Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom [Hardcover]

Sulima and Hala (Author), Batya Swift Yasgur (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2002

Advance Praise for Behind the Burqa

"Whenever and wherever adults make war, children die and women are subjected to fear and humiliation. This is true of Afghanistan too. Read this harrowing book. The tragic yet heroic tale of two women is told with great simplicity. They will haunt you."
-Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate

"The stories of Sulima and Hala achingly articulate the twin and enduring legacies of misogyny and violence. A critical historical document, Behind the Burqa ultimately reveals the unbreakable strength of Afghan women."
-Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues
Founder and Artistic Director, V-Day

"Behind the Burqa provides important information about conditions in Afghanistan, as well as the plight of asylum-seekers in the United States. I highly recommend this book to all people who are concerned about human rights, both at home and abroad."
-Senator Sam Brownback, (R. Kansas)
ranking member, Immigration Subcommittee, Committee on the Judiciary

"This book is a gripping reading experience, and it also offers important suggestions for those who would like to participate in making our asylum politics more humane."
-Eleanor Acer, Director, Asylum Program, Lawyers Committee for Human Rights

"This book shows the injustices suffered by innocent women seeking asylum in the U. S. and the power of religious faith to provide hope and courage even in prison."
-Fauziya Kassindja, author of Do They Hear You When You Cry

"Sulima and Hala epitomize the worldwide struggle of women for equality and justice. Their story is gripping and illuminating."
-Jessica Neuwirth, President of Equality Now

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This memoir from two sisters who fled Afghanistan 20 years apart distinguishes itself from the spate of books about women in similar circumstances by the sheer breadth of its coverage. Through these first-hand accounts of oppression, abuse and downright misery, readers come to understand that the much-maligned Taliban only picked up where the Mujihaddin left off in curtailing women's rights. In fact, as "Sulima" and "Hala"'s mother points out, "[The Taliban] is better than the Mujihaddin. The laws are strict and harsh, but at least we know what to expect. They're not just randomly breaking into houses and killing people.... If we keep all the rules, then we will be safe." The sisters' tales of domestic abuse and other now-familiar yet hair-raising injustices may crystallize the turbulent historical timeline, but it seems that their individual voices have been muted in translation. Unfortunately, it's so difficult to distinguish one from the other that much of the impact of this well-intentioned book is lost.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The stories of Sulima and Hala achingly articulate the twin and enduring legacies of misogyny and violence. A critical historical document, BEHIND THE BURQA ultimately reveals the unbreakable strength of Afghan women."(Eve Ensler, Author, The Vagina Monologues, Founder and Artistic Director, V-Day)

"...a fascinating story..." (Publishing News, 2 August 2002)

This memoir from two sisters who fled Afghanistan 20 years apart distinguishes itself from the spate of books about women in similar circumstances by the sheer breadth of its coverage. Through these first-hand accounts of oppression, abuse and downright misery, readers come to understand that the much-maligned Taliban only picked up where the Mujihaddin left off in curtailing women's rights. In fact, as "Sulima" and "Hala"'s mother points out, "(The Taliban) is better than the Mujihaddin. The laws are strict and harsh, but at least we know what to expect. They're not just randomly breaking into houses and killing people.... If we keep all the rules, then we will be safe." The sisters' tales of domestic abuse and other now familiar yet hair-raising injustices may crystallize the turbulent historical timeline, but it seems that their individual voices have been muted in translation. Unfortunately, it's so difficult to distinguish one from the other that much of the impact of this well-intentioned book is lost. (Oct.) (Publishers Weekly, September 30, 2002)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 30, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471263893
• ISBN-13: 978-0471263890
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #546,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A glimpse into two horrific lives, October 4, 2005

By 

Sarah Luciani (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom (Hardcover)

I read a negative review on here, that I was unhappy to see. This book focuses on "Salima" and "Hala" two Afghani sisters, both opressed by different wars and regimes at different times in Afghanistan. They are 16 years apart. Reading that Salima had a "pampered life" in one of the reviews was quite disturbing to me. Considering that she fought for women's rights underground in a country that supressed them, that she was house bound and beat by an abusive father, Locked into her room and then threatened with guns by her brother, I would hardly call this a "pampered life". She continued to risk for the women she served. Later the book focuses on her horribly physical abusive relationship with her husband. This is also part of the culture, where it is considered "okay" to beat a woman. Her heroism and story was amazing.

Hala, 16 years younger suffered a completely different type of abuse, under the mujaheedin and then the rule of the Taliban. After being beat and her life threatened she had to flee and claim political assylum in the United States. This book was so heart felt and thought provoking, that for two nights I have stayed up until 4 in the morning reading. I say it is a "must read".

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars COMPELLING, CONSUMING AND EDUCATIONAL, October 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom (Hardcover)

I attend a college with a very strong emphasis on women's rights so I picked up this book with a great deal of interest. I learned so much about the history of the women's rights movement in Afghanistan. I also learned about other human rights issues, such as what happens to persecuted people seeking asylum in the US. There's a really great "How to help" section if you want to get involved with these issues. But the best part of the book was how incredibly suspenseful it was. I was totally consumed by it. It's one of the best books I've seen for years and everyone who's read it has totally loved it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Suspenseful, Informative and very Current, November 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Behind the Burqa: Our Life in Afghanistan and How We Escaped to Freedom (Hardcover)

This book is a powerful account of two brave sisters and their fight for human rights in a fundamentalist society, both for themselves and for other Afghan women. The two sisters hold divergent views of Islam and between them, create a balanced perspective that helped me sort out the true religion from the corruption of the religion by fanatics. As a feminist with a strong interest in world religions, I felt I got a fair insight into the many ways one can regard Islam. It's rare for a book to combine chair-gripping suspense and important new insights and I highly recommend BEHIND THE BURQA to people of both genders and all religious backgrounds and affiliations.