Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
by Deborah Rodriguez, Kristin Ohlson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Deborah Rodriguez, Kristin OhlsonEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Unknown); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-18
ISBN: 0812976738
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Random House Trade Paperbacks
Product features:
- ISBN13: 9780812976731
- Condition: NEW
- Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Book Reviews of Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
Book Review: Quick and Enlightening Read
Summary: 4 Stars
This is basically the story of an American female hairdresser who escapes her abusive husband and most likely dull life for a lengthy adventure abroad. She basically ends up in Afghanistan where she finds a great deal of almost magical support in opening an Americanized beauty school where Afghan women can be better trained at this profession in order to improve their own lives.
If you have ever worked abroad in a developing society then you will understand the power Americans always have when they go abroad to such places... the way we become instantly famous and the way natives depend on us to create miracles. You don't need much training or experience to be put in such a position... if you are an American... that will do it! This is what happened to Deborah... she got so in over her head in a lot of ways. She opened a school with no background as a teacher and pretty much no cultural training. She drew interest in her situation from Paul Mitchell and a German NGO... enough to get donations and things started... she did so with very little effort. What she didn't understand is real project planning for long term sustainability... things fell apart when she left. And then she wrote a book about her experience which was probably a reckless choice since she revealed enough activity on the women around her to put their lives in danger.
I found it a fascinating read for sure... a definite page turner and read it over a weekend. In a lot of ways it was very comical and brought me back to my own experiences in the Peace Corps and all the crazy things you see and learn to tolerate from a culture so different from your own. It made for a high interest choice in my book club and no one lacked an opinion. The book even comes with book club questions in the back if you need that.
And yet I find it an interesting study of going abroad to serve a developing society. This is a must read for anyone considering going abroad for such work. Underneath the novelty of this mysterious society and the comical way much of it is written... there are some lessons to be learned here about running away from your own screwed up life in the guise of helping others. In the end it forces you to take a long, hard look at yourself.
I suggest Googling Deborah Rodriguez and reading some of the recent articles on her (see the Chicago Tribune)... you can also see her speaking on youtube. The reality around the book is just as interesting to study as the book itself.
Summary of Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills-as doctors, nurses, and therapists-seemed eminently more practical than her own, Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, despaired of being of any real use. Yet she soon found she had a gift for befriending Afghans, and once her profession became known she was eagerly sought out by Westerners desperate for a good haircut and by Afghan women, who have a long and proud tradition of running their own beauty salons. Thus an idea was born.With the help of corporate and international sponsors, the Kabul Beauty School welcomed its first class in 2003. Well meaning but sometimes brazen, Rodriguez stumbled through language barriers, overstepped cultural customs, and constantly juggled the challenges of a postwar nation even as she learned how to empower her students to become their families' breadwinners by learning the fundamentals of coloring techniques, haircutting, and makeup.
Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts: the newlywed who faked her virginity on her wedding night, the twelve-year-old bride sold into marriage to pay her family's debts, the Taliban member's wife who pursued her training despite her husband's constant beatings. Through these and other stories, Rodriguez found the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again, Afghan style.
With warmth and humor, Rodriguez details the lushness of a seemingly desolate region and reveals the magnificence behind the burqa. Kabul Beauty School is a remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom.
From the Hardcover edition.
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