A Land Without Time: A Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan [Paperback]

John Sumser (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: Academy Chicago Publishers (June 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897335430
• ISBN-13: 978-0897335430
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,916,565 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A memoir is a very personal thing!, December 8, 2006

By 

Caryn Lawson "caryn giles lawson" (san jose, ca USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: A Land Without Time: A Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan (Paperback)

I was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan at the same time as the author. I was part of the "other" group that trained in country rather than Vermont. I share the author's thoughts with respect to the fact that the Afghanistan we knew is gone and, sadly, remembered by too few.I have a bit of a quibble about some of the names of the volunteers he mentions, but I don't claim perfect memory myself! My own experiences were quite different in that most of my social life was with Afghans, not embassy or USAID folks. Perhaps this was easier because I was an American woman who could interact with Afghan men as well as women. I also lived in Kabul during my years of service and had only limited experience with provincial life. The author mentions Marty, a Peace Corps staff member, who was like an older brother to me for a time (now deceased) as well as Melissa who continues to be a dear and valued friend. It was good to see that they loom large in his memory too. Although our memories differ in many ways, I am so glad that this book reminds the world that there was once a very different and special place called Afghanistan. Thank you, John!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Compelling reading, July 7, 2007

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Reading Mom "Terri" (Turlock, CA United States) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: A Land Without Time: A Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan (Paperback)

As do so many of the best books, this book takes the reader back to a different time and place and way of life, with amusing and thoughtful insights. First book I've ever read about personal Peace Corps experiences, with a rich historical perspective. It was compelling and fascinating, and especially interesting to read about the Bamiyan Buddhas before their destruction.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A 'must' for any who would understand Afghanistan culture, October 14, 2006

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Land Without Time: A Peace Corps Volunteer in Afghanistan (Paperback)

Here's a first: the story of Afghanistan prior to and during the communist coup of 1979, told by an American who worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Afghanistan. Only a handful of foreigners lived in the country at the time: A LAND WITHOUT TIME: A PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER IN AFGHANISTAN starts in the US with peace corps training and recruitment then follows a group of young men and women to the country, where they adopt to its needs and ways. A 'must' for any who would understand Afghanistan culture and history and the peace corps perspective.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch