I loved this book. I find it disgusting that people want more from this girl. I’m sorry but did you miss the people being raped and killed?
Have people become so selfish that they can only see but their own suffering. Anyone that says this book is a bore is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Latifa didn’t write this book for you to come on here and say it’s boring or it needs something more. She wrote what she wanted people to hear about her life. She wasn’t thinking to herself,” How many book I loved this book. I find it disgusting that people want more from this girl. I’m sorry but did you miss the people being raped and killed?
Have people become so selfish that they can only see but their own suffering. Anyone that says this book is a bore is a pathetic excuse for a human being. Latifa didn’t write this book for you to come on here and say it’s boring or it needs something more. She wrote what she wanted people to hear about her life.
I will do more than pray, because when the last talib has put away his black turban and I can be a free woman in a free Afghanistan, I will take up my life there once more and do my duty as a citizen, as a woman, and, I hope, as a mother.” ― Latifa, My Forbidden Face: Growing Up Under the Taliban: A Young Woman's Story. Chapter 1- Key Events: White flags are appearing on mosques, which scares the people because they know it is a sign of the Taliban. A major tragedy happens, President Nayibullah is hung in Aryana Square in front of the whole city to see.
She wasn’t thinking to herself,” How many books can I sell today.” She risked her life to tell people what is going on in her country to help her people. So if you can’t see this and find it boring or a bore to teach then maybe you shouldn’t be a teacher or even think, because obviously you don’t have the capacity to obtain information such as this and to see the significance of this book. A fascinating and horrifying expose of life in Afghanistan under the Taliban (1996-2001), and the life of Latifa's family during and before this.We also read, as some of her family fought against the Soviet Occupation (1979-1989) of that horrifying period in the history of Afghanistan.In a sense then Afghanistan has had a similar history to Poland before her. A proud nation subjected first to genocidal Nazi occupation and the to Soviet backed Communist tyranny. Afghanistan went first through Com A fascinating and horrifying expose of life in Afghanistan under the Taliban (1996-2001), and the life of Latifa's family during and before this.We also read, as some of her family fought against the Soviet Occupation (1979-1989) of that horrifying period in the history of Afghanistan.In a sense then Afghanistan has had a similar history to Poland before her.
A proud nation subjected first to genocidal Nazi occupation and the to Soviet backed Communist tyranny. Afghanistan went first through Communist rule (1978-1992) and then rule by the Islamo-Fascist Taliban.
As the Taliban were backed by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and as many of the Taliban were Pakistanis, Arabs and Chechens, and not all Afghans, this was also partially a foreign influenced occupation.The book describes life under Taliban rule, in the same way that holocaust testimonies tell of the horrors of the genocide of the Jews by the Nazis.Just reading the restriction placed by the Taliban on the people of Afghanistan, is harrowing enough. The people under Taliban rule were effectively deprived of everything that makes life worth living, and forced into a nightmarish existence of terror and melancholic gloom.Girls and women were not allowed to work outside their home or even leave their home without being accompanied by a male relative.Women and girls had to wear the burqa and were forbidden to wear colourful clothes beneath their burqa. Nail polish, lipstick and make-up were forbidden. And the penalties for breaking these rules were not just a fine, it was flogging and torture on the public square, sometimes death.No male doctor was permitted to touch the body of a female, 'under the pretext of consultation'.
No women were allowed to engage in conversation with a young man. Families were forbidden from taking photos or making videos even during a wedding. People were forbidden to own pets. It brought a lump to my throat to read how Latifa's family had to give up their beloved Afghan hound. All non-Muslims, that is Hindus and Jews, had to wear yellow garments or some yellow cloth. Their houses had to bear a yellow flag so that they were recognizable.Hundreds of thousands of women were brutally raped and their genitals deliberately and hideously mutilated. And several little girls (aged seven to ten) were killed by the Taliban after it had been discovered they were attending classed as females were forbidden from any type of education whatsoever.Furthermore the Taliban engaged in ethnic cleansing.
Thousands of the minority Hazara group were massacred by Taliban terrorists. The Taliban massacred thousands of people because of their ethnic or religious affiliation. Then there was the cultural genocide, the destruction of the ancient giant Buddhas in northern Afghanistan by the TalibanLatifa and her secretly taught classes for young girls at the risk of her own lives, and later went to Strasbourg to address the European parliament on the plight of the Afghan people.
The truth is that Afghanistan was almost completely ignored by the world before being freed by American and allied forces at the end of 2001.It makes me sick to think that those who opposed the liberation of Afghanistan, never spoke up against the Taliban's unspeakable tyranny or the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Groups like the Workers World Party in the USA and George Galloway's RESPECT Party in the UK have even praised the Taliban as 'brave soldiers fighting against imperialism'Left Wing radicals don't want people to be free. Started reading this when my daughter had to buy it for a high school class. Actually, she told me that she was reading a book by Queen Latifa in her Geography class. After some time, we sorted out that this was NOT written by Queen Latifa, who, despite being the size of a planet, is not a proper subject of study for AP Geography.Anyhoo, picked it up and had a hard time putting it down. It's not a great book.the structure falls apart several times and even at 200 pages it can drag a bit.but Started reading this when my daughter had to buy it for a high school class. Actually, she told me that she was reading a book by Queen Latifa in her Geography class.
After some time, we sorted out that this was NOT written by Queen Latifa, who, despite being the size of a planet, is not a proper subject of study for AP Geography.Anyhoo, picked it up and had a hard time putting it down. It's not a great book.the structure falls apart several times and even at 200 pages it can drag a bit.but it is a compelling look at the effects of the various regimes in Afghanistan on one family. Sort of the Anne Frank of Afghanistan.What I really find interesting is that when she looks back on the pre-Taliban 'good old days,' those suck out loud, too. Makes you appreciate that in the U.S., our religious nuts usually just wear polyester and get goofy haircuts. With a few notable exceptions, they are pretty harmless.
The Taliban, on the other hand, was/is some scary stuff. Why do I get to live a privileged life and these women are beaten, tortured, banned from receiving medical/healthcare and not allowed to leave their homes without a male family member? This is the story of a young woman growing up in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over in the mid nineties. According to the author (who wrote this book under a false name) Pakistan supported the Taliban and yet the rest of the world (including the U.S.) was supporting Pakistan.
I didn't realize the influence Pak Why do I get to live a privileged life and these women are beaten, tortured, banned from receiving medical/healthcare and not allowed to leave their homes without a male family member? This is the story of a young woman growing up in Afghanistan when the Taliban took over in the mid nineties. According to the author (who wrote this book under a false name) Pakistan supported the Taliban and yet the rest of the world (including the U.S.) was supporting Pakistan. I didn't realize the influence Pakistan had/has on Afghanistan. Reading books like this is hard, yet it makes me more appreciative and live better. It's important to remember that women and children are still treated as they were in the Dark Ages in many parts of the world.TODAY! This book is astonishing in many ways.
Latifa's writing is beautiful, even if it's translated. This book has transformed what I thought I knew about the Afghani culture.I was absolutely shocked while reading it. My heart aches for Latifa and her family while reading about their struggles. I can't imagine living that way for so long. Now I really want to know what has happened to them in the past decade! Latifa is so full of hope and sounds like an amazing woman. Her entire family sounds like t This book is astonishing in many ways.
Latifa's writing is beautiful, even if it's translated. This book has transformed what I thought I knew about the Afghani culture.I was absolutely shocked while reading it. My heart aches for Latifa and her family while reading about their struggles. I can't imagine living that way for so long. Now I really want to know what has happened to them in the past decade! Latifa is so full of hope and sounds like an amazing woman. Her entire family sounds like they'd be people I would like to know.
I'm so, so glad I read this book.EVERYONE should read it. In this story Latifa, a sixteen year old girl born and raised in Afghanistan, has her rights stripped from her under Taliban tyranny. Latifa has to go from being free and allowed an education and able to follow her dreams as a journalist, to basically becoming a canary in a cage.
The Taliban decree laws that are sexist and demoralizing to women. Latifa brings us through the years of suffering endured by her family and other Afghans.
This Story gave me a very heartfelt understanding to Latifa, in In this story Latifa, a sixteen year old girl born and raised in Afghanistan, has her rights stripped from her under Taliban tyranny. Latifa has to go from being free and allowed an education and able to follow her dreams as a journalist, to basically becoming a canary in a cage. The Taliban decree laws that are sexist and demoralizing to women. Latifa brings us through the years of suffering endured by her family and other Afghans. This Story gave me a very heartfelt understanding to Latifa, in Islam women are seen as the womb of life and the Taliban disrespect gods' words.
The connection given in this story reaches out to all those under oppression, all women who have been wronged and treated like nothing. This story connects to the world because of the attack the Taliban made on America in 2001, from Afghanistan. I think this book connects to many stories but it can be related to 'Incidents of a slave girl'.
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in true stories, and to those who like a good read every now and again. But mainly because this books reveals more of the truth, in what was happening in Afghanistan. I rate this book at a 4 star count.After the Taliban showed up to Kabul Latifa's whole life change from being able to go to school, be outside when she wanted to be, to having to be inside her house 24/7. The women/girls had no rights as soon as the Taliban took over their town; they had everything under their control. All the men had to do what the Taliban men said they had to do and the women had to stay home while their husbands, fathers, brother, etc., were out being control under what they I rate this book at a 4 star count.After the Taliban showed up to Kabul Latifa's whole life change from being able to go to school, be outside when she wanted to be, to having to be inside her house 24/7. The women/girls had no rights as soon as the Taliban took over their town; they had everything under their control. All the men had to do what the Taliban men said they had to do and the women had to stay home while their husbands, fathers, brother, etc., were out being control under what they so called, the bad people.I was surprised by how strong Latifa and her family where, they all had a lot of support to be able to get through everything that was happening in Kabul.
Latifa was just a young lady, middle teen, when everything started getting tragic in their home town. Everything was being taken over and they couldn’t do anything to stop it. Latifa and she sister had to stop going to school, stop going outside to get fresh air, and stop doing really anything they wanted to do. For example: Latifa and her sister one day decided that they wanted to go do something. They had to wear a chadri which cover their whole body from head to toe. They had been walking down side roads and the Taliban guards had say that there was a women in the chadri and they took her to the street and wiped her, Latifa saw it all.
She had seen a lot of things happen throughout the whole tragedy that happened in her town. But she made it through by herself and with her family and friends.When someone is reading this book they might want to think about what they would react to with all the beating that is happening throughout the whole entire book. If someone thought that they wouldn't be able to read about all different women being beat/slashed with whips then this isn't the kind of book that person would want to read. Now if there is someone that wants to know things about what Latifa's life was like when she was a little girl then this would be a book that someone would totally definitely want to read because it tell how her life as a child was a life a long period of time. This is the testimony of Latifa, a 16-year-old girl, who lived in Kabul when the Taliban turned it upside down. Writing under a pseudonym, her story enlightens the dark reality of how this oppressive regime shut the voices of women. Female faces were to be unseen, concealed behind a burka, they were banned from leaving their homes without a male relative, and they were also banned them from work, schools, and public life.
Latifa had planned on pursuing journalism, bt when the Taliban took over, This is the testimony of Latifa, a 16-year-old girl, who lived in Kabul when the Taliban turned it upside down. Writing under a pseudonym, her story enlightens the dark reality of how this oppressive regime shut the voices of women. Female faces were to be unseen, concealed behind a burka, they were banned from leaving their homes without a male relative, and they were also banned them from work, schools, and public life.
Latifa had planned on pursuing journalism, bt when the Taliban took over, she was forced to observe and make sense of what was happening to women within her four walls.Since this book accounts the events from 1997-2002, I found myself consistently reflecting on what I was doing in 1997, 1998, and so forth. I was only twelve then, not that much young than Latifa, and at the time, politics didn't seem relevant to my life. But Latifa's family gathered around a small radio at night, their ears glued to the speakers, in fear that their neighbors may overhear and report them.I would not consider this book to be an introduction to the Taliban conflict, because Latifa references a lot of names of leaders and events that current high-school students may not be familiar with. Students may not initially understand how Russia played a role. However, with proper guidance, this book would be an excellent resource to any humanities. 'So, since men as well as women are forbidden by law to laugh in the streets and children are forbidden to play.'
Can you imagine living under law that forbids laughter? And why on earth someone would force that law?
We all know (I suppose) that Talibans are utter fanatics but I’m sure Islam doesn’t forbids laughter. I mean every religion should bring joy to its believer so how come this paradox? And that’s not the only one of course.To anyone who is familiar with Taliban regime this book will 'So, since men as well as women are forbidden by law to laugh in the streets and children are forbidden to play.' Can you imagine living under law that forbids laughter? And why on earth someone would force that law? We all know (I suppose) that Talibans are utter fanatics but I’m sure Islam doesn’t forbids laughter. I mean every religion should bring joy to its believer so how come this paradox?
And that’s not the only one of course.To anyone who is familiar with Taliban regime this book will not be surprising. I saw so many documentaries about Afghanistan so I didn’t find this book hard read.
And somehow I didn't find it emotional enough; as if compassion is something which is expected. And of course it is but perhaps because I'm very familiar with the topic I wasn't moved as I expected I'd be. However since its personal story of a young girl it’s just can’t be ignored.Accent is on the position of women in this extremely oppressive regime and parallels on time before Talibans, years of war as well. It was so incredibly horrible that in spite the fact that you know this is true you just have to wonder.
My Forbidden Face by Latifa was a great tale I found worthy of 4 out of 5 stars.This story takes place in Latifa’s hometown of Kabul where she grows up. When Latifa is 14 the Taliban takes control of her city and begins forcing their strict rules on to the people who live there. Latifa’s memoir follows her life and her family’s as she grows up under the Taliban’s rein.The main strength of this book is the passion that Latifa carries throughout the story. Through her words you see her exact feeli My Forbidden Face by Latifa was a great tale I found worthy of 4 out of 5 stars.This story takes place in Latifa’s hometown of Kabul where she grows up. When Latifa is 14 the Taliban takes control of her city and begins forcing their strict rules on to the people who live there.
Latifa’s memoir follows her life and her family’s as she grows up under the Taliban’s rein.The main strength of this book is the passion that Latifa carries throughout the story. Through her words you see her exact feelings and the pain and sadness that she can’t shake from her imprisonment. I found her thoughts on the struggles she faced to be powerful and full of emotion.I would consider avoiding this book if you do not feel comfortable with violence (such as murder, rape, and other types of graphic violence), and or sexism.I would however recommend this book to anyone interested in world events and the struggles that those in 3rd world countries face. I would recommend this to anyone interested in the feminist movement. I bought this book out of curiosity. All the discussions about burqa's, voiles, women covering their head.
I wanted t know more about the country that is, for me, symbolic for the burqa. It was in a report on Afghanistan that I first saw these blue things that women were hiding in.Once again I am happy that I grew up and live in a free country.
To have to fight for your human (let alone female) rights, have to hide yourself and your ideas. I stil cannoI bought this book out of curiosity. All the discussions about burqa's, voiles, women covering their head. I wanted t know more about the country that is, for me, symbolic for the burqa. It was in a report on Afghanistan that I first saw these blue things that women were hiding in.Once again I am happy that I grew up and live in a free country. To have to fight for your human (let alone female) rights, have to hide yourself and your ideas.
I stil cannot imagine what that must be like.But, I admire on the other hand the spirit of the women: to never give up, find ways to be themselves, be it under the cover of a burqa, trying to find ways to bend the rules, or even break them. This read is one of three that I have selected for an independent study I am conducting with a student. In my opinion, this book did for Afghani life during the Taliban takeover what Schindler's List did for broadening the understanding of the small details of the Jewish Holocaust.Imagine being a teenage girl, one moment living in freedom having just finished your first exam for entrance into journalism school, the next moment rights are stripped away. Written under pseudonym, this true account This read is one of three that I have selected for an independent study I am conducting with a student.
In my opinion, this book did for Afghani life during the Taliban takeover what Schindler's List did for broadening the understanding of the small details of the Jewish Holocaust.Imagine being a teenage girl, one moment living in freedom having just finished your first exam for entrance into journalism school, the next moment rights are stripped away. Written under pseudonym, this true account was compelling and the single best depiction of the brutality women suffered under Taliban reign I have read so far. This is a book about a young girl who grew up in Soviet occupied Afghanistan and was 16 years old when the Taliban came.
The most profound thing I learned is how the change that women experienced under the Taliban was literally overnight - at least for those who lived in Kabul. One day this girl was going to school and applying for college.
Her sister worked for the airlines. The next day all businesses were closed, the radio and television stations were off the air, and women could not leave th This is a book about a young girl who grew up in Soviet occupied Afghanistan and was 16 years old when the Taliban came. The most profound thing I learned is how the change that women experienced under the Taliban was literally overnight - at least for those who lived in Kabul. One day this girl was going to school and applying for college. Her sister worked for the airlines. The next day all businesses were closed, the radio and television stations were off the air, and women could not leave the house unaccompanied.
The book also provides good insight about how the Afgahnis viewed the worlds' response and how the women defied the Taliban. This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,This book is a young woman's story who changed her name to Latifa. It's the life of a girl who is in an ongoing war against the Taliban.
There life is hard but they are trying there best to survive the Taliban. Latifa got to go to Paris and write her story which is the book. Basically it's a really good and interesting ing book to read. It's very exiting and has a lot of detail. I would suggest those who like sad book or books that have war should try it. It's a short book not that long. My forbidden face“We were all in tears while Wahid kissed our parent’s hands and begged us not to cry” (page 107) is a strong statement to me because it makes me think about how I would feel if I got some sort of earth stopping news in the book My Forbidden Face written by Latifa.
Latifa is a young girl, about 15, who lives in Afghanistan during the time the Tailban was attacking. She lives with her family; Mom dad, sister Soraya and her brothers Farad and Daoud.While reading the book, My Forb My forbidden face“We were all in tears while Wahid kissed our parent’s hands and begged us not to cry” (page 107) is a strong statement to me because it makes me think about how I would feel if I got some sort of earth stopping news in the book My Forbidden Face written by Latifa. Latifa is a young girl, about 15, who lives in Afghanistan during the time the Tailban was attacking. She lives with her family; Mom dad, sister Soraya and her brothers Farad and Daoud.While reading the book, My Forbidden Face, I learned a few things about terrorism that I had stereotypes about. Innocent people are being hurt. Latifa and her family as well as her neighbors and close friends are all being pushed out of their homes and some even hung, a gruesome and humiliating way to die. The Tailban is a group of Islamic people run by Osama bin Laden in 1990’s that captures Afghan men and tortures them while the women have to watch and work for them.
Working for the enemy is something the Afghan women would go against but if they did, they would be harmed as well. Latifa and her village spend this time period, 1997-2001, trying to run away and keep their family safe.Another thing I learned was that things like this still happen around the world. For instance, the 9/11 attacks. Although it was a few years back, I was alive when it happened and even though I was to young to remember it, my mom can tell you exactly what we both did when she heard the news. New York being so far away and Latifa, in her own home being held a prisoner to make the Tailban clothes, I feel like a fradey-cat compared to her. In the Middle East today there are still bomb threats and people starting wars over the littlest things.Going off of this, I also learned that it is for no reason.
I knew this before but there was always some doubt in the back of my mind like maybe these people did something to deserve to be treated like this but reading the book by a girl my age put it in a whole new perspective for me. Reading her words and learning about her family’s everyday lives being jumbled around for no reason made me think again. This family is Christian, her brother soon to be married and Latifa and her sister in school. “The water on my feverish cheeks is a gift from God, and to go about freely without the Tailban is a marvelous breath of oxygen” on page 83 shows her religion which is important to me that even though her life is on the line, she prays and trusts God to help her through it.
It means she’s a strong Christian just like me. Her neighbor who warns them about the attacks of the president is also an innocent man trying to help others.“We plunge into a whirlwind- first a hotel, then a television studio where they promise me my face will be blurry on the screen so no one can identify me” is a sentence I really like, found on page 193, because I think it has a dramatic effect. When I read it, a voice of a 15year-old girl, young and naive, pops into my head. It makes me feel sad inside but also relief because it means she is safe and with her mother.Latifa and her family are all sitting around the dinner table one night when they hear a familiar voice start yelling. Her dad goes to see what the hassle is about when he gets word from the neighbor that the Tailban is attacking and that his family was gone. The president was taken and is being held hostage and unless you hide, you will be taken as well.
Her dad reports this to her mom who takes her and her sisters to try to run away. Her dad and her brothers go down to see if they can help fight the Tailban. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in history and personal narratives. I enjoyed this book because reading a book written by a survivor of a bad incidence interests me.
It has adventure yet some sad parts but because they wrote the book it means they survived and are able to give great description about the event. Reading about attacks like this by someone so close to the epidemic can also help you learn things about the event but even about yourself. During the first week of school, we learnt about the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and the effects and disadvantages that the women faced under the harsh and suppressing rulers.
The Taliban, upon seizing power, started a system of gender discrimination effectively thrusting the women of Afghanistan into a state of virtual house arrest, as seen in this website stating all the harsh rules that women had to follow. When i first knew of these, i was shocked that i have never knew of their cruelty and During the first week of school, we learnt about the Taliban rule in Afghanistan and the effects and disadvantages that the women faced under the harsh and suppressing rulers. The Taliban, upon seizing power, started a system of gender discrimination effectively thrusting the women of Afghanistan into a state of virtual house arrest, as seen in this website stating all the harsh rules that women had to follow.
When i first knew of these, i was shocked that i have never knew of their cruelty and atrocious behaviour towards people they thought of as the 'inferior' gender. Such gender discrimination still exists up till today and that must be eliminated from this world.
During the first week of school, we watched a movie entitled 'Osama'. This movie talked about an Afghanistan girl who lived under the Talibans and in order to support their family consisting of her mother and her old grandmother who were obviously women, she had to cut her beautiful hair, wear men's clothes and go to work as a young boy. Osama, being just a young naive girl, tried to bury her hair in order to let them grow.
In fact she did not fully understand the meaning of all these that she had to go through as she was just a young girl, barely at the age of puberty. When she was captured and forced to go to military school along with the other boys, she couldn't climb a tree and was hung in a well for a long time till she was crying out for her mother. When she was brought out, she had menstruated and it was then that everyone knew of her true identity. Following that she went through 'court' trials and was married to a pervertic old teacher at school and forced to live with his other 4 wives. I was utterly shocked when the movie ended so abruptly but that was the way it is. It doesnt tell you about what happens next just to sum it up that Osama's life had ended the moment she was married to that man.
SHe'll be forever confined to that puny ratty house. After reading this book, i had a clearer view of this. In Osama's case, she was a poor girl who had to wok in oreder to support her family. Latifa, on the other hand, could read, write and she could go to movies, wear stylish clothes, listen to pop music and go shopping like any other SIngaporean teen. I never knew that their life was as 'updated' as ours as ive always though their country to be a rural third world land. But no, the people there do basically the same things as we do, they have the same needs and the same thoughts. In fact, Latifa and i share the same hobby, we like to listen to music and eat and read at the same time.
COmpared to Osama, she had a much better life. Her family was considered rather rich as her father was a merchant. She was barely sixteen when the talibans entered Afghanistan with the promise of a new rule, but it never came.Latifa went through so much, seeing their former president hung on a rope ouside their embassy, almost dying of a disease, watching as her world, as well as several thousand of other women's, fall apart like a crumbling sand castle. I sympathise with her, even though i have never been through that and i never want to. I admire her courage to set up a private school for children in times of war and risking getting captured and hung for that.
She is a truly courageous girl.Great lines that depict the cruelty of the Talibans:'I climb out of the burqa feeling humiliated and furious. My face belongs to me.
The Koran says that woman can be veiled, but she must remain recognisable. The Taliban want to steal my face, forbid us all our faces.'
'The wind blows and carries away my headscarf.Just as the patrol has carried away my loved one.May God carry away those patrols.Who carried away my faithful loved one.' 'If tomorrow, in the strees of Kabul, a child steals bread from a stall because his widowe mother has no male protection, is forbidden to work and therefore condemned to begging, whose hand should the Taliban chop off?' Even though I have called it a YA book, it would take a gutsy young person to grapple with even reading what Latifa experiences. This is a coming of age story that makes most of the ones we read seem very soft and makes authors like seem trivial by comparison (to be fair Latifa has the advantage of a true story which is always going to be more urgent).
It is not that the protagonist wouldn;t like the self-indulgence of angst about a boy or of spoiling herself to make up for how hard l Even though I have called it a YA book, it would take a gutsy young person to grapple with even reading what Latifa experiences. This is a coming of age story that makes most of the ones we read seem very soft and makes authors like seem trivial by comparison (to be fair Latifa has the advantage of a true story which is always going to be more urgent).
It is not that the protagonist wouldn;t like the self-indulgence of angst about a boy or of spoiling herself to make up for how hard life is, it is just that she lives in such horrifyingly repressive circumstances (even though surrounded by a loving and supportive family) that just mentally surviving is her biggest challenge (and there is physical danger too).There is horrifically graphic violence and a lot of references to rape in the book and I hate that sort of thing, I would prefer not to read it. The fact that it is a real experience of a 16-20 year old woman made me feel I needed to face it.
The horror is ever-present but does not dominate. What dominates is the courage, love and shining humanity of Latifa's family and friend. I found the story of the teacher inspirational (though horrifying) and could not believe these teenaged girls took on that very dangerous work for themselves!
There are heroic characters in the book, both male and female and the way Latifa's family look after each other through this and respect each other's differences, needs and strengths was also remarkable.Latifa is honest about beginning as a somewhat spoiled girl, who has not been particularly political or heroic. She has run an underground newspaper but largely to talk about film stars and makeup, she is interested in weddings and dresses. She hopes to one day have a husband who will protect and look after her. This said she is intelligent and responsive to the kindness of her family which surrounds her. She is a survivor already, one of the hardest things to get my head around in the book was that living with the constant danger of rockets falling on their city was the SAFE period of their lives compared to what came next when the Taliban came in.As life gets awful Latifa's very natural instinct is retreat and depression. She makes the point that she has no wish to be a hero or to resist, she just wants not to suffer. As the reality of her situation hits home, Latifa sees the horrifying plight of others even less fortunate than herself.
Her family are full of compassion, intelligence and the need to respond to the suffering of others and she gets infected with this way of viewing the world. She is calmly courageous even though she would still like an ordinary teenage life with movies and lipstick and weddings.I could not conceive of the courage of this family again and again!I wish all Islamophobes could read this book and see that the Taliban is not Islam, that there are families full of compassion and courage also within that religion.
I think anyone who is able to deal with the horrifying constant fear and violence in the book (it's confronting enough just to read about it) ought to read it to gain some perspective.It is hard to get 5 stars out of me these days, but this book was so vital and grittily brave that I could not give it less. This book provides a first-hand account of daily life in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Latifa (a pseudonym made necessary by death threats to the author and her family members) lived with her family in a middle-class area of Kabul.
Her country had been at war her entire life. Over the years, Latifa and her family members struggled to be apolitical just so they could survive the frequent regime changes. One of her brothers served in the army under the Soviets, only to become a political prisoner This book provides a first-hand account of daily life in Afghanistan under the Taliban. Latifa (a pseudonym made necessary by death threats to the author and her family members) lived with her family in a middle-class area of Kabul. Her country had been at war her entire life.
Over the years, Latifa and her family members struggled to be apolitical just so they could survive the frequent regime changes. One of her brothers served in the army under the Soviets, only to become a political prisoner under the regime. Another brother was sent to university in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on a Soviet scholarship. When the Taliban took over Kabul, Latifa found herself virtually imprisoned in her apartment, forbidden by the Taliban from attending the university where she had just passed her entrance exams. Her sister had been an airline stewardess and her mother a doctor, but both were forbidden from continuing their professions. Her father was a businessman, whose Kabul warehouses were being continually destroyed in battle.Latifa describes daily life for her family after the Taliban took control. She describes listening to edicts on the radio, forbidding women from working and girls from going to school.
Women and girls were also not allowed to be treated by male doctors, and since women doctors were forbidden from practicing, this effectively shut half the population out from being able to receive any kind of health care. Women had to be covered from head to toe if they were to go out in public, and they had to be escorted by a male relative. On one of the few times Latifa dared go out of her apartment for a walk, she witnessed a horrific beating of women whose feet were covered but who had committed the apparently reprehensible crime of wearing the wrong color shoes.At the beginning of her story, Latifa is an ordinary teenager, excited with fancy dresses and movie stars. But as the years go by, and she finds herself and all other women that she knows forbidden from participating in society in any, Latifa becomes more and more concerned with women's issues-indeed she becomes a feminist, although she had most likely never heard the term before. It's fascinating to read in her descriptions of childhood in Kabul of what a relatively normal life her family had been able to lead, despite the wars and political upheavals. This contrasts sharply with the changes brought in by the Taliban, when marriages could no longer be celebrated, and teachers could be beaten for providing lessons to little girls. This is a very-well written, gripping account of Afghani life from the point of view of an ordinary citizen, and highly recommended to anyone who wants to further their understanding of the Afghan society and attitudes towards the Taliban.
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,akhirnya ku menemukan mu:)ketemu juga buku ini, walaupun bekas tapi masih dalam kondisi bagus.thanks to Ms. Vanessa from Palembang yang sudah berbaik hati menjual bukunya kepadaku. Thank ubaru selesai baca buku ini semalam.
Tidak bisa membayangkan seandainya saya ada disana. Menjadi seorang wanita ditengah rezim taliban berkuasa sepertinya adalah sebuah penyiksaan, mimpi buruk, dan pemaksaan untuk bunuh diri.Latifaa was on akhirnya ku menemukan mu:)ketemu juga buku ini, walaupun bekas tapi masih dalam kondisi bagus.thanks to Ms. Vanessa from Palembang yang sudah berbaik hati menjual bukunya kepadaku. Thank ubaru selesai baca buku ini semalam.
Tidak bisa membayangkan seandainya saya ada disana. Menjadi seorang wanita ditengah rezim taliban berkuasa sepertinya adalah sebuah penyiksaan, mimpi buruk, dan pemaksaan untuk bunuh diri.Latifaa was only 16 when taliban attacked Kabul and hang President Najibullah in Ariana Square.she is mosleem, and obedient to her religion. But when taliban take over Afghanistan, they run the country based on their narrow minded version of Islam. Like women not allowed to go to school, get proper education, not allowed to work outside their premises.if women wish to go out, they must accompanied by their male relatives. Its the law, an obligation that must be obeyed by all Afghanistan citizen.its just like the another face of genocide.Latifa was raised in very moderate family, a good mosleem family. Her older sister is a journalist and her other one was stewardess. One of her older brother is a soldier and live in Moskow - Russia, and the other one is college student and can not resume his education due to the stupid war.her mother is an intelligent woman, a gynecologist expert.
She helped women for free in her apartment basement secretly. During taliban era,women didnt get proper medication, taliban forbid male doctor to help female, only female doctor who could help. What the f.k?if you have read a thousand spledid suns, the situation is exactly the same. Only 'my forbidden face' write as memoir as it is based on true story.latifaa now stay in Paris, when she wrote this memoar ( around 2001 ) she cant go back to Afghanistan as taliban released a statement that they will kill the women rebel - which actually addressed to Latifa and her mother.Islam is peaceful, Islam not misogynistic.and they are only bunch of male chauvinist pig run their narrow minded version of religion which i am completely sure not come from any holy bible. I cracked open this book in hope of a detailed personal account of a young woman's life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, but this little book did not quite deliver. My Forbidden Face does share some small personal accounts of life under the Taliban, the atrocities committed by Talib soldiers, and of the repression of women and of freedom itself.However, due to what I can only assume was poor editing, Latifa's story is very jumbled.
This book reads as if it were recounted to an interviewer who I cracked open this book in hope of a detailed personal account of a young woman's life under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, but this little book did not quite deliver. My Forbidden Face does share some small personal accounts of life under the Taliban, the atrocities committed by Talib soldiers, and of the repression of women and of freedom itself.However, due to what I can only assume was poor editing, Latifa's story is very jumbled.
This book reads as if it were recounted to an interviewer who was probing for information for the story, rather than a memoir. This book desperately needs to be edited - events placed in chronological order, and some serious proofreading. There are many homonyms which are confusing and I assume the result of a language barrier, dropped letters in spelling the same word twice in one paragraph, et cetera.However, I did enjoy this book. My interest in Afghanistan was sparked by the themes of the repression of women, the perversion of religious government, and the difficulties of a refugee when their nation is destroyed. “I pray God that whoever will lead our country may be, in his heart, as much Pashtun as Tajik, as much Uzbek as Hazara.
That his wife may counsel and assist him; that he may choose advisors of great character and wisdom. That books may replace weapons, that education may teach us to respect one another, that our hospitals may be worthy of their mission, and that our culture may be reborn from the ruins of our pillaged museums. That the camps of famished refugees may disappear from our borders, and that the bread the hungry eat be kneaded by their own hands.I will do more than pray, because when the last talib has put away his black turban and I can be a free woman in a free Afghanistan, I will take up my life there once more and do my duty as a citizen, as a woman, and, I hope, as a mother.”—.