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A Burqa and a Hard Place: Three Years in the New Afghanistan
Burqas, car bombs, and Bombay Sapphire – welcome to life in post-Taliban Kabul from the viewpoint of Sally Cooper, an Australian journalist and aid worker who took a job training journalists for a United Nations humanitarian news agency.
When she arrived in Afghanistan, Sally knew next to nothing about the country. Once in Kabul, she moved into the Karwan Sara guesthouse – and quickly met a cast of characters that drew her into the strange realities of life in "the Ghan".
Some of the many questions posed include: What do you do when you discover your male hotel cleaner wearing your clothes? How do you blend into the background at a Friday night dog fight when you're the only woman there – and you're a blonde Westerner? Under what circumstances do you decide that wearing a burqa is for your own protection? How do you live and work in a place where the car next to yours at the traffic lights could be driven by a suicide bomber?
Irreverent, action-packed, witty and at times wildly surreal, A Burqa and a Hard Place will tell you more about daily life in Afghanistan than anything you've ever seen on the nightly news.
When she arrived in Afghanistan, Sally knew next to nothing about the country. Once in Kabul, she moved into the Karwan Sara guesthouse – and quickly met a cast of characters that drew her into the strange realities of life in "the Ghan".
Some of the many questions posed include: What do you do when you discover your male hotel cleaner wearing your clothes? How do you blend into the background at a Friday night dog fight when you're the only woman there – and you're a blonde Westerner? Under what circumstances do you decide that wearing a burqa is for your own protection? How do you live and work in a place where the car next to yours at the traffic lights could be driven by a suicide bomber?
Irreverent, action-packed, witty and at times wildly surreal, A Burqa and a Hard Place will tell you more about daily life in Afghanistan than anything you've ever seen on the nightly news.
- GenresNonfictionMemoir
320 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 10, 2017
Four stars is probably too many, but I did enjoy the book.
An Australian female journalist travels to Afghanistan as part of a UN team to teach Afghans the art of journalism on radio.
The perfect stage for learning the facts on being a woman in a culture with little respect for woman by western standards. However, while this reader had a feeling of inclusion and being there, the problems of a woman in that environment appeared to be handled lightly, certainly not a text book for a woman or male following along behind. But it was made clear, living in Afghanistan has its problems, regardless of an individual's heritage.
An Australian female journalist travels to Afghanistan as part of a UN team to teach Afghans the art of journalism on radio.
The perfect stage for learning the facts on being a woman in a culture with little respect for woman by western standards. However, while this reader had a feeling of inclusion and being there, the problems of a woman in that environment appeared to be handled lightly, certainly not a text book for a woman or male following along behind. But it was made clear, living in Afghanistan has its problems, regardless of an individual's heritage.
September 28, 2012
This is a very interesting book about Life as a radio Journalist in Kabul. The author is a journalist and the description of her experience are rapid. I wished for more detail and depth.
October 8, 2019
Really enjoyed this read. Felt like a really honest insight into a place I will never likely go. Well written and easy to read and digest with lots of great stories. Would loved to have seen some photos to accompany the text and put some faces to the names. Would also love to know where Sally went and what she achieved next as I have no doubt she will have continued to live a very interesting life!
August 20, 2024
A Sydney ABC journalist goes to Afghanistan in 2003 to train radio journalists. She appears to have no cross cultural training so the book was frustrating for all the mistakes she made but nevertheless very informative and interesting.
July 18, 2017
Really good read. Inspiring author.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews