Friday, October 13, 2006


This is the book I am reading now.... I am halfway through it and would finish it tonight! It's a true life story of a book-seller and his family in Kabul, Afghanistan written by Åsne Seierstad a Norwegian journalist, who moved in with him and his family for three months with the primary aim of writing a book about them and Afghanistan as a whole.

In her book, she mirrors the traditional family life of the Afghans, their communal living, their religious and socio-political life, the rise and fall of the Taliban in Afghanistan and above all, the bookseller.

She wrote her book based on her take on the words and actions of the books' main character Sultan Khan, his wives Sharifa and Sonya, His sister Leila, His sons Mansur, Eqbal and Aimal and daughter Shabnam.

It's sad that although this book is the Norway's biggest Non-fiction bestseller in history, it also caused a lot of fury from the real Bookseller Shah Muhammad Rais and his family, the models upon whom the novel was based.

He described the book as containing "...defamations of myself, my family and my country contained in her book "The Bookseller of Kabul" involving questions of honour and truth that extend far beyond the lies and distortions committed in this particular case..." he also brought legal action against the author.

Whatever the verdict was, my take is this: Forget the book was based on "the book seller" - although that is the title. Just try to read the book. It is worth a thousand words.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

Court actions only always seem to throw more light and exposure on the book in question and capult sales to the hilt. This was the case In RE: The Da Vinci Code Vs Holy Blood & Holy Grail.

Now I'll go looking for The Bookseller of Kabul. Thanks Nyemoni!!

♥♫♪nyemoni♫♪♥ said...

Hi Calabar gal!! Thanks for stopping by, and you know what? The court action started a year after the book was published. Now the author has removed offensive paragraphs from her reprints.
What can i say? She still is the best selling Author in Norway, but the family is seriously aggrieved.

I read Holy Blood & Holy Grail way back in '95 but I think books like that are just out of my league!

I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. Please let me know when you're done...

TMinx said...

Will check if they have this here in Nigeria. With all this photography stuff I haven't had time to read up on any other subject.

Anonymous said...

Very Interesting, i sure would like to read this book definitely especially as the middle east is a hot topic in the public eye right now. Hmmm.... nice stuff

Anonymous said...

seems like a good read.thanx for stopping by my site..being meaning to drop a lil thank u for a while but just havent had the time..."loved ur counting my blessings post"...quite inspiring...and hey ur a man.u fan..any man.u fan is a friend of mine....dont be a stranger!!!

♥♫♪nyemoni♫♪♥ said...

@Tminx: o yes.. photograohy! I love pictures too, but I prefer being the model!

@jem it is surely a "hot topic" now...

@laide no waha.. How did d wedding go on sat?? ManU for life o! I won't be a stranger!

 

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