February 5

The Bookseller of Kabul
By Asne Seierstad

This story is a really interesting look into the life of an Afghan family by a Norwegian journalist who actually lived in their home(s) in 2003.  Seierstad dons a burqua and moves fairly anonymously between men and women, joining them for trips to the bazaar, on a religious pilgrimage, etc. Life for women is awful, though not a whole lot better for men.

In an article that appeared in yesterday's Sunday New York Times, it turns out the book trade is one of the few niches of business that is thriving in Afghanistan today.  "It is an Afghan-owned andAfghan-led process," according to one of the publishers interviewed for this article.  See "Though Most Afghans Can't Read, Their Book Trade Is Booming".