Afghanistan: Hope and Beauty in a War-torn Land [Paperback]

Ursula Meissner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2008

Journalist Ursula Meissner wants to shake us up about Afghanistan
and help its people. Her photographs and stories tell of a land at a
crossroads, of the magic of an unknown country and the horror of
recent events, as well as of the bravery of its women; from the roses
and fields of poppies at the foot of the Hindu Kush to a pair of red
high-heeled shoes that are a symbol of hope. Even after decades of
violence Afghanistan has preserved its magic.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ursula Meissner worked in the Southeast Asia bureau of Germany s ZDF TV before trading
in her keyboard for a camera. Her first photo essay documented the siege of Sarajevo in
August 1992. She has worked as a freelance photographer in zones of war and crisis around
the globe for 15 years. From Afghanistan to Sierra Leone, and Kosovo to Iraq, she puts faces
on the many victims of war and humanitarian catastrophes. Her photographs have received
numerous awards, and have been published internationally.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Bucher-Lounge (May 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3765816884
• ISBN-13: 978-3765816888
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 8.7 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,240,612 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Afghanistan: Hope and Beauty in a War-torn Land, December 28, 2008

By 

Julia E. Hammett "dr.jeh" (Reno, NV USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Afghanistan: Hope and Beauty in a War-torn Land (Paperback)

Photo-journalist Ursula Meissner has created an extremely beautiful and timely book which is very affordable ($35 list). My copy came with a sticker indicating $1 goes to ADRA making this an even more worthwhile purchase. There are hundreds of amazing photos, many of them full format landscapes of Afghans in real life settings all captured in vivid colors amidst scenery that belies the war torn chaos of their current lives. FYI, the "search inside" function is fully operational for this book on the Amazon page and I urge you to use. it.

The book is organized around key themes (women, Kabul, security, Torkham (Khyber Pass), opium, Herat, education, and new beginnings. One frustration about the book is that it is unclear exactly when, in the last 15 years, some of these pictures were taken because most of them are undated. That said, all illustrations are labeled and the book's essays are current and weave together these remarkable and stunning photographs illustrating that beauty and hope are alive in Afghanistan. We should do everything in our power to help these people regain their promise of a brighter future. I wish every citizen living in US and in every NATO country could see these images so we will not forget Afghanistan...again.