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Book Review of Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil

Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
zachssister avatar reviewed on
Helpful Score: 2


Imagine Steel Magnolias set in Afghanistan.... Deborah Rodriguez lifts the veil to give readers a glimpse into what is, for most Americans, a completely foreign culture. Read about how Rodriguez's enthusiasm for her work, her sense of adventure and her feeling of kinship to Afghan women drove her to establish a beauty school in Kabul under the Taliban. She shares fascinating details of Afghan wedding traditions, women's lives, and even her own marriage to an Afghani. This is the story behind what we hear on the news here in the US and is a great read for those interested in how women are seeking power in a patriarchy. It's also good for insight into how difficult it is for American values to be applied within another culture. Rodriquez writes of her personal culture clash with both humor and sensitivity.