The Bookseller of Kabul

-

The Bookseller of Kabul
Asne Sierstad
Paperback, 276 pages
Virago, 2004

Kabul is in Afghanistan and Mikrorayon is the hometown of our bookseller. When Journalist-author Asne Sierstad came to buy books from Sultan Khan after she joined the army operations for days searching for news, she became interested to the life lived by the man whose hopes is to build a huge library after the war ends. Sultan Khan had dedicated his life salvaging books in the name of Afghani literature and culture, and in the process, he was able to save some old books from wherever source. But keeping the books safe from illiterate soldiers who burn anything with living things on the cover or anything that seems immoral is a challenge that could even mean his liberty and life.

 This extraordinary passion led the author to turn more stones and she proposed to live with the household of Sultan Khan. She was able to live with the Khans for four months and the resulting tale reveals a portrait of an Afghani family and culture. But for me, this book brought Afghanistan and the Afghani people closer to me. When I hear Afghanistan, 9/11 and Osama Bin Laden come to mind immediately and nothing more. But this book sent me some intimate understanding of the suffering brought by the event and the war that ensued to hunt Osama to the lives of an Afghani which turned their village into rubble.

I like how the author broke to me her discovery by revealing the thoughts and aspirations of almost all of Khan's immediate extended family in a chapter or two. While I admired Sultan Khan for his being a passionate bookseller and for his extraordinary dream of building a huge library to house important books for the Afghan culture, as well as his adoration for liberalism, I would also abhor him for his patriarchal ways in the family, and pitied the women and their lots. With the author, I was able to experience Afghani proposals and weddings, see how they define and treat crime and punishment, understand their need to be liberated from war, feel the impracticality of wearing a burka and the pain of not being able to choose whom to marry, hear each of them dream, aspire and express their fear, peep into the Muslim faith in their side of the world and peppered with poetry by Afghan poet Sayd Bahodine Majrouh.

Now, Afghanistan has flesh to me. It is a plus factor that the author told in a lyrical manner her observations, with anecdotes and intimate portraits which are balanced with some humor.            




Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Do you still remember how Sarali or Sirali taste?

-
Image
This "Sarali" is a childhood fruit for everyone who grew up in the Visayan area of the Philippines. Also known as  Flacourtia jangomas or Indian Plum or coffee plum, Sarali is best enjoyed by pressing one fruit between one's palm, move it in circular motion until tender, and pop the soft flesh quickly in one's mouth save the seeds. Just like apple, this fruit oxidizes quickly and thus, gets dark brown easily. It can give one's teeth a nasty brown shade. Sour with a hint of sweet, this is a must-try fruit. I believe, the fruit has an economic value just like sarguellas and lanzones. *** *** *** ***  Related readings:  Possible Treatment of Diabetes http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2959214/ Anti bacterial property:  http://www.ijplsjournal.com/issues%20PDF%20files/july2011/1.pdf
Read more

TIKUM KADLUM (The Enchanted Dog, The First of the Ten Epics of Panay Bukidnon)

-
Image
At the house. One day, Bulawanon engaged the help of Tikum Kadlum, a hunting dog with the gift of sensing the spirits, in cooking rice for his husband Paiburong and his brother Dumaraog who will be going hunting. When the rice was cooked, the brothers ate fast. Then, while Bulawanon packed the betel nut for her husband, Paiburong and Dumaraog dressed themselves, with Dumaraog suggesting they match their sashes and belts, since he is his brother's loyal protector. To complete their hunting preparations, the two brought out their long-bladed sharp knives, shields, spears, and lances from their gold chest and wall hanger. When everything is set, Paiburong bade goodbye to his wife, Bulawanon, who reminded her husband to be careful as he might meet in the forest one named Makabagting, who is accompanied by a man-eating woman called Muwa. Makabagting is a nobleman and a warrior who is widely known as having tasted human flesh. Paiburong went out of his house, and he heard a sound. It
Read more

The Legend of Isla Gigantes in Carles, Iloilo*

-
Image
The Legend of Isla Gigantes in Carles, Iloilo* In a place called Punta Bulakawe in the town of Carles, there was a childless couple who endlessly asked for a child. They were blessed with a son who grew up too fast. Too fast he grew that he can no longer enter thier house when he was one and all men were only as tall as his knees. The giant child grew up and spent his adolescence in a mountain known as the Beheya Hill. Everytime this giant walked, the surroundings shook. Each of his step meant earthquake for everyone. This made everyone fear him. Because of his steps, he was called Higante Tay-og -- literally means Giant Quake. Higante Tay-og decided to remain in Beheya Hill which he could access by two or three steps only. To entertain himself, he learned to smoke cigars. Each time he exhale smoke from his cigar, the surroundings dim. When he accidentally inhaled the smoke, he coughed; the folks feared it like thunder that shook the surro
Read more