'A real-time, moving and intimate portrait of a year living under the Taliban, communicated via clandestine WhatsApp messages'
SERVICE95
'An intimate, courageous chronicle of life as it unfolds under Taliban rule'
OBSERVER, *Book of the Day*
'A hugely important book'
BERNARDINE EVARISTO
'A deeply moving collective memoir'
LYSE DOUCET
In August 2021, as the Taliban approached the gates of Kabul, twenty-one women writers in Afghanistan came online in their WhatsApp chat group: they asked what news others had heard and if everyone was safe.
These women had been brought together as a writing group. They were about to publish their first collection of short stories, while working regular day jobs. Some were students, some newly married, one was a grandmother: all were afraid of what was now to come. Over the next year, in the makeshift refuge of their WhatsApp group, they shared the day-to-day reality of life after a fall.
Publishing on the anniversary of the Fall of Kabul, this is the women's courageous collective diary: in it the writers watch cities transform, schools close, families change and freedoms disappear. They share stories of chaos, protest and flight - and of life continuing. Check-points are a daily trial; men start behaving differently. Children can't afford the ice-cream man's wares; passports are near impossible to obtain. Together, their messages form a powerful chorus of resistance and solidarity.
'Its courage is momentous'
ALI SMITH
Write a Review
My Dear Kabul 9781399727983 Hardback
-
My Dear Kabul
The women whose comments are presented cover such a range in ages and locations -- and yet their descriptions, their emotions, their defiance are all of the same cloth. The solidarity of the women stands in stark contrast to the weak and pitiful viciousness of the men. A telling indictment of the ne…
The women whose comments are presented cover such a range in ages and locations -- and yet their descriptions, their emotions, their defiance are all of the same cloth. The solidarity of the women stands in stark contrast to the weak and pitiful viciousness of the men. A telling indictment of the never-ending iniquities between men and women -- the former so intent on splashing their control, the latter so intent on supporting one another. It's awful to read, but also so uplifting to read. I admire these women so much. The book itself, hardcover, well-bound and printed, is well executed and a welcome addition to anyone's shelf. Buy it and share with friends. Be even more generous and buy it for your local library/libraries. My next task is to look up the many published titles mentioned at the back, for several of the authors.
-
My Dear Kabul
This was a very personal account by brave, intelligent women. This book provided a platform for them to share their dreams, fears, aspirations and hope. I passed this book on and bought two to give to other inspiring women in my life.
- Authors:
- Untold Narratives CIC
- Year Published:
- 2024
- Country of Publication:
- United Kingdom
- Publisher:
- Hodder & Stoughton
- Publication Date:
- 15/08/2024
- Format:
- Hardback
- Number of Pages:
- 384
- ISBN:
- 9781399727983
- Language:
- English
- SKU:
- 9781399727983