Bookworm

[#1]

This fascinating memoir is told by hairdresser Deborah Rodriguez, who joined a humanitarian organization after 9/11. While one might initially say that there are better relief efforts than opening a beauty school, this book changes that perception entirely. The school becomes a sanctuary for its students, allowing Afghan women to drop their veils, and their reticence, to share remarkable, and often tragic stories of their daily lives.

Beauty shops worldwide are considered havens for women to swap stories and share gossip. But in a country where women are undervalued, are virtual slaves to their husbands, and have little access to income, their frank conversations have little to do with celebrities and shoes—these are stories of brutal beatings and shocking inequities. Yet, there is also the sharing of laughter and dreams. The women hope to learn a skill that would allow them to open their own small salon, and earn a modest income. But perhaps even more important, the school provides a chance to share a camaraderie and friendship with other women…something that is discouraged in this oppressed society.

 

Most readers will be outraged by the daily brutality and intrusion of the Taliban, a constant threat in the lives of these women. And yet, they risk their lives, and possible freedom,  to attend beauty school.

The book provides personal insight into this often secretive, male-ruled culture that requires so many Afghan women and girls to lead a life of suffering and injustice. While Rodriguez isn’t a polished writer, the raw storytelling and sharing of the experiences of these women, makes the book a compelling read.

The book raised controversy…

The Kabul Beauty School caused an outrage in Afghanistan after it was released in 2007, and when an Afghan website revealed the salon girls’ true identities. They were denounced as prostitutes and said to have soiled the reputation of Afghan women. Rodriguez herself wasn’t free from controversy, and several people came forward to claim to say that she overstated her work in the creation of the school. The details shared about the life and times of the unique women in the story were not disputed, and the book remains one of the most honest, first-person stories of life behind the veil.

By the Bed…

Right now, the Bookworm is reading Mennonite in a little Black Dress.

[#2]

Sounds like a great recommendation for my local book club!  Was the beauty school located in NY City or in Afghanistan? 

[#3]

The writer was from New York. She traveled to Afghanistan as part of the relief mission - and that's where the beauty school in the book is located. I think would my a great book for your club!  Let me know how you like it.