Book: Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez

[Erudite]

Book: Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
Author: Deborah Rodriguez
Genre: Non-Fiction
Suitable for: Anyone over 15

I read this a few weeks ago, but wanted to write a review for it because it's one of those books that opens your eyes to a culture that we have so few (and generaly biased) glimpses of. Deborah Rodriguez wanted to go to Afghanistan just to help, but she was a hairdresser and felt a little less than self-confident. She went with an NGO (non-governmental organization) and on her first night met with a whole group of other NGOers. They went around the room introducing themselves: doctor, nurses, construction workers, etc and Deborah felt smaller and smaller, but when she stood to introduce herself she got as much as "I'm Debbie Rodriguez and I'm just a hairdresser..." out and suddenly found herself in the midst of wild applause. Self-less NGOers, men and women, need their hair done too, and Afghan salons (if you can find them) had less than sanitary facilities with less than sharp scissors and less than current techniques. So in the middle of all her NGO work, which was to aid in the rebuilding of Afghanistan, she began to squeeze in haircuts.

After being allowed to visit an Afghan hair salon, she soon saw the need for doing more than that. She came back to the States and began to try to raise the money and get the supplies donated to get a Beauty School off the ground in Afghanistan. And she does. Her ultimate goal is to empower the women of Afghanistan to begin to take charge of their lives and to help build a better Afghanistan...one haircut at a time. And little by little, throughout the book, you see her efforts as she impacts the lives of just a few women whenever she can.

The book is about her life and her accountability for taking charge of her own life in first an abusive marriage then later being married to an Afghan man who needs to learn to care for the emotional well-being of his American wife. It is not a part of their culture to do so and they both learn about each other's culture in the process of being married.

Kabul Beauty School an intimate look at how a single life can make a difference to many lives. It made me want to do more to help women around the world. Debbie's ability to make things happen is something to behold and something to inspire us all. While the book can be a bit gritty, given the situations that she lives through, it is also a look into a world that is diametrically opposed to our own and one that we need a better understanding of and a sympathy for.

I recommend the book, though it is not for younger readers.

[5ft Diva]

Wow! This sounds like a book for me. I'm sure our local library doesn't carry it, though. Is this a short read, E?

[Erudite]

It's around 200 pages and yes, a fairly short read. I also got it from the library or I'd offer to loan it to you.