Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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".

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.

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.

I disagree with the last reviewer. I feel that when I read BEHIND THE BURQA, I got an amazing glimpse into Afghan culture. The story went well beyond the individual circumstances of the two sisters but encompassed an entire timeline of Afghan history since the 1950s and also a great deal about Afghan society, practices, customs and beliefs. Hala's story was even more shocking because she was oppressed in our own country! I am sad that the last reviewer didn't understand the true meaning of the book, and its real message. I highly recommend this book as both a great read (lots of others have said this and I totally agree) and as an important educational experience.

On behalf of these sisters from Afghanistan, Batya Swift Yasgur writes with a brilliant pen, a compassionate heart, and the desire to facilitate desperately needed social change. Each in turn, the sisters speak of what life was like in Afghanistan, both before and after the institution of the Taliban regime: before, their worries were few and their joys plentiful; after, they were subjugated, oppressed, bullied, beaten. They speak of their friends and family members killed at the hands of a cruel government, of women who took their lives to escape, of not being able to walk outdoors for fear of punishment or even death, of being attacked in their own home. I cried as I read, and my heart broke for them. Reading this book was both a pleasure and a responsibility. After what these women have survived, after what Afghan women are still experiencing, we owe it to them to listen.

Wow! I couldn't put this book down. These two sisters are amazing people and each has her own unique personality and style--their story held me pinned to the edge of my chair from beginning to end. It read like a suspense novel, but it also informed me about conditions in Afghanistan as well as conditions for immigrants right here in this country. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It's the best of all the Afghan memoirs, both in terms of suspense and in terms of the historical breadth covered. Sulima and Hala, if you're reading this, I am in awe of both of you.

Living in Egypt and seeing firsthand how harshly women were (and still are) treated by men started my quest for knowledge and understanding of Islam and the Middle East.

I was, as most people from non-Islamic countries, horribly uninformed and misled about the true nature of the legalistic doctrine of Islam. I had no idea how strict and cruel and oppressive this "religion of peace" was concerning women until I read from the Islamic sources themselves.

That being said I really enjoyed reading the first 3/4ths of this book written by the older sister, Sulima.

Now a former Muslim and living in America, Sulima details her struggle for equality and education for females in her native country Afghanistan. This remarkable girl/woman accomplished quite a lot while enduring shocking, abusive treatment from almost EVERY single Muslim male in her life. This should be an eye opener and required reading for anyone who under-estimates or denies how the Koran looks upon women and their subserviant second class role in society. Sulima's Islamic religion/upbringing ensured her a life of misery and suffering that few in the West will ever understand. Fortunately she was able to escape and build a wonderful life in America. I found her story brilliant, brave and moving. Five star's all the way.

The last 1/4th of the book was written by Hala. Sulima's younger sister by 16 years grew up under very different, much more brutal regimes before seeking refugee status in America and ultimately with her sister. During Hala's childhood she witnessed considerably more violence and oppressive treatment under the Mujihaddin and later the Taliban who sought to rid Afghanistan of the evil Western influences and establish a pure Islamic State. Hala bravely ran an underground classroom for children (because the government believed education was evil and unnecessary.) Once she had been discovered by the Taliban she was fiercely beaten and essentially told she would be killed soon. Hala was forced to leave her country. She entered America illegally and ended up in a lengthy struggle with American Immigration before ultimately being granted political asylum.

I found it very offensive and frustrating that of all the evil Hala endured in Afghanistan (due wholly in part to the religion she loves and embraces so much) she goes on and on and on about all the "atrocities" at the hands of INS, the court system, customs officials etc..The bulk of her story is not the first 20 plus years of her life in a backwards, war torn and little understood society like the reader might imagine, but lengthy details,ad nauseum, of how violated she felt by AMERICA!!!. In her words she "felt no safety in our harsh and alien world". Having such high expectations, Hala found only a "cold and friendless place". For example, she was horrified at having to deal with rude, weary, overworked airport officials who couldn't understand her language; mortified that she couldn't use the restroom alone or take her luggage with her when she did go; mentally defeated because the bench was uncomfortable and she was cold; shocked and ashamed the shower curtains didn't close properly and devastated at how long she was kept in detention until she could prove her case. Hala even claims she was denied "spiritual food to nourish my soul" and given only "physical food to nourish my body". She complains how the vegetables were overcooked and limp, the meat was fatty and the oatmeal-loose and watery. "The food was tasteless. It was a diet to make people feel physically sick and mentally punished."

Now I don't know if it's just me-but I can only imagine thousands upon thousands of hungry Afghans in her Godforsaken country who would be very appreciative to eat like she did while in detention. I won't even go into her new found safety and peace of mind from the "religious police" who were constantly on the look out for the smallest "offense" in order beat or kill a woman. Something as simple as laughing, whistling, speaking loudly, walking in front of a male, wearing cosmetics, showing any skin or leaving the country without permission from a Mahram are serious offenses that could end your life.. Do you see the irony in all this?

While detailing all her perceived injustices, Hala barely mentions all rules that were bent to make her more comfortable. She was allowed privileges others weren't and access to various things like an Islamic chaplain, prayer rugs, phonecalls, her sister being allowed to interpret in legal procedings, free medical attention, her holy Koran, shawl to cover her head etc...

All you read about is how insensitive America has been to her suffering and her dissappointment with out great country.. You would think after growing up in Hell that something as minor as having to go to the dining hall (but not forced to eat) during Ramadan wouldn't be so bad-think again!. Her lack of gratitude is disgusting. Her bloated sense of entitlement will amaze you. Hala doesn't understand that when you enter the country illegally (especially these days) you have to go through the red tape process. This has become a long drawn out ordeal due to the endless droves of non-citizens seeking life in America. It may not be pleasant or the most efficient process but I'm certain it wasn't as bad as life with the Taliban. For Hala's story I took two stars off my rating for an otherwise wonderful book.

By the way, if you are wondering if she got over her traumatic ordeal at the hands of the insensitive Americans or her disappointment with our society/way of life guess again! She is still ungrateful and complaining!

this is an absolute must read for anyone who is interested in human rights, womens rights, humanity, suppression, faith, courage, and biographies. this book applies to anyone and everyone as we are all human beings and many of us do not know the oppression and suffering of many people outside our own little world. the book is divided in two. the first half is sulimas story, the second half is halas story and both will have you reading straight through without pause. through all the horrific experiences they have been through, in the end they find some peace after long lives of suffering and oppression, whether at the hands of family, society, or culture. a wonderful example of how to keep pushing and not give up. i abolutely recommend this to all who will be appalled at what these two ladies have gone through. this book will make you want to take action, and has recommmendations at the back for ways of doing so.

I saw the Court-TV production of CHASING FREEDOM this past Monday (Jan 19). Appropriately, it aired on Martin Luther King Day. It was the story of an Afghan women who fled to the US after escaping horrible treatment by the Taliban. When she came to the US, she was put into detention. It was a great movie and it really brought to life events in Afghanistan and also in US detention centers. The story told in BEHIND THE BURQA is very similar. I can't believe our country is still imprisoning people fleeing persecution. This book (BEHIND THE BURQA) was an amazing experience to read. The suspense was incredible, and I learned about detention in a very vivid way. I recommend the book to anyone who wants to find out more about this very important issue, and to everyone who wants to read a great book!!

I picked up this book because I have great respect for Batya Swift Yasgur not because I was interested in the subject. I planned to skim it. I started reading at 9 pm and finished it in the wee hours of the next day. To my surprise it was a page turner. It was also well written which is often not the case with "as told to books" and the subject became fascinating to me.
I learned a great deal and only wish that she had another book on the shelves!