It's been a long time since I've had a book review for you. In fact, my last book review was over a year ago. So - either I don't seem to finish books very often or I only review books that really impress me. Actually, both are true. I have only finished one other of my book club's selections this year. I read "Women of the Silk" and got through part of "My Antonia". Both books were OK, but the book I just finished, "A Thousand Splendid Suns," made quite an impression. It is a remarkable story about 2 women who withstood lives of great trial, violence, and hardship over the past 30 years in Afghanistan. The author does a phenomenal job of developing the characters of Mariam and Laila, and as I read, I felt like I was transported to Afghanistan into their homes and lives. This is the type of book that makes you think again and again about what a great blessing it is to live in the United States, and even beyond that, what an overwhelming blessing it is to be a woman living in the United States. As I was talking to my mom about this book, she confirmed something I already knew; if I were an Afghan woman, I would have been dead long ago. Women's lives, for the most part, are not valued by a great many of the men in Afghanistan, particularly during the time of the Taliban. A woman could be beaten, killed or imprisoned for speaking her mind or for being on a street without a man, or for defending herself against a violent husband. The book outlines some of the laws that were put into place when the Taliban took over the Afghan government in 1996 - can you even imagine this -singing is forbidden. dancing is forbidden. writing books, watching films, and painting pictures are forbidden. women - you will stay inside your homes at all times. it is not proper for women to wander aimlessly about the streets. cosmetics are forbidden. jewelry is forbidden. you will not speak unless spoken to. you will not, under any circumstances, show your face. you will cover with burqa when outside. if you do not, you will be severely beaten. you will not make eye contact with men. you will not laugh in public. if you do, you will be beaten. you will not paint your nails. if you do, you will lose a finger. girls are forbidden from attending school. women are forbidden from working.
No wonder my mom says I would have been dead a long time ago. She would have been too! Women did have rights in Afghanistan when it was occupied by the Soviet Union. The communists were good for women - the Muslim extremists are not! This book is hard to read at times because of the violence these women face on a daily basis, but as you read about the trials they face, you become more and more inspired and amazed by the quiet inner strength they possess.
I finished this book last Friday and I could think of little else all day. I had to go find the author's website to learn more about Khaled Hosseini and his book. After learning more about the author, I thought about Brad's cousin, Layne Pace who was deployed in Afghanistan for about a year and a half in 2005, flying a helicopter and offering humanitarian service on the side just because he wanted to do more. I spent some time searching the web, refreshing my memory of what he did during his time in Afghanistan. He was instrumental in bringing a young Afghan boy to the US to receive a life-saving heart surgery, which was a highly publicized event. You can read about that inspiring story HERE. Since his return, he has established (along with others) a charitable organization, called the Tao Project, to build an orphanage in Afghanistan for the thousands of children who have been left without parents because of war.
I am so thankful for a kind and loving husband, for my faith, for my home, for my freedom, for my country. I am thankful I can sing and dance, and laugh, and paint my nails, and wear makeup and jewelry, and talk to men, and go to movies, and show my face in public. In fact, I cannot imagine not having such basic freedoms, yet there are many women throughout the world who live without these freedoms every day. So, so hard to understand . . .
Everett Andrew Duncan, Jr. 9/26/1958-01/02/2015
9 years ago
7 comments:
Wasn't that the greatest book? I loved it! It was a little sad, but I thought it was so interesting.
LaRae, this book is in my pile of "to read," and I am looking forward to it - especially now after your review.
Did you see Julie Foudy's piece on NBC about the Afghan woman who ran in the Athens Olympics - nobody knows where she is now - and the other women from that region who are competing in the 2008 Olympics faced serious threats at home because they don't have a training facility so they had to run out in public and they got spit on and told they are a disgrace for competing in public. It's difficult to comprehend. Thank you for a great post.
I was really impressed reading about Brad's cousin Lane and the Orphanage project. It's not the governments that will change the world - it's the people, and Lane is one of them. So inspiring.
Judy - I didn't see the piece you are talking about during the Athens Olympics. I am going to look her up online. I also didn't know about the women competing in this Olympics who are facing threats from home. You are right - it is very difficult to understand. I was thinking this morning, as a friend of mine was talking about reading a book about slavery, that these women were simply regarded as property or animals, much the same as slaves. It is so hard to believe that people treat other people that way and actually consider them to be nothing more than a piece of property.
Move this book up in your pile of "to read" books. In fact, put it right on top. You won't be sorry.
I will, LaRae, that will be my next book. Also, I wanted to clarify, when I stated above that it's the people, not the government who will make changes, I wasn't talking about the difference between the Soviet Union v. the Taliban and how women have been treated by each - I know that governments made the difference there - I wasn't contradicting your observation. I'm sure you didn't take it that way, but I just wanted to be clear that I meant I was really impressed by Brad's cousin.
Judy - I took your comment to be just what you meant - I didn't think you were contradicting me. I understood. It is inspiring to see that someone like Brad's cousin (& many, many others) CAN help make a difference and change the world despite oppressive governments.
Great read! I recently finished it in July. Read it in one week, which is very impressive for me. I was trying to finish quickly so I could read Breaking Dawn, which was a huge let down! And thanks for the updates on your mom.
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