Three Women of Herat: A Memoir of Life, Love and Friendship in Afghanistan [Paperback]

Veronica Doubleday (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 21, 2006

In the years before the communist coup and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Veronica Doubleday set up home in the ancient city of Herat with her husband, who was researching Central Asian music. At first, her only glimpses of women were as shadows--faceless and voiceless. Gradually, however, she formed friendships with three young mothers who welcomed her into their lives, taught her their customs and music and shared the details of their everyday existence. She witnessed their most personal moments: the births and deaths of their children, their marriages and celebrations, religious holidays, healings, and rituals. After the Soviet invasion in 1979, she lost touch with her friends, but returned to Herat recently, adding another chapter to this poignant story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'I was fascinated by this story of ordinary life before the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The three women are remarkable and unforgettable, and how the author gained their friendship is like a novel.' Doris Lessing

'Her understanding of "purdah" is certainly the most illuminating by any Western writer for a long time. It is in describing the rituals of the day-to-day life of these women that the author excels..all are minutely depicted with a ravishing eye for detail. A very well-written book.' Ahmed Rashid

'..a fascinating and very rare look at life for women in Islam.' The Financial Times

'..the story is by turns highly instructive and often moving. It provides a sensitive picture of the separate world of women in Herat.' The Middle East Book Review

'This interpretive memoir gives the reader a special sensitivity into the mosaic of Islamic values, the human lives it affects and the tragedy of nationalistic self-interest and ideological tyranny.' Texas Journal

'Three Women of Herat is a sensitive, knowledgeable and very moving account of an annihilated civilisation.' The Sunday Times

"Through her writing, performances and deep commitment she has made an essential contribution to the knowledge of Afghan culture." --Susannah Tarbush, Saudi Gazette

'Three Women of Herat makes a genuine contribution to the field of Afghan studies. It is an intimate, personal account..it will be incumbent on all those involved in the reconstruction of Afghanistan to pay close attention to Three Women of Herat.' Nancy Hatch Dupree, Central Asian Survey

'..she describes her relationships with these women with the sensitivity of a novelist, alert to the nuances of

 

"A fascinating, detailed account of domestic life, family structures, relationships, marriage rituals, celebrations and traditional medicine."--Susannah Tarbrush, Saudi Gazette Online, July, 25

About the Author

Veronica Doubleday is a respected ethno-musicologist. She continues to perform the songs she learned in Afghanistan and writes frequently on the country. Since this book was written, she has returned to Herat twice, in 1994 and 2004.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Tauris Parke Paperbacks (March 21, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1845110269
• ISBN-13: 978-1845110260
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,367 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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