The Bookseller of Kabul is written by a journalist who stayed with Sultan (the Bookseller) and his family. We are given insights from several characters. As a woman myself, it is easy to feel sympathy, horror and pity for the women in this book (and indeed in Afghanistan). I don't think that is likely to change for some time. However, it is clear in this book that really there isn't much joy to be had in everyday life, be it as a woman or a man. Yes, the situations and opportunities are different, but none of the characters that we get to know are in a good place.
We talked around topics such as seeing the Afghan world through the women's perspective, the son Mansur's sense of entitlement, how little joy their was amongst the Bookseller's family and also the dual life of the patriarch Sultan - a rebel as a bookseller yet a conservative at home. The book was good, but somehow the unusual perspective into Afghani life is no longer as disturbing as it might have been ten years ago - perhaps because we read Dancing with Darnkess recently, and many in the group are familiar with The Kite Runner. Don't get me wrong, the content is still unsettling,
Speaking of unsettling content, The Book of Human Skin by Michelle Lovric is being read at the moment by one of the group. It's described as 'a breathtaking story of unmitigated villainy, Holy Anorexia, quack medicine, murder, love and a very unusual form of bibliomania'. I didn't know how to summarise that, so I've copied and pasted instead!
Another current read is Stacia Brown's The Glovemaker, set during Cromwell's reign. The work of Kate Mosse was also touched upon.
We also had a look at the brochure of events for Warwick Words, which you can find online:
http://www.warwickwords.co.uk/ Anyone wishing to attend any of the sessions with a bit of company from other members of the reading group, you know where we are!
Next time:
The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld (library copy - details to follow)
6th November 2012
