Saira Shah's family left Afghanistan in the sixties to settle in Britain. They were cosmopolitan - with branches all over the world. Her father had himself travelled widely throughout most of the Middle East and Central Asia. Throughout her childhood he captivated her with his many stories about Afghanistan and its people. It became a wonderful, mysterious and romantic place in Saira's imagination. Here she chronicles a journey of discovery.
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Saira Shah's family left Afghanistan in the sixties to settle in Britain. They were cosmopolitan - with branches all over the world. Her father had himself travelled widely throughout most of the Middle East and Central Asia. Throughout her childhood he captivated her with his many stories about Afghanistan and its people. It became a wonderful, mysterious and romantic place in Saira's imagination. Here she chronicles a journey of discovery.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. No Jacket. Card covers, pp.309. Uncorrected proof copy. At 21 the author, born in Britain, travelled to the family homeland of Afghanistan. Fine Size: 8vo-over 7¾"-9¾" tall.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Ripped/damaged jacket. The dust jacket of this book is slightly damaged/ripped, however, this does not affect the internal condition.
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Very good. All orders are dispatched within 1 working day from our UK warehouse. Established in 2004, we are dedicated to recycling unwanted books on behalf of a number of UK charities who benefit from added revenue through the sale of their books plus huge savings in waste disposal. No quibble refund if not completely satisfied.
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Very good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Good. Simply Brit – welcome to our online used book store, where affordability meets great quality. Dive into a world of captivating reads without breaking the bank. We take pride in offering a wide selection of used books, from classics to hidden gems, ensuring there's something for every literary palate. All orders are shipped within 24 hours and our lightning fast-delivery within 48 hours coupled with our prompt customer service ensures a smooth journey from ordering to delivery. Discover the joy of reading with us, your trusted source for affordable books that do not compromise on quality.
The Storyteller?s Daughter is a memoir of a British born Afghan woman. The author?s narrative style is enjoyable and easy to read. Ms. Shah, a British journalist, intersperses Afghan and family history, philosophy and legends with her personal experiences. When a little girl her father told her stories about Afghanistan and later said, ?I?ve given you stories to replace a community. They are your community.? Very early in the book she relates some of her experiences while filming ?Beneath the Veil.? She is traveling with RAWA and describes choking under the burqa and speaks of its coarse veil as being like prison bars. She discusses Taliban rules and compares them to own Sufism. She writes of her visit to Taliban women?s hospital and describes it as filthy, with no medicine, little medical care, and families must feed patients or they starve. In a lament she notes: ?they [Taliban] have corrupted all the qualities I grew up believing to be quintessentially Afghan: generosity of spirit, courage, boundless self-confidence and, above all, a sense of humor.? While her Scottish Grandmother?s diary spoke of the beauty of Kabul, the city is now all rubble. A majority of the book is about her experiences. As a young girl of 17 she travels to Pakistan to attend a wedding and meet her extended family for first time. She relates her Uncle?s offer to arrange a marriage with a cousin in Peshawar and then the antics her Aunt pulls to extricate the author from the situation. The marriage ceremony she was attending was two weeks long with the men being free to enjoy it. To Ms. Shan the bride looked like a bird with broken wing and the women were reserved. Her descriptions of her later stay in Peshawar as a journalist and her relations with her extended family are poignant. It is exciting to read about her travels with Pushtun tribesmen and the Mujahidin in the 80?s. Interjecting politics she notes that thanks to the ISI (Pakistani Intelligence) the US [under Reagan] nurtured a brand of extremist political Islam that, until now, had been almost unknown in Afghanistan. As regards Islam she writes: ?although the world tends to view division within Islam in terms of schools and creeds, I believe there is a much more fundamental conflict. It is between those who cling to the literal letter of the Islamic law, and those who stress its inner values.? In Peshawar she developed a relationship with a Professor who was like a father figure/mentor. Before the Taliban emerged, the Mujahidin began eliminating the intelligentsia, moderates who could oppose them. Among them was Ms. Shah?s professor. It was his murder that ended of myth of noble Mujahidin. Ms. Shah has written an exciting memoir. In what could be described as an adventure book she has woven Afghan history and legends in an easily read narrative of a female journalist?s experiences in a patriarchal world.
