. A month ago, fifty people had died in the tunnel they are in because of an Avalanche. They make it through the tunnel and arrive a the tomb. There are many people there, and there are speeches going on. There are beating and flankings to try and keep the crowd in control. Mansur wakes up the next morning and realizes he has forgotten his tunic and prayer cap. He borrows someone’s and goes to prayer. It ends with him yelling that he is forgiven, cleansed and reborn.

Journal Entry #2 - 04/30/10

The Bookseller of Kabul - Journal Entry #2

While reading the Chapter, Do You Want To Make Me Sad, it was surprising how a physical ailment, like a limp in your leg, makes you so worthless to a man. Bulbula is kept with her mother until she is a lot older than most girls are before they are sold to a husband but in this case, she couldn't necessarily have a man pay for her. Perhaps even more surprising were the restrictions we read in the next Chapter, No Admission To Heaven. There were 16 decrees, all that we felt were absurd. They have such strict rules, especially women, and some that don't even make sense, such as kite flying. Not only are the restrictions over the top, but their punishments are brutal. For example: "Prohibition against shaving - Anyone who has shaved off or cut his beard will be imprisoned until the beard has grown to the length of a clenched fist" (Page 80). This is just one example of the harsh rules they are forced to follow and the excessive consequences that follow. The following Chapter also surprised us with some of the details. We were surprised that women are left without any power and, when in the market, they seem even less of an individual. While they walk around, they are referred to as burka instead of by name. This technique used by the Author shows that women don't really have an identity, the Author is expressing how she feels about this situation without using her own words to say it.

The following day's reading, Chapteres 9 - 11, also had some surprising detail. In the Chapter, The Matriarch, the Author describes Bibi Gul's children and what happened to them in the past. The son Farid, for example, was excommunicated by Sultan for disrespecting him. Bibi Gul was also forced to give up her last born son due to a promise she made to a baren mother(a childless mother). The biggest surprise through these Chapters in the overall image of these women. They live these long, often unhappy lives filled with little choice, and the little choice they have they often have to give up. They live with great responsibility and loss, things that most people would not have to endure in our world. For them, this kind of agony is not uncommon, if anything, it's just considered typical. Not only was the Chapter, Temptations, surprising but we all found it disgusting and immoral. We thought so because of how Mansur took advantage of the young girl who was only 12 and slept with her as if she was a prostitute(giving her money after sex).

A passage that we thought was extremely well written is the burka scene that we discussed in our first paragraph:

“She keeps losing sight of the billowing burka, which merges with every other billowing burka. Sky blue everywhere. Her eyes are drawn to the ground. In the mud she can distinguish the dirty shoes from other dirty shoes. She can see the trimming on the white trousers and catch a glimpse of the edge of the purple dress worn over them. She walks around the bazaar, looking down, following the fluttering burka…”

We thought this was a well written paragraph because not only did it introduce the Chapter well but the writing helped give a vivid picture for the reader.

Graphic Organizer 4/30: Brittney

These three chapters revolove around what is and is not allowed in the Afghan culture. In the chapter, A Third Rate Wedding, there is a detailed account of what a bride is and is not allowed to do when it comes to her wedding. For example during the women's party the night before a wedding, a bride "...watches from a distance and is forbidden to either smile or dance." The reason given for this is that any sign of happiness would hurt the family the bride is leaving, and any sign of sorrow would hurt the family the bride is about to enter into. So with this the bride is forced to stare with a blank expression.

The chapter, The Matriarch, explains how Bibi Gul, Sultan Khan's mother must obey him, as her the head of the household. An example of ehr having to obey him would be when it came to her other son, Sultan's brother, Farid. Sultan excommunicated Farid, for showing lack of respect from him, and forces his family to erase Farid from their lives for good. Bibi Gul as a reader would know, goes behind Sultan's back and visits her excommunicated son. However, if her actions were to be discovered there would be severe punishments. This shows that in the Afghan culture, just how much power the head of the family has over the other family members.

In the chapter, Temptations, the concept of prostitution is brought up with Rahimullah, who so truly points out that "it would be useless to scream, because if anyone came to the rescue, the fault would lie with her, no matter what." In the Afghan culture, women who use their bodies in order to make money will and are always at fault. The men who pay for such services are not.

Vocab - 04/30/10 - Kelli

Aubergine (Page 96) – NOUN. another term for eggplant .

Burka (Page 98) – NOUN. a long, loose garment covering the whole body, worn in public by many Muslim women.

Copious (Page 99) – ADJECTIVE. abundant in supply or quantity

Mullah (Page 102) – NOUN. a Muslim learned in Islamic theology and sacred law.

Eid (Page 103) – NOUN. a Muslim festival

Reverently (Page 105) – ADJECTIVE. feeling or showing deep and solemn respect

Pakora (Page 107) – NOUN. (in Indian cooking) a piece of vegetable or meat, coated in seasoned batter and deep-fried.

Cloyingly (Page 107) – VERB. disgust or sicken (someone) with an excess of sweetness, richness, or sentiment

Babushkas (Page 113) – NOUN. (in Poland and Russia) an old woman or grandmother.

Excommunicated (Page 117) – VERB. officially exclude (someone) from participation in the sacraments and services of the Christian Church.

Summarizer-Steph 4/30/10

1. "A Third-Rate Wedding": This chapter describes Shakila's wedding and the traditions that go along with it. The tone of the chapter is very calm and even, with little emotion, which is a little surprising given that the chapter is describing a wedding. Generally weddings are full of emotion and often frantic, but the wedding described seems to lack both. Any "emergencies" that arise are quickly resolved and forgotten. While the bride's nervousness is mentioned, there is little else in regards to emotion described in the chapter. Instead the chapter meticulously describes the traditions involved in the ceremony, rather than the emotions commonly associated with a wedding.

2. "The Matriarch": This chapter is mostly about Bibi Gul, Sultan's mother. It lists her children and what became of them. The focus is not on Bibi Gul's life, rather on her children. This seems to be a reflection of the idea in Afghani culture that women are only as good as the children they can produce. So naturally Bibi Gul's pride would be in the children she gave birth to.

3. "Temptations": This chapter is about Sultan's son, Mansur. One day while working in his father's shop, Mansur meets a young girl. Although he doesn't have the book she needs, he tells her he will bring it the next day and asks her to return. He then makes plans to seduce and marry her. When Mansur thinks about her, he doesn't admire that she is educated, instead he admires her appearance. He also assumes she can be won over simply by his wealth.

Discussion Leader-Lesley-4/30/10

1. At the end of "Third-Rate Wedding" the blood covered cloth is brought up. The cloth must be given to Shakila's mother Bibi Gul by Wakil's aunt and it said that without the bloody cloth Shakila would have been the one returned to Bibi Gul instead. What is the significance of this bloody cloth?

I didn't realize it at first, but as I wrote this question, I understood. The bloody cloth is used to prove that Shakila was still a virgin prior to being married. If she had not bled, she would have been a shame to the entire family.

2. Sultan obviously appreciates the nicer things in life, and he has the money to afford them. So why is it that he seems to choose to not provide his family with some of the nicer things that he could provide them?

Personally, I am not quite sure why Sultan chooses not to get his family things like beds or other furniture. My only idea is that it is out of fear that if he gets these things they will only end up being stolen or damaged by the Taliban or others. I also feel like he could simply be selfish, because he is the only one with a nice piece of furniture, his bookcase, and he just doesn't want to get his family nicer things.

3. How does the "middle class" in Kabul at the time compare to the "middle class" we see here in the United States?

I believe that the two are very different, I think that the middle class in America would be considered the upper class in Kabul. They think that living in rundown apartment buildings is middle class simply because they have running water, but for us living in one of these war scorned apartments would be considered just above homelessness. It just shows how much culture and luxury varies based on the environment that you are accustomed to.

Graphic Organizer-Steph-4/28/10

THE BURKA

The chapters in today's readings were very focused on the role that women have in Afghani culture. The chapter I found the most intriguing was "Billowing, Fluttering, Winding." This chapter describes Sultan's sister Shakila as she and some other women, all clad in burkas, navigate the market in search of things needed for the wedding. What made the chapter so interesting was the manner in which the author referred to the women. At the beginning she refers to them based on their burkas. For example, there is "lead burka," "pregnant burka" and "billowing burka." In fact, the reader doesn't even know the identities of the women in the burkas until, in a desolate alley, Shakila reveals her face. By describing the women this way, the author demonstrates what the burkas do to the women. The burka allows the woman almost no individuality and asserts the authority of the man.

Summarizer-Lesley-4/28/10

1) This section told the stories of Sultan's two sisters and how they finally got married even though it was at a very late age for Afghan women. It also covered a lot of the restrictions on women in the chapters "No Admission to Heaven" and "Billowing, Fluttering, Winding."

2) The way this section was written clearly showed the authors opinion on the restrictions of women. It started off by describing how important it was to Bibi Gul and Shakila that Shakila be able to continue her schooling and work but then shifted to how when the Taliban came and implemented all of the new restrictions, none of it was allowed anymore. The restrictions on women had become her focus and she made her opinion very well known. Only calling the women in the market "burka's" until they showed their face showed that she feels that these women don't have a name or an identity when they have the burka on because they are forced to hide who they are from the world.

Vocabulary 4/28/10: Brittney

Swill: Liquid or partly liquid food for animals, esp. kitchen refuse given to swine; hogwash. (Page:75)

Billowing: To make rise, surge, or swell. (Page: 84)

Grille: A grating or openwork barrier. (Page: 84)

Lattice: A structure of crossed wooden or metal strips usually arranged to form a diagonal pattern of open spaces between strips. (Page: 84)

Pakora: Fried snack found across South Asia. Created by taking one or two ingredients such as onion, eggplant, potato, spinach, cauliflower, tomato, chili, or occasionally bread of chicken and dipping them into a batter and then deep frying them. (Page: 85)

Dubious: Doubtful (Page: 85)

Roguishly: playfully mischievous (Page: 86)

Coquettish: When a woman flirts lightheartedly with men to win their admiration and affection. (Page: 86)

Wriggle: To twist to and fro (Page: 86)

Coriander: An herb, of the parsley family, native to Europe, having strong-scented leaves used in cooking and aromatic seeds used as a seasoning and in medicine. (Page: 87)

Discussion Leader - Kelli - 04/28/10

1) Why is Shakila allowed/permitted by Wakil to raise her voice or be, what many would interpret as disrespectful, towards him (Chapter 6)?

I believe it is because the man didn't think he would be able to get Shakila as his wife and because of this, he seems to let a lot more slide when it comes to respect towards the husband. Also, I think that his personality is a lot more passive-aggressive and is only willing to stand up to his wife when he feels it is necessary.

2) What are the main reasons Bibi Gul had for having her daughters remain at home with her and not have them married off (Chapter 6)?

It was said in the chapter that the reason she held onto her daughter Bulbula so long is because she was lame and what they considered lazy because one of her hands was not at full strength and she also walked with a limp. The mother believed that she was not as acceptable to be made a wife and the offers would not be great. Although the other daughter had a lot of potentials, the mother never allowed her to be married off because the men wouldn't let the daughter continue her studies or work.

3) What does it show that the Taliban focuses most of the rules on women (Chapter 7)?

I think it just continues to show how the women are treated in this culture and that they have a lot less respect or any authority. It also shows that they have no control or say in how they act, especially in public. I think the rules are very strict and at many points ridiculous that women have to hide themselves and that men are punished for the sole fact that they are encouraging women to be their own person.

4) What was the biggest step for women the author showed in this chapter (Chapter 8)?

I think the entire chapter pointed out a lot of big points for women. Because big leaders and names were allowing their wives to not wear the burka and encouraging other women to do the same, women felt like they had more power to make choices and not cover themselves. Not only did they stop wearing the burkas, but they also made more steps to wear heels and make-up and to really start standing up for themselves.

Article Finder-Steph-4/23/10

This article expands on a topic mentioned in chapter 5, "The Business Trip." In this chapter Sultan journeys to Peshawar, Pakistan to find a printer for the books he wishes to reprint. This chapter discusses the flourishing black market trade that exists in Peshawar. The above article from The New York Times, entitled "Bootlegging, Pakistan-Style," expands on one aspect of the black market in Peshawar not mentioned in the chapter: alcohol. The article discusses how other cities are more lax when it comes to enforcing prohibition, but in Peshawar, where the Taliban are very prominent, the trade is much more dangerous and profitable.

Graphic Organizer-Lesley-4/23/2010

A large portion of this reading focused on the disobedience and punishment of women in this society and it told the story of two women that were involved in this vicious cycle. The cycle begins with the women often not being allowed to marry the one they love, or being forced to marry a man who they do not love. Either situation leads to the woman being unhappy and to feeling some sort of dislike towards their husband. Many women in this situation choose to be an obedient wife even though it makes them unhappy, others choose disobedience. These women may decide to continue seeing the man they truely love and have an affair, but many of them get caught which leads to often severe punishment. Many women who are caught having an affair are beaten and in some cases even killed if the family chooses. This forces the husband to find a new wife which only takes the possibility of love away from another woman and allows the cycle to continue.

Discussion Leader 4/23/10: Brittney

Why do you think that Seierstad uses such emotional ways of writing when describing the feelings and events experienced by the Afghan women?

• I feel that Seierstad uses emotional language to emphasize Afghan women's lack of rights and the cruelties that they must endure. This can be seen on page 25, "Sharifa heard whispering and laughter commingling with sounds that cut her to the heart." Such descriptions as that make it easier for the reader to feel the pain the people in the story are experiencing, in this example it would be how Sharifa, Khan's wife, and how she felt towards her second husband's marriage. Due to Seierstad's writing technique the reader feels more for the characters.

Why does Seierstad focus on women so much?

• I feel that the author focuses on women as much as she does for two reasons. One, that since she herself is a woman she finds an interest in writing about her own sex. And two, that she sees the injustice that there is towards women in that part of the world and wants to make it known. Telling the stories of Saliqua and Jamila gives a more personal account of the injustices, and as a female reader in the U.S who can talk to the male gender without consequences, the thought comes to mind that I would be long dead by now if I lived in that part of the world. It gives a different perspective I feel.

What are some similarities between the Afghan and the U.S cultures found in these chapters?

• With there being so many differences I thought it would interesting to see and look for any similarities that exist in the text. One similarity that I found was on page 28, when it talks about how the women get together and gossip. I feel that this happens everywhere in the U.S, especially among women. Another example I found was how on page 51, it states that "...under the surface all is seething. In spite of running the risk of the death penalty, people have lovers and mistresses in Afghanistan too. There are prostitutes in the towns to whom young boys and men can resort while they wait for a bride." I think we all know that affairs and prostitution are present here in the United States as well.