Publication
New York, NY : Harper, c2011.
Collection
Call number
Biography S
Physical description
253 p.; 21 inches
Status
Available
Call number
Description
The incredible true account of Kamila Sidiqi who, when her father and brother were forced to flee Kabul, became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own and held her family together.
Subjects
User reviews
LibraryThing member Proustitutes
I was given this book as required reading at University of Florida, as a part of our "common reading" program where every Freshman receives the same book so that we share a common "intellectual experience". Let me say two things:
1) There was nothing intellectual whatsoever going on with this
2) Thank GOD I didn't pay for it.
This book was well intended and cut a good message: sympathize with and appreciate the women who stay behind to make things work while the men are at war.
The writing itself was trite. There was no character development whatsoever--the author never delved much into any emotional thoughts besides "Oh god, I'm scared to work because of the Taliban, but I must feed my family!!", which in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing to write about; it's just that it was overworked ad nauseum.
Some of the phrases that she employed in the novel were literally laughable, stuff along the lines of (going from memory here), 'Kamila was so glad that her sister had made it back okay from the market. She wanted desperately for her to be safe, and she was. The power of prayer and optimism had helped her through these tough times.'
I'm upset that this book passed as literature, and that a relatively prestigious university provided this to me and demanded that I read it for a mandatory freshman-year class called "what is the good life", which is intended to help freshman achieve a broader perspective of life and its successes, failures, wants, needs, and things of that sort.
I can only hope that things improve from here.
Edit, a year later: I met the author of the book as well as the woman it was written about. Great women. Nauseatingly trite book.
1) There was nothing intellectual whatsoever going on with this
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book.2) Thank GOD I didn't pay for it.
This book was well intended and cut a good message: sympathize with and appreciate the women who stay behind to make things work while the men are at war.
The writing itself was trite. There was no character development whatsoever--the author never delved much into any emotional thoughts besides "Oh god, I'm scared to work because of the Taliban, but I must feed my family!!", which in itself isn't necessarily a bad thing to write about; it's just that it was overworked ad nauseum.
Some of the phrases that she employed in the novel were literally laughable, stuff along the lines of (going from memory here), 'Kamila was so glad that her sister had made it back okay from the market. She wanted desperately for her to be safe, and she was. The power of prayer and optimism had helped her through these tough times.'
I'm upset that this book passed as literature, and that a relatively prestigious university provided this to me and demanded that I read it for a mandatory freshman-year class called "what is the good life", which is intended to help freshman achieve a broader perspective of life and its successes, failures, wants, needs, and things of that sort.
I can only hope that things improve from here.
Edit, a year later: I met the author of the book as well as the woman it was written about. Great women. Nauseatingly trite book.
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LibraryThing member marshapetry
Excellent narrator, mildly interesting book about a woman and her relatives/friends who develop a tailoring/sewing company in an oppressive political culture and actually find that they can make a go of it. End of the good stuff about the story...
What annoyed the heck outta me is when people, and
OK, off my soap box. If you like stories about individuals overcoming the odds, you'll probably like this story.
What annoyed the heck outta me is when people, and
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this author is no exception, put up individuals who have "made it" as an example of what everyone can do and, along the way, lessen the people who are truly at fault and gives a pass to the people creating the harsh awful environment. "See, if one just finds a way to make the best of a bad situation, it can be done! This woman did!" . I just wanted to scream every other page... "STOP, STOP NOW... don't try to lessen the appalling environment in which these women live... THAT needs to be emphasized!!! We should not be putting emphasis on how women can 'make do', 'get by', 'even triumph' in an oppressive regime, that trivializes the aggressor's behavior and turns the focus on the women and what THEY can do. NO NO NO NO NO... the oppressive control and time-warping behavior of the controlling regime is what must be changed. Good for this woman, for being a saleswoman who is turning a profit, but that's it for the story - yay for this woman, she's a good saleswoman, but it's not a method that can be repeated time and again. It's the old "I got rich and you can too! Just follow my 10-step program and send $9.95 to...". OK, off my soap box. If you like stories about individuals overcoming the odds, you'll probably like this story.
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LibraryThing member Periodista
God in heaven. What a slog. Sometimes I think that if a terrible writer applies herself, she can at least improve enough to produce readable report or something. Then I come across a book like this and I decisively change my mind. This book got published because the woman is well connected and it's
OK, so you want to know something about women in Afghanistan? Stick with A Bookseller in Kabul by a real journalist. True, it takes place after the Taliban has been ousted and a family that has been living in Pakistan returns home. The daughters are educated, some having learned English in Pakistan, the father is liberal by any Afghan standard and yet ...Afghanistan is not an easy country for even these women. Dressmaker, however, has some recommended reading in the back which might be interesting, notably voices of Afghan women by NGOs during the Taliban period, probably based on refugee reports.
This book (retrospectively) covers the Taliban period and a houseful of educated sisters. Sounds promising but Lemmon doesn't have the ability to put anything in context--to explain the absence of the parents, to describe the rules of living with the Taliban, to delve into others' life stories (the male dress buyers, for example), to establish social and economic levels, to sketch the nature of the family's Islamic faith and practices, set the conditions (battles and sectors in Kabul?) right before the Taliban arrived, etc. What were the perceptions of the Taliban before they swept the country and then Kabul? Lemmon is also too timid to ask for for money details: how much are these women earning? What does it cost to feed this household? What's the profit margin? The costs of materials? Trust me, the poor farmers and seamstresses in the least developed countries in the world love to talk about this stuff.
Oh and I didn't understand how the UN agency was operating in Afghanistan under the Taliban. What were the rules? How many other foreign NGOs?
Yes, Lemmon formerly worked for a TV network but not as a journalist. It must have been in administration, ad sales, something like that. I could tell it was going to be bad from the moment she got to the Kabul airport, sans afghanis (duh, how could you miss Afghans in Dubai?) without a clue how to phone the interpreter. Had this woman ever traveled to a foreign country before? Better stick to group tours. She speaks several languages but she couldn't have worked as a translator or interpreter. If she had, she would have picked up some sense of how to tell a story, right?
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a good cause. She probably worked for years on this, had the text cut in half, etc. But the facts are plain: she has neither a news sense nor a storytelling fiber in her body. OK, so you want to know something about women in Afghanistan? Stick with A Bookseller in Kabul by a real journalist. True, it takes place after the Taliban has been ousted and a family that has been living in Pakistan returns home. The daughters are educated, some having learned English in Pakistan, the father is liberal by any Afghan standard and yet ...Afghanistan is not an easy country for even these women. Dressmaker, however, has some recommended reading in the back which might be interesting, notably voices of Afghan women by NGOs during the Taliban period, probably based on refugee reports.
This book (retrospectively) covers the Taliban period and a houseful of educated sisters. Sounds promising but Lemmon doesn't have the ability to put anything in context--to explain the absence of the parents, to describe the rules of living with the Taliban, to delve into others' life stories (the male dress buyers, for example), to establish social and economic levels, to sketch the nature of the family's Islamic faith and practices, set the conditions (battles and sectors in Kabul?) right before the Taliban arrived, etc. What were the perceptions of the Taliban before they swept the country and then Kabul? Lemmon is also too timid to ask for for money details: how much are these women earning? What does it cost to feed this household? What's the profit margin? The costs of materials? Trust me, the poor farmers and seamstresses in the least developed countries in the world love to talk about this stuff.
Oh and I didn't understand how the UN agency was operating in Afghanistan under the Taliban. What were the rules? How many other foreign NGOs?
Yes, Lemmon formerly worked for a TV network but not as a journalist. It must have been in administration, ad sales, something like that. I could tell it was going to be bad from the moment she got to the Kabul airport, sans afghanis (duh, how could you miss Afghans in Dubai?) without a clue how to phone the interpreter. Had this woman ever traveled to a foreign country before? Better stick to group tours. She speaks several languages but she couldn't have worked as a translator or interpreter. If she had, she would have picked up some sense of how to tell a story, right?
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LibraryThing member mountie9
The Good Stuff
* You can really feel the authors love and admiration for the subjects of her book
* A hopeful and passionate real life story about resilience, perseverance, communities working together, faith and family
* Excellent bibliography for further background information
* Many stories of
* Positively Inspiring and hopeful
* Rich historical information that really helps you understand how much Afghanistan has gone through
* The mention of what I believe to be very true that learning is the key to the future. Handouts don't work, you need to teach skills for those to help themselves
* About incredibly strong real women surviving and thriving through extremely difficult times
The Not so Good Stuff
* Jumps around in a few spots and you feel temporarily lost
* Would have liked the How you can help section in the ARC - but hey I think that might be me getting a little picky - they probably wanted to put up to date info for finished product
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"We're far more accustomed to-and comfortable with-seeing women portrayed as victims of war who deserve our sympathy, rather than as resilient survivors who demand our respect."
"As he often told the eleven of them, "I look on all of you with one eye." To him it was his highest obligation and a duty of his faith to educate his children so that they could share their knowledge and serve their communities. Now he watched with a sinking heart as the Taliban closed girls' schools and forced women inside."
"The more time I spent in Kabul the more I saw what they saw and the more I understood their frustration. I also wondered if this latest international foray into Afghan nation-building would end well for anyone."
"Brave young women complete heroic acts everyday, with no one bearing witness. This was a chance to even the ledger, to share one small story that made the difference between starvation and survival for the families whose lives it changed."
What I Learned
* Incredible amounts of historical information about the history of Afghanistan
* That I know very little about the lives of the Afghan people
* That I had some prejudices about Afghanistan and this book helped me to realize how wrong I was in thinking some of the things I did. I have a new-found respect for their resilience and their struggles
Who should/shouldn't read
* I would recommend that everyone read this. Pretty much everyone could benefit from reading this
* Thinking many of the strict Taliban wouldn't be into this
* This is a must have for every library
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Once again Harper you have introduced me to something that I probably never would have picked out myself
* You can really feel the authors love and admiration for the subjects of her book
* A hopeful and passionate real life story about resilience, perseverance, communities working together, faith and family
* Excellent bibliography for further background information
* Many stories of
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Afghanistan have so many negative male characters and it is nice to actually see stories of Afghan men who support and want more for their women. * Positively Inspiring and hopeful
* Rich historical information that really helps you understand how much Afghanistan has gone through
* The mention of what I believe to be very true that learning is the key to the future. Handouts don't work, you need to teach skills for those to help themselves
* About incredibly strong real women surviving and thriving through extremely difficult times
The Not so Good Stuff
* Jumps around in a few spots and you feel temporarily lost
* Would have liked the How you can help section in the ARC - but hey I think that might be me getting a little picky - they probably wanted to put up to date info for finished product
Favorite Quotes/Passages
"We're far more accustomed to-and comfortable with-seeing women portrayed as victims of war who deserve our sympathy, rather than as resilient survivors who demand our respect."
"As he often told the eleven of them, "I look on all of you with one eye." To him it was his highest obligation and a duty of his faith to educate his children so that they could share their knowledge and serve their communities. Now he watched with a sinking heart as the Taliban closed girls' schools and forced women inside."
"The more time I spent in Kabul the more I saw what they saw and the more I understood their frustration. I also wondered if this latest international foray into Afghan nation-building would end well for anyone."
"Brave young women complete heroic acts everyday, with no one bearing witness. This was a chance to even the ledger, to share one small story that made the difference between starvation and survival for the families whose lives it changed."
What I Learned
* Incredible amounts of historical information about the history of Afghanistan
* That I know very little about the lives of the Afghan people
* That I had some prejudices about Afghanistan and this book helped me to realize how wrong I was in thinking some of the things I did. I have a new-found respect for their resilience and their struggles
Who should/shouldn't read
* I would recommend that everyone read this. Pretty much everyone could benefit from reading this
* Thinking many of the strict Taliban wouldn't be into this
* This is a must have for every library
4.5 Dewey's
I received this from HarperCollins in exchange for an honest review. Once again Harper you have introduced me to something that I probably never would have picked out myself
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LibraryThing member tangledthread
This was an inspiring story about hope, optimism and persistence in the face of remarkable odds for the women of a household in an area of Kabul during the reign of the Taliban. At the beginning of the book, I found the author's account of arriving in Afghanistan to be a bit off putting. Then
After the recent controversy over Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, I find myself a bit skeptical of this story in part because of the amount of dialogue recorded that the author could not have been present to record. There are other parts of the story that are difficult for me to understand: how both parents could leave their children, mostly female, unprotected to hold down the fort in the city. Maybe it's a lack of cultural understanding on my part, or perhaps there's a piece to the Taliban occupation I'm missing. But if family is everything as is repeated often in the narrative, then I don't understand the parents leaving.
Nevertheless the story is inspiring. I appreciated the epilogue at the end with the "where they are now" section and the comments about possible future concerns.
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somehow her voice is lost in the narrative as she relates the story of Kamila and her sisters.After the recent controversy over Greg Mortenson's Three Cups of Tea, I find myself a bit skeptical of this story in part because of the amount of dialogue recorded that the author could not have been present to record. There are other parts of the story that are difficult for me to understand: how both parents could leave their children, mostly female, unprotected to hold down the fort in the city. Maybe it's a lack of cultural understanding on my part, or perhaps there's a piece to the Taliban occupation I'm missing. But if family is everything as is repeated often in the narrative, then I don't understand the parents leaving.
Nevertheless the story is inspiring. I appreciated the epilogue at the end with the "where they are now" section and the comments about possible future concerns.
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LibraryThing member macart3
Nice premise: what happens to an Afghani family of 9 females as they are forced from their jobs and pursuing an education to indoors and making a highly successful business venture "hidden" from the Taliban from sewing. Very poor writing. Author is former journalist whose tendancy to write
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factually and concisely is very much evident and leaves much to be desired for a better emotional portryal amongst family members. Furthermore, Ms. Lemmon's writing is very confusing. She sometimes doesn't mention a person for a long while and then 30-40 pages later they make a random appearance or people disappear without a reason. Show Less
LibraryThing member gypsysmom
This book is an account of a young woman living in Kabul during the Taliban regime who started a dressmaking business. It was interesting that this young girl who received her teaching certificate just before the Taliban took over the city was able to work, sell her products and hire other women
The book does give a glimpse behind the chador into the lives of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule.
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while women were banned from going to school or to work outside the home. They couldn't even go to market unless a man accompanied them and they had to be completely covered the whole time. And yet I had some questions that were never completely resolved such as: Who was buying the dresses and clothing the seamstresses were making since supposedly money was very scarce? I also did not really understand why her mother went to the north of the country, leaving the young daughters with a 19 year old to look after them.The book does give a glimpse behind the chador into the lives of women in Afghanistan under the Taliban rule.
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LibraryThing member LOOPYLEOD
A fascinating look at women outside America and how abhorrent their lives are - and a book that underscores what women must do to survive.
LibraryThing member KatherineGregg
This book would be a good companion book to The Kite Runner. It was well written, informative and even a bit suspenseful to read. It is heartening to think about the women that have the strength and courage to carry on in a world so oppressive to women.
LibraryThing member FlygURL
Love the books about pre-Taliban, Taliban, and, dare I say, post-Taliban Afghanistan. However, it left me wanting more.
LibraryThing member JanaRose1
Kamila, a hard-working dedicated woman, received a teaching degree during Afghanistan's civil war. Before she was able to use her degree, the Taliban seized control of Kabul. Forced to adhere to strict rules and regulations, Kamila and her sisters found their lives greatly changed. From their
Well written, this is an engaging biography of a country little understood in America. It shows both the oppression and hardship of woman, as well as their courage and determination to survive. Overall, this is an important book, one I would recommend to everyone.
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relatively free lifestyle, they were suddenly no longer able to work or speak with a non-related male. In order to make money for food, Kamila banded together with her sisters to begins a dress-making business. The business continually expanded and Kamila was ultimately able to teach and employ many of the girls in her community.Well written, this is an engaging biography of a country little understood in America. It shows both the oppression and hardship of woman, as well as their courage and determination to survive. Overall, this is an important book, one I would recommend to everyone.
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LibraryThing member njmom3
This book is a nonfiction account of one family's struggle for survival in Afghanistan. More importantly, it is Muslim woman's story of hope and triumph in overwhelming circumstances. To hear a woman's perspective about the country and regime is unusual. It is a great addition to what has been
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written about that part of the world. An added bonus is that this book reads so much like a story that I had to keep reminding myself that these events are nonfiction. I read it in one sitting, something I usually cannot say about nonfiction. Show Less
LibraryThing member BONS
Non-Fiction 1996 Afghanistan-The Taliban Era-Biography
An amazing story of true life heroism from a brave young woman in Afghanistan. Kamila has finished her schooling and a two year course. The Taliban are in control of her homeland causing great fear among all. Due to strict Taliban rules women do
Kamila's story caused me to think! Could I have that same drive to force myself to learn something. Then could I face my fear and go out in public in to the Taliban ruled streets to sell my wares to the local markets? I thought about life under such rule where women were nothing. The lack of food and any security. Then the US sttacks to fight against the Taliban and the locals suffer the ongoing bombing from a country that is not their enemy.
The epilogue tells of the rewards from Kamila's faithfulness. Such an enlightening read of courage that leaves one just grateful.
An amazing story of true life heroism from a brave young woman in Afghanistan. Kamila has finished her schooling and a two year course. The Taliban are in control of her homeland causing great fear among all. Due to strict Taliban rules women do
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not work out of the home, are not allowed to speak to any male outside of their family and are to remain entirely covered from hear to toe. Most males in Kabul are not present due to previous uprisings of have needed to flee to find work elsewhere to support their families. Kamila has strong family ethics and an unstoppable determination. She knows she must do something to support her family so she learns to sew and starts the most amazing business in the harshest of environments. Kamila's story caused me to think! Could I have that same drive to force myself to learn something. Then could I face my fear and go out in public in to the Taliban ruled streets to sell my wares to the local markets? I thought about life under such rule where women were nothing. The lack of food and any security. Then the US sttacks to fight against the Taliban and the locals suffer the ongoing bombing from a country that is not their enemy.
The epilogue tells of the rewards from Kamila's faithfulness. Such an enlightening read of courage that leaves one just grateful.
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LibraryThing member BooksCooksLooks
The Dressmaker of Khair Khana is a story of hope. It chronicles the lives of a family of daughters left in Afghanistan with their young brother when the Taliban take over Kabul. Their father had been a supporter of the previous regime and was therefore a target. So were their older brothers. It was
When money starts running low and womens' freedoms become more and more restricted the second daughter Kamila knows she needs to do something not only for her family but for the women of her neighborhood. But what can she do? Despite the Sharia laws that require women to wear a chadri (or burqua) they still have a fashion sense and want to wear pretty clothes underneath so Kamila decides to learn to sew. And learn she does. Her sister was already a rather well known seamstress so she had a good teacher. Kamila learns quickly and soon has a beautiful sample to take to the shops.
But as a woman she cannot go out alone - her younger brother acts as her escort and despite laws forbidding it Kamila manages to negotiate with several shopkeepers for commissions. She slowly but surely builds a tailoring business that keeps her family going and employs a number of women in the neighborhood.
The book is a very emotional read as you understand just how difficult it is for women of intelligence trying to live such a restrictive life. The women of Afghanistan had been allowed to go to school and to work before the Taliban came in and made them nothing more than afterthoughts. That did not stop them from using their brains and their skills to keep their families going.
After the Taliban were forced out some rights were returned and Kamila went on to even bigger and better projects to help the women of her country. She is truly a woman to be applauded.
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felt that they were safer staying in the city rather than trying to get them over the border.When money starts running low and womens' freedoms become more and more restricted the second daughter Kamila knows she needs to do something not only for her family but for the women of her neighborhood. But what can she do? Despite the Sharia laws that require women to wear a chadri (or burqua) they still have a fashion sense and want to wear pretty clothes underneath so Kamila decides to learn to sew. And learn she does. Her sister was already a rather well known seamstress so she had a good teacher. Kamila learns quickly and soon has a beautiful sample to take to the shops.
But as a woman she cannot go out alone - her younger brother acts as her escort and despite laws forbidding it Kamila manages to negotiate with several shopkeepers for commissions. She slowly but surely builds a tailoring business that keeps her family going and employs a number of women in the neighborhood.
The book is a very emotional read as you understand just how difficult it is for women of intelligence trying to live such a restrictive life. The women of Afghanistan had been allowed to go to school and to work before the Taliban came in and made them nothing more than afterthoughts. That did not stop them from using their brains and their skills to keep their families going.
After the Taliban were forced out some rights were returned and Kamila went on to even bigger and better projects to help the women of her country. She is truly a woman to be applauded.
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LibraryThing member mawls
An inspiring story about a woman entrepreneur who started a business while the Taliban took over her city. Written like a novel.
LibraryThing member lahochstetler
The rise of the Taliban in Afghanistan made educated and independent women prisoners in their own households. Aside from grave human rights abuses, the Taliban also created an immediate practical problem for thousands of women who could no longer work to support their families. One Kabul woman,
When the Taliban came to power Kamela Sediqui was a student who traveled independently around Kabul and who was looking forward to a career. But Taliban occupation led Kamela's parents to flee to the countryside, and left the Sediqui sisters to try and support the family from the confines of their home. Kamela lacked sewing skills, but she saw a need for stylish women's clothes that fit within Taliban restrictions. This small enterprise grew into a veritable workshop that employed numerous girls in the neighborhood.
This is certainly an inspiring story. Kamela's business was fraught with danger. She and her employees constantly risked being caught by the Taliban. I learned quite a bit about Kabul before the rise of the Taliban, and it made the regime's corruption all the more striking.
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Kamela Sediqui, tacked the problem by creating her own sewing business. When the Taliban came to power Kamela Sediqui was a student who traveled independently around Kabul and who was looking forward to a career. But Taliban occupation led Kamela's parents to flee to the countryside, and left the Sediqui sisters to try and support the family from the confines of their home. Kamela lacked sewing skills, but she saw a need for stylish women's clothes that fit within Taliban restrictions. This small enterprise grew into a veritable workshop that employed numerous girls in the neighborhood.
This is certainly an inspiring story. Kamela's business was fraught with danger. She and her employees constantly risked being caught by the Taliban. I learned quite a bit about Kabul before the rise of the Taliban, and it made the regime's corruption all the more striking.
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LibraryThing member pinkcrayon99
When most of us hear “Afghanistan” what comes to mind are terms like war, Muslim, bombs, and Taliban. We rarely hear any personal stories from this area so when I was presented with the opportunity to read one, I agreed. In the midst of a war, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon uncovers a story of hope and
“War reshapes women’s lives and often unexpectedly forces them-unprepared-into the role of breadwinner.”
–Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Kamela Sediqi’s life and dreams of becoming a teacher was thrown into disarray when the Taliban came to power in 1996. Kamela did not sulk and wallow in depression about the major changes imposed by the Taliban such as not laughing in public and wearing a full chadri (a veil where your entire head is cover with only a small screen for your eyes). When she and her sisters were about to suffocate from being homebound (another rule imposed by Taliban) and with money becoming scarce she had an idea. Kamela developed her sewing and marketing skills and started a small dressmaking business from her family home. This business blossomed into a school which taught women in their community a skill as well as gave them a sense of independence. Kamela truly possessed a servant’s heart and a selfless attitude. She was always thinking of ways to help her family and empower other women in her community.
All the sewing was performed and taught in the Sediqi home which came to be a place of refuge and peace for the women and girls that came. The Sediqi family was pretty close knit. The father played an integral part in the lives of the daughters as far as encouraging them to pursue education but their mother was somewhat disconnected from the story. The oldest sister, Malekheh, and her family moved in with her sisters when their parents and older brother moved away due to the recent Taliban takeover. Malekheh proved to be a big help and encourager to Kamela. One of my favorite characters was Rahim, Kamela’s youngest brother. Rahim played a major role in building the business because he had to go to the market with Kamela and be her mahram (a male companion that no woman could be without while traveling outside of their home). He also learned how to do embroidery which was quite helpful to the dressmaking operation. During many close calls with the Taliban, one being when an AK-147 was put in her face, Kamela was determined to persevere. In the time Kamela was living in there was no place or time for fear. She was a strong willed young woman who remained focused and relied heavily on her faith. At the close of the book, we learn that Kamela started a construction business that was short lived due to heavy competition and that she was recognized on an international level by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I was also please that the author included follow ups to the characters we met at the close of the book.
So many young women are overcoming and rising above unbelievable odds daily and they go unnoticed. I appreciate Gayle Lemmon going into a war zone to bring us this story of courage and hope. Overall I enjoyed this book but it dragged in the middle and was rushed towards the end. I wanted the story to have more depth it read more like an overview. The timeframe of when the events actually happened was somewhat confusing. The book is written in a way that a younger audience could follow along without getting bogged down. This book would be a good informative read for young adult/teenage readers.
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perseverance. “War reshapes women’s lives and often unexpectedly forces them-unprepared-into the role of breadwinner.”
–Gayle Tzemach Lemmon
Kamela Sediqi’s life and dreams of becoming a teacher was thrown into disarray when the Taliban came to power in 1996. Kamela did not sulk and wallow in depression about the major changes imposed by the Taliban such as not laughing in public and wearing a full chadri (a veil where your entire head is cover with only a small screen for your eyes). When she and her sisters were about to suffocate from being homebound (another rule imposed by Taliban) and with money becoming scarce she had an idea. Kamela developed her sewing and marketing skills and started a small dressmaking business from her family home. This business blossomed into a school which taught women in their community a skill as well as gave them a sense of independence. Kamela truly possessed a servant’s heart and a selfless attitude. She was always thinking of ways to help her family and empower other women in her community.
All the sewing was performed and taught in the Sediqi home which came to be a place of refuge and peace for the women and girls that came. The Sediqi family was pretty close knit. The father played an integral part in the lives of the daughters as far as encouraging them to pursue education but their mother was somewhat disconnected from the story. The oldest sister, Malekheh, and her family moved in with her sisters when their parents and older brother moved away due to the recent Taliban takeover. Malekheh proved to be a big help and encourager to Kamela. One of my favorite characters was Rahim, Kamela’s youngest brother. Rahim played a major role in building the business because he had to go to the market with Kamela and be her mahram (a male companion that no woman could be without while traveling outside of their home). He also learned how to do embroidery which was quite helpful to the dressmaking operation. During many close calls with the Taliban, one being when an AK-147 was put in her face, Kamela was determined to persevere. In the time Kamela was living in there was no place or time for fear. She was a strong willed young woman who remained focused and relied heavily on her faith. At the close of the book, we learn that Kamela started a construction business that was short lived due to heavy competition and that she was recognized on an international level by then Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. I was also please that the author included follow ups to the characters we met at the close of the book.
So many young women are overcoming and rising above unbelievable odds daily and they go unnoticed. I appreciate Gayle Lemmon going into a war zone to bring us this story of courage and hope. Overall I enjoyed this book but it dragged in the middle and was rushed towards the end. I wanted the story to have more depth it read more like an overview. The timeframe of when the events actually happened was somewhat confusing. The book is written in a way that a younger audience could follow along without getting bogged down. This book would be a good informative read for young adult/teenage readers.
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LibraryThing member whitreidtan
By now we are all quite familiar with the strictures placed on women by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The news has bombarded us with images of the burqua-clad women trailing their male chaperones, women who had no choice but to follow the rules of one of the most repressive and highly moralistic
Kamila Sidiqi is one of five sisters who were still at home when the Taliban took over Kabul. She had just received her teaching degree despite the dangers posed by the civil war raging through the country when the Taliban took Kabul, trapping women in their homes and rendering Sidiqi's valuable degree useless. Worse yet for her family, her father had served under several previous governments, putting him at extreme risk and he eventually fled to some semblence of safety, leaving his family behind. Sidiqi's older brother also leaves Afghanistan for Iran in hopes of being able to find work and to avoid any reprisals against his family for his father's prior loyalties. This leaves the women of the family with only their young, school-aged brother as a chaperone and no visible means of support.
But Kamila Sidiqi is an incredibly driven and resourceful woman and she hatches the idea of creating a dressmaking business that will stave off their impending poverty. Learning to sew from an older sister, she and her sisters carefully created a viable home industry right under the noses of the Taliban. And not only did their business provide the support of their own family, but they also taught other women from the neighborhood to sew as well in order to support their families as well. Over the five year span of the Taliban's oppressive rule, Sidiqi, with only her young brother to chaperone her as she negotiated with the male shopkeepers at their local market, created a grass roots business that saved many families from starvation, especially those like her own where the older men had had no choice but to flee the country leaving their wives and daughters unprotected and without a male presence.
Lemmon traveled to and from Afghanistan for many years, through the escalating tensions, war in the street, and US bombings in order to chronicle the perseverence, determination, and entreprenurial spirit in women like Kamila Sidiqi that the Taliban had been unable to contain. Lemmon tells the story as if it was a novel, creating dialogue for her subjects despite clearly writing this years after the events she's chronicling. Lemmon's background as a journalist is very evident here as well with the writing coming across as very journalistic, simplistic, and oddly enough, given the content of the story, emotionally distant. She also periodically thrusts herself and the present day into the story she's reporting which comes off as mildly distracting. What must have been the overwhelming tension of day to day living interpsersed with moments of heart pounding terror is not all that well conveyed; instead it is reported but muffled, muted. And there seem to be some rather big omissions in Lemmon's writing about these brave Sidiqi girls. Why did the girls' mother stay in the north of Afghanistan after her husband left for Iran instead of going back to Kabul to help her daughters? How did the young women learn to sew so well so quickly that they could create a thriving cottage industry? Why was there still a market for clothing when people couldn't even find enough to eat? How did the economics of this venture work out? Why did these shopkeepers, who were also acting contrary to the Taliban's restrictions and therefore in danger, cooperate with Kamila Sidiqi and her incredibly young mahram (chaperone)?
The story itself is impressive and inspiring, putting a face on the suffering and devastation first of a militant, oppressive, and misogynistic regime and then of a terrible, destructive war but it is also the moving chronicle of unbroken spirit, the will to live, and the sort of woman who can move mountains and change the world. For those interested in another facet of the reality of Afghanistan under the Taliban, this will fill in some of the picture. That these women persevered and succeeded even in the face of threats of beatings, imprisonment, or death is incredibly awe-inspiring and humbling.
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regimes around. But what happened to the women who no longer had the protection of a male family member or of only a young boy? How on earth were they to survive in the unbending and dangerous to women world of the Taliban?Kamila Sidiqi is one of five sisters who were still at home when the Taliban took over Kabul. She had just received her teaching degree despite the dangers posed by the civil war raging through the country when the Taliban took Kabul, trapping women in their homes and rendering Sidiqi's valuable degree useless. Worse yet for her family, her father had served under several previous governments, putting him at extreme risk and he eventually fled to some semblence of safety, leaving his family behind. Sidiqi's older brother also leaves Afghanistan for Iran in hopes of being able to find work and to avoid any reprisals against his family for his father's prior loyalties. This leaves the women of the family with only their young, school-aged brother as a chaperone and no visible means of support.
But Kamila Sidiqi is an incredibly driven and resourceful woman and she hatches the idea of creating a dressmaking business that will stave off their impending poverty. Learning to sew from an older sister, she and her sisters carefully created a viable home industry right under the noses of the Taliban. And not only did their business provide the support of their own family, but they also taught other women from the neighborhood to sew as well in order to support their families as well. Over the five year span of the Taliban's oppressive rule, Sidiqi, with only her young brother to chaperone her as she negotiated with the male shopkeepers at their local market, created a grass roots business that saved many families from starvation, especially those like her own where the older men had had no choice but to flee the country leaving their wives and daughters unprotected and without a male presence.
Lemmon traveled to and from Afghanistan for many years, through the escalating tensions, war in the street, and US bombings in order to chronicle the perseverence, determination, and entreprenurial spirit in women like Kamila Sidiqi that the Taliban had been unable to contain. Lemmon tells the story as if it was a novel, creating dialogue for her subjects despite clearly writing this years after the events she's chronicling. Lemmon's background as a journalist is very evident here as well with the writing coming across as very journalistic, simplistic, and oddly enough, given the content of the story, emotionally distant. She also periodically thrusts herself and the present day into the story she's reporting which comes off as mildly distracting. What must have been the overwhelming tension of day to day living interpsersed with moments of heart pounding terror is not all that well conveyed; instead it is reported but muffled, muted. And there seem to be some rather big omissions in Lemmon's writing about these brave Sidiqi girls. Why did the girls' mother stay in the north of Afghanistan after her husband left for Iran instead of going back to Kabul to help her daughters? How did the young women learn to sew so well so quickly that they could create a thriving cottage industry? Why was there still a market for clothing when people couldn't even find enough to eat? How did the economics of this venture work out? Why did these shopkeepers, who were also acting contrary to the Taliban's restrictions and therefore in danger, cooperate with Kamila Sidiqi and her incredibly young mahram (chaperone)?
The story itself is impressive and inspiring, putting a face on the suffering and devastation first of a militant, oppressive, and misogynistic regime and then of a terrible, destructive war but it is also the moving chronicle of unbroken spirit, the will to live, and the sort of woman who can move mountains and change the world. For those interested in another facet of the reality of Afghanistan under the Taliban, this will fill in some of the picture. That these women persevered and succeeded even in the face of threats of beatings, imprisonment, or death is incredibly awe-inspiring and humbling.
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LibraryThing member amachiski
This is an eye opening inspirational book about life in Kabul under the Taliban and the bombing of Kabul after terrorist attack in September 2001. It shows, through Kamila, the ingenuity and fighting spirit of the people and how they adapt their skills to survive. The story could be better written
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but is still a compelling fast read (read in one day). It was nice to see the perspective of the innocent civilians stuck in the war and how eye opening that the women had never seen or even owned a burkha until the Taliban came. Before that, they were quite adventurous women - who partied in stylish western wear, educated themselves, and were very respected by men. The story shows us how precious our freedom to learn and to teach is. Kamila’s freedom ends in an unexpected moment and this thrust her into a situation where she draws on every ounce of resiliency and courage to survive and thrive. The small things I did not like was how was there a market for suits and dresses when it seemed like everyone was out of work and going hungry. Also how did she learn to make a dress in one afternoon and instantly teach her sisters? Overall still a very good book! Show Less
LibraryThing member yukon92
It started strong, but then somewhere in the middle I just lost interest in it..... The same thing happened later to my husband, too, who read it without knowing how I had liked it.
LibraryThing member Harikleia
The dressmaker of Khair Khana is the inspiring story of Kamila Sidiqi who created a thriving sewing business in the living room of her own house, when the Taliban occupied the city of Kabul and banned women from nearly all public places including schools. Confined to their homes, women's lives
The journalist in Lemmon wants to know where Kamila's passion originates, and how her story affects Afghanistan's future and its partnership with America. She also hopes that her book will change the tradition that women are portrayed as victims of war and pitied. Instead they are survivors of war whose bravery and determination held their families and communities together. In addition, they should be involved in resolving conflicts. This is a true story and yet it reads like a novel. Lemmon wanted her readers, who will never visit Afghanistan, to pick up her book and realize just how similar their struggles are with those of the story's characters.
The joy of reporting, the power of storytelling, the well-researched details on everyday life in Kabul during the Taliban period, and Lemmon's work experience in conflict and post-conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Rwanda provide sufficient evidence that Lemmon has achieved her goals in this true story of courage, determination, and faith. By writing Kamila's story, Lemmon not only inspires her readers to pursue their dreams despite any obstacles, but she also reveals the "countless quiet feats of courage" in a country that, to foreigners, it is known for "its rocket attacks and roadside bombs" (p. 229).
The dressmaker of Khair Khana is the product of several years of detailed research, reporting, and in-depth interviewing at Afghanistan, Rwanda, and Bosnia. Lemmon manages to evoke the atmosphere of daily life in Kabul during the Taliban occupation, and particularly women's hardships and their role in resolving conflicts. These heroines found creative ways to work around the Taliban system, to provide the basic necessities for their families, and to support each other and their community. This is a fascinating story that embraces women's active involvement in political, economical, and business decisions.
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virtually changed overnight. When Kamila's father and brother fled the city, Kamila became the breadwinner of her family. Kamila believed whole heartedly that "by starting her own business and helping other women do the same, she could help save her long-troubled country." (p. xxvi)The journalist in Lemmon wants to know where Kamila's passion originates, and how her story affects Afghanistan's future and its partnership with America. She also hopes that her book will change the tradition that women are portrayed as victims of war and pitied. Instead they are survivors of war whose bravery and determination held their families and communities together. In addition, they should be involved in resolving conflicts. This is a true story and yet it reads like a novel. Lemmon wanted her readers, who will never visit Afghanistan, to pick up her book and realize just how similar their struggles are with those of the story's characters.
The joy of reporting, the power of storytelling, the well-researched details on everyday life in Kabul during the Taliban period, and Lemmon's work experience in conflict and post-conflict areas such as Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Rwanda provide sufficient evidence that Lemmon has achieved her goals in this true story of courage, determination, and faith. By writing Kamila's story, Lemmon not only inspires her readers to pursue their dreams despite any obstacles, but she also reveals the "countless quiet feats of courage" in a country that, to foreigners, it is known for "its rocket attacks and roadside bombs" (p. 229).
The dressmaker of Khair Khana is the product of several years of detailed research, reporting, and in-depth interviewing at Afghanistan, Rwanda, and Bosnia. Lemmon manages to evoke the atmosphere of daily life in Kabul during the Taliban occupation, and particularly women's hardships and their role in resolving conflicts. These heroines found creative ways to work around the Taliban system, to provide the basic necessities for their families, and to support each other and their community. This is a fascinating story that embraces women's active involvement in political, economical, and business decisions.
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LibraryThing member bunny0055
Nice book on life in Afganistan from the view of women who suffer through all the mess and horror of war.
LibraryThing member billsearth
This book is appealing in two ways. First, it is a great personal story of optimsm and leadership during hard times. Second, it provides a detailed description and feel of life in a place with very different customs and lifestyles from what most of us are accustomed to. The author spent years
The view by Afgans of the Russian effort, the Taliban effort, and the American effort in their country, which is more clearly dealt with in the last half of the book, is not quite what most Americans would assume.
This book is well worth reading.
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interviewing both her main subject, and many of the other relatives and people the subject, Kamila lived and worked with.The view by Afgans of the Russian effort, the Taliban effort, and the American effort in their country, which is more clearly dealt with in the last half of the book, is not quite what most Americans would assume.
This book is well worth reading.
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LibraryThing member DanaBurgess
For all of you who, like me, tend to avoid non-fiction thinking it dry and sleep inducing, I say: READ 'The Dressmaker of Khair Khana'!! You will have to remind yourself that what you are reading really happened; these amazing women really exist; there is an Afghanistan that we don't see on the
As an equal opportunity blog, I have to also touch upon the men in the lives of these women. They deserve their space as well. The thing that amazed me most about this story was not the tenacity of the women in saving their families, women do that every day, although usually under more favorable circumstances. What really struck me was the support these women received from the men around them - even, eventually, from the Taliban itself.
The only 'culture shock' I suffered was in considering the actions of Kamila's parents. I felt myself wanting to judge their actions during this unreal time. It took some work to convince me that, as much as I can read and understand the words, I have no real understanding of life in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. These people understood the system and what they needed to do to survive. The parents survived, the brothers survived, the sisters, against all odds, not only survived, they thrived. And the story of how they did it makes for one of the most inspirational, feel good books I have read in a long time.
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news. The front cover reads: 'Five sisters, one remarkable family and the woman who risked everything to keep them safe'. I do take issue with that statement. Kamila wasn't the only one to risk everything, she just led the way. And she didn't just keep her family safe - she kept them safe and fed and did the same for so many other women and their families as well. My eyes have been opened. In every war-torn, poverty-ridden, calamity-hit country in this world, there are women working behind the scenes, without recognition, to pull their families and friends through.As an equal opportunity blog, I have to also touch upon the men in the lives of these women. They deserve their space as well. The thing that amazed me most about this story was not the tenacity of the women in saving their families, women do that every day, although usually under more favorable circumstances. What really struck me was the support these women received from the men around them - even, eventually, from the Taliban itself.
The only 'culture shock' I suffered was in considering the actions of Kamila's parents. I felt myself wanting to judge their actions during this unreal time. It took some work to convince me that, as much as I can read and understand the words, I have no real understanding of life in Afghanistan during Taliban rule. These people understood the system and what they needed to do to survive. The parents survived, the brothers survived, the sisters, against all odds, not only survived, they thrived. And the story of how they did it makes for one of the most inspirational, feel good books I have read in a long time.
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LibraryThing member bakersfieldbarbara
Living in america, it is difficult to know what other women in other countries are going through, just to survive. As we enjoy our nice lives here, others are struggling for food, a bed, and just to be able to walk outside unafraid. I was mesmerized by Ms Lemmon's memoir and how she had to learn to
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live and help her siblings under the rule of the Taliban. How she picked up a needle and thread and started a thriving business is told and a reader is left in awe of what one must do under the Taliban rule. This is a true story and one that should be required reading by all who complain of not having anything....this plucky, woman, banned from school and confined to her home, found a way out using her grit and determination. What a wonderful gift this book would be to all who feel they have obstacles that they can't overcome; Ms Lemmon is an inspiration to all. Show Less
Awards
Rise: A Feminist Book Project for Ages 0-18 (Selection — 2012)
Language
Original publication date
2011
ISBN
9780061732478