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Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good
 
 
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Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good [Paperback]

Rosanne Klass (Author)
5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)

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Book Description

July 25, 2007
A memoir of lost Afghanistan.

When the going was good, a young American woman traveled to the then-remote country of Afghanistan. A classic memoir in the tradition of Rebecca West, Rosanne Klass's Land of the High Flags is an insightful account of the land and its proud people. She was the first woman to teach boys from the country's villages, at a time when Afghan women were still kept hidden behind veils. Ms. Klass writes of Afghan traditions, of stark, splendid landscapes, and of the enduring friendships she made at a time when Afghanistan was reaching out to a hopeful future. Hailed by critics when it first appeared, this reissue of a classic includes additional new sections telling of her return to Afghanistan as a journalist—and of what became of the friends she brought to life for her readers. This is a vivid portrait of Afghanistan as it was before Afghan life was blasted into ruins like the great Buddhas of Bamian by the wars and the Taliban. 16 black & white photos, 1 map.

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"...poetic prose that captures the very essence of the brave, proud people of Afghanistan..." - New York Times - "...an interesting writer, gifted with insight... and a vivid graphic sense; every experience she offers us - of people or place or weather - is received and fully shared." - The New Yorker - "...Her book will remain a faithful account of what Afghanistan was like..." - James A Michener - "

About the Author

Rosanne Klass spent several years teaching in Afghanistan during the 1950s, which became the basis for this book. She returned as a journalist for the New York Times and established the Afghanistan Information Center at Freedom House during the Soviet-Afghan war. She also co-authored and edited Afghanistan: The Great Game Revisited, which is the standard reference on that war. She lives in New York City.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 358 pages
  • Publisher: Odyssey (July 25, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9622177867
  • ISBN-13: 978-9622177864
  • Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6 x 1.1 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,864,849 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

 

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Average Customer Review
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended for Soldiers deploying to Afghanistan, March 1, 2011
By 
Peter Fish (Windsor, CT USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good (Paperback)
I found this book in the base PX in Kabul and it taught me far more about Afghanistan history and sociology than any of the Army briefings we are required to attend. If you are going to have any face-to-face with Afghans, or have curiosity about the country this is a MUST read. In addition to writing insightful first hand accounts of her close relationships with Afghans, Rosanne Klass traces the ancient and more recent pre-Russian Occupation history of Afghanistan and describes its customs. It also contains photographs that are excellent. I gave this book to one of my translators, and he actually wept when he read some of it. People don't realize that Afghans have lost their own history. The books and photographs in Afghanistan were burned by the Taliban, over 90% of its peoples are illiterate, and the average lifespan is 45 years. Thus, without books like this, the history would be either forgotten or re-written by those in power.

Why would a soldier, marine, or other service member care? Because we are there to fix problems - some of which involve guns, but many of which can be solved with words. Reading this book will help you to understand the people, which will make you a better and more effective soldier. As an Army Officer, I strongly recommend this, and Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia as preparation for deployment. High Flags will teach you what you can accomplish if you understand the Afghans. Descent will teach you what happens if you don't understand them.
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5.0 out of 5 stars A look inside 1950's Afghanistan., April 14, 2010
This review is from: Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good (Paperback)
I have been fascinated by Central Asia for most of my life. I came across this wonderful memoir about 15 years ago and it left me wishing I could build a time machine and visit Afghanistan before the coup d'etat and subsequent Soviet invasion.

Rosanne Klass takes us inside the strange and titillating experience of being a western woman in a simultaneously hospitable and unknowable (to an outsider, especially a woman) culture.

Well-written and captivating.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Brings Back Memories, July 14, 2009
This review is from: Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good (Paperback)
I lived in Afghanistan twice, for a year in 1963 and then in Kabul for 5 years from 1968 until 1973 and knew Dr. Kayeum and Joan, his wife. This book brought back so many memories. I can hardly believe what has happened there since then.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Once upon a timethat is, several years agochance took me to Afghanistan, and for more than two years I lived there among the mountains of Central Asia and taught English to young men from its villages. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
karakul hat
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Gul Baz, Darul Mo'Allamein, New York, Shor Bazaar, United States, Hindu Kush, Dean's Hotel, Carta Char, Gut Baz, Kabul River, Genghis Khan, Din Mohammed, American Embassy, Khyber Pass, Central Asia, Pir Ahmad, Jadi Maiwand, Hassan Kakar, Ministry of Education, Brigadier Akbar, Lataband Pass, David Nalle, Babur Gardens, Middle East, Mohammed Ilyas
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