Book Review: The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

 Book Review: The Bookseller of Kabul by Åsne Seierstad

The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad is a moving non-fiction book that tells the story of life in Afghanistan, focusing on a Kabul bookseller and his family. The author, a journalist from Norway, spent several months living with them, giving readers a unique look into Afghan society during a difficult time.

The main character is a bookseller who tries to balance old traditions with the changes happening in Afghanistan. Through his life, we see the struggles of rebuilding a country after years of war, as well as his personal family issues and the challenges of living in a politically unstable environment.

One of the strongest parts of the book is its focus on the role of women in Afghanistan. The bookseller's wife and daughters face many restrictions, including limits on their education and freedom. Seierstad tells their stories, showing the difficult reality of gender inequality in Afghanistan and giving these women a chance to speak for themselves. While Seierstad’s portrayal of the family’s struggles is powerful, some readers might wonder if she fully captures the complexity of Afghan life or if she focuses too much on dramatic moments.

Despite these criticisms, The Bookseller of Kabul is an important book. It helps readers understand more about Afghanistan’s history, culture, and the challenges the country faces after years of war. In conclusion, The Bookseller of Kabul is a meaningful look at life in Afghanistan, told through the story of a family in a fragile society. While it may not show everything about the country, it gives readers a rare look into a world many don’t know much about and encourages reflection on the ongoing struggles in Afghanistan.



Library Accession Number : 59444

Subject : Afghan Literature

Call Number : 891.4999  SEI-B

Publisher : Virago Press, London


Classification of Books Subject wise

 Classification of Books DDC 

CLASS No.    SUBJECT

000 Generalities

004 Computer Science

010 Bibliography

020 Library & information sciences

030 General encyclopedic works

050 General serial publications

060 General organizations & museology

070 Journalism, publishing, newspapers

080 General collections

090 Manuscripts & book rarities

100 Philosophy & related disciplines

110 Metaphysics

120 Epistemology, causation, humankind

130 Paranormal phenomena & arts

140 Specific philosophical viewpoints

150 Psychology

160 Logic

170 Ethics (Moral philosophy)

180 Ancient, medieval, Oriental philosophy

190 Modern Western philosophy

200 Religion

210 Natural religion

220 Bible

230 Christian theology

240 Christian moral & devotional theology

250 Local church & religious orders

260 Social & ecclesiastical theology

270 History & geography of church

280 Christian denominations & sects

290 Other & comparative religions

300 Social sciences

310 Statistics

320 Political science

330 Economics

340 Law

350 Public administration

360 Social problems & services

370 Education

380 Commerce (Trade)

390 Customs, etiquette, folklore

400 Language

410 Linguistics

420 English languages

430 Germanic languages German

440 Romance languages French

450 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic

460 Spanish & Portuguese languages

470 Italic languages Latin

480 Hellenic languages Classical Greek

490 Other languages

500 Pure sciences

510 Mathematics

520 Astronomy & allied sciences

530 Physics

540 Chemistry & allied sciences

550 Sciences of earth & other worlds

560 Palaeontology

570 Life sciences

580 Botanical sciences

590 Zoological sciences

600 Technology (Applied sciences)

610 Medical sciences; Medicine

620 Engineering & allied operations

630 Agriculture & related technologies

640 Home economics & family living

650 Management & auxiliary services; Business

660 Chemical & related technologies

670 Manufactures

680 Manufacture for specific uses

690 Buildings

700 The arts

710 Civic & landscape art

720 Architecture

730 Plastic arts Sculpture

740 Drawing, decorative & minor arts

750 Painting & paintings

760 Graphic arts Prints

770 Photography & photographs

780 Music

790 Recreational & performing arts

800 Literature

8M0 Malayalam Literature

8H0 Hindi Literature

810 American literature in English

820 English & Anglo-Saxon literatures

830 German literature

840 French literature

850 Italian, Romanian, Rhaeto-Romanic

860 Spanish & Portuguese literatures

870 Italic literatures Latin

880 Hellenic literatures Greek

890 Literatures of other languages

900 General geography & history

910 General geography & Travel

920 General biography & genealogy

930 History of ancient world

940 History of Europe

950 General history of Asia

960 General history of Africa

970 General history of North America

980 General history of South America

990 General history of other areas

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