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BookBrowse Reviews The Swallows of Kabul: 'A superb meditation on the fate of the Afghan people.'
Novel

The Swallows of Kabul
by Yasmina Khadra
Paperback, Apr 2005,
208 pages.
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One reviewer compares this relatively short novel to Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress. I agree to the extent that they are both relatively short books set in locations that are foreign to most of us, but other than that I don't see much similarity. Dai Sijie's book tells a strong story but has moments of lightness; whereas The Swallows of Kabul is variously described as 'poetic, intimate, and poignant' but there are no light moments. Having said all that The Swallows of Kabul is worth reading for its relevance to current affairs and for the glimmers of humanity that show themselves even in the most relentlessly harsh conditions.
Beyond the Book
Afghanistan's strategic position between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent has made it an area of conflict for millenia. 

The Soviet Union intervened in 1979 to prop up a pro-communist regime, but after they withdraw many years later the civil war dragged on until the Taleban took control - initially bringing a measure of stability after 20 years of conflict.

The Taleban government fell in October 2001, after US initiated attacks (although...
This review is from the April 6, 2005 issue of BookBrowse Recommends. Click here to go to this issue.
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