As a book reviewer, I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher or author to facilitate this review. I received no other compensation, and all opinions are always 100% my own.
Jamila, born in the 70s, suffered from childhood polio which left her crippled. This effectively opened her life to receiving more education than her sisters did, since she couldn’t learn to clean and cook. She grew into a woman passionate about women’s education. Well-educated herself, she found many verses in the Quran to support her vision.
Bashir was born in the 80s in a conservative Pashtun family. The Pashtun are the largest tribe in Afghanistan, and their culture is so similar to Taliban norms that there is little daylight between them. His vision for his country included very strict delineation between genders, with women born to stay home and cook, clean, and have children, and men to be in charge of everything. He grew up to be a commander in the Taliban, with several wives and children, living a life of danger.
Ariana is born in 2000 in Kabul, and she’s on the verge of graduating university when the Taliban sweep back in, in August 2021, and end those dreams. She tells of days spent home with her chronically depressed father, chafing at the new restrictions and scheming of ways to still become a lawyer.
The Afghans chronicles three lives, three people with drastically different views of how their country should be. Journalist Åsne Seierstad spent by her own accounting years conducting interviews with not only her subjects, but their associates and family members. She has created a nonfiction book that reads like a novel. Additionally, the work contains a brief history of the last 50 years or so of Afghanistan’s history, which I found super helpful.
However, Seierstad’s reporting has gotten her in trouble before, although she stands by her work. This time round, she affirms that she’s had her subjects read her finished work. Another limitation is that her subjects are from the same general area and people group. This makes sense as she goes so deep into their lives, but Afghanistan is made up of various tribal groups, and I wish more were represented. On the other hand and in her defense, she presents Afghans with wildly divergent views as to what they think their country should be.
In spite of its limitations, this is an excellent book for someone who wants to know a bit more about Afghan people. It’s well written, highly informative, and easy to read. Highly recommended.