...An endorsement?
After I'd been in Afghanistan for a bit, my roommate at the time Joe gave me a book to read called The Kite Runner. You can check out the site for the book by clicking here.
Sometimes you are given a book by someone at a certain point that affects you in ways that you didn't think possible. Sure, this sounds overly dramatic, and maybe it is, but I'd like to take this opportunity to urge each and every person who stumbles upon my blog to go to amazon.com and purchase this book, by clicking here. I've already bought and sent this book to 2 or 3 people, and while I would like to send a copy of it to every person I know on the planet, I don't think I have the resources to do so, so I guess I'll need some help with this one. The 20 bucks or so you'll spend on this book will be more than worth your time. (Hmm, that kinda sounded Sally Struthers-ish didn't it??)
Aside from the fact that it is an incredible novel, the author seems like a really good guy, which is more important to me than anything. If I thought he was a jerk, I wouldn't be giving him my seal of approval (for what it's worth). He actually replied to an email that I sent him, which goes a long way in my book.
In any case, the book is awesome and it will give you an idea, should you care, of a lot of what I see on a day-to-day basis while I'm in Kabul. Obviously I'm biased because I live and work there, but I think that everyone should read this book so they can understand what the human face of Afghanistan looks like. Books like this must be written and read by everyone, lest we forget the price we pay by "turning a blind eye"... I guess it'll make more sense on a few different levels when you've read the book.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and again, I urge you to check this book out. It is one of those books that will stay with you forever.
Sometimes you are given a book by someone at a certain point that affects you in ways that you didn't think possible. Sure, this sounds overly dramatic, and maybe it is, but I'd like to take this opportunity to urge each and every person who stumbles upon my blog to go to amazon.com and purchase this book, by clicking here. I've already bought and sent this book to 2 or 3 people, and while I would like to send a copy of it to every person I know on the planet, I don't think I have the resources to do so, so I guess I'll need some help with this one. The 20 bucks or so you'll spend on this book will be more than worth your time. (Hmm, that kinda sounded Sally Struthers-ish didn't it??)
Aside from the fact that it is an incredible novel, the author seems like a really good guy, which is more important to me than anything. If I thought he was a jerk, I wouldn't be giving him my seal of approval (for what it's worth). He actually replied to an email that I sent him, which goes a long way in my book.
In any case, the book is awesome and it will give you an idea, should you care, of a lot of what I see on a day-to-day basis while I'm in Kabul. Obviously I'm biased because I live and work there, but I think that everyone should read this book so they can understand what the human face of Afghanistan looks like. Books like this must be written and read by everyone, lest we forget the price we pay by "turning a blind eye"... I guess it'll make more sense on a few different levels when you've read the book.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, and again, I urge you to check this book out. It is one of those books that will stay with you forever.
1 Comments:
Forgive me Sir,
I was just wondering, what type of society you grew up in. It appears to me, perhaps, one that was, without an imminent threat to physical life. (Mainly you and your family) Of course it is quite easy for scholarly men to sit and judge third world predicaments, but it seems to be much more difficult for them to live through these things. I have yet to see this recorded.
As you may well know, prior to the Taliban “taking office” if you will, we had a very complex and chaotic scheme developing here. There were many tribes claiming to own this particular province, and different tribes claiming to be superior to this and that. However, once the Taliban came to power, it gave people a sense of unity, and as you well know, it created order where there once was not. Another important fact, that is not much quoted, is of the Taliban’s ability to almost demolish the opium production. As everyone knows, thanks to recent news reports, Afghanistan is the world’s largest producer of opium, which subsequently makes it the largest producer of heroin.
One has to ask, what in God’s name, (or Allah, or Jehovah, or Yahweh, or The Nothing) did anyone want with this waste land of a country. The answer is so obvious; it practically strikes us in the face, (like a viper or asp, we we’re merely befriending). Yes, Afghanistan sits in the middle of no where. Precisely the strategic point a man/woman of military mind set would have it. Close to the border with the Persian Empire, close to the border with the Dynasty, close to the border with the Ocean tribes. What more could you want? A centralized head quarters if you will; surrounded by mountains and rough terrain, with green valleys and people so hospitable, and yet at the turn, bellicose beyond belief.
I say thank (who ever) for the Taliban. They came, they saw, they organized. Unfortunately, they were not visionaries, and they did not see the capitalist coming. Of course, I’m sure there are many of them now, wishing they might have supported a different procedure, as they find them selves surrounded by infidels and the likes, coming to bring peace (sex, tobacco, alcohol, Americanism) to their country.
We have to ask ourselves, who are these men that believe so much in their religion, they are willing to sacrifice their life. “Oh, them, they’re just fucking terrorist man, fucking Satan.” Really? The man who prays five times a day, the man who covers his wife because he understands human nature is as it is, and in order to prevent another man from being distracted with physical lust, sees this as the best method to protecting a belief.
I must say, who are you, to tell me, or to praise something I disagree with? You live in a world based on post cold war capitalist brain washing. To buy a house, and have a car, and send your kids to college. To grow up in a society that promotes freedom of expression and self righteousness; Democratic, if you will. And why is this best for us? Why should we follow your path? There is no answer my friend. I have been born into a different world. I see America as one big false hood. “Yes we are Believers in His name, and god damn you, we will strike, and we will win, in the name of freedom. Jenny, turn on that T.V., and may god bless us with his wisdom.”
And yes, of course I love my family and my brothers. I would like to see them study or do what they will. What I do not want to see happen to them is that they become materialistic and begin to feel inferior, because they don’t have this or that. Please, give me an answer, tell me, “oh, well, that’s just part of being free.” I say No! No it’s not. We will not become slaves to a capitalist regime. There is another side of life. Discipline and Devotion. Why is that wrong?
Sorry, but, I am not your average ignorant peasant. I don’t agree with extremism, but what I seem to hate more is righteous prosperity. The Russians were mean man, I’ll never say they should have been here, but, what the Americans bring is far more dangerous. Yes, thank you for liberating, but, please sir, understand, not every country is fit for your Democracy.
Respectfully,
Fuata Maktnahada
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