The Wasted Vigil (Hardcover)

by Nadeem Aslam (Author)
Key Phrases: perfume factory, The Wasted Vigil, Gul Rasool, Nabi Khan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Kiriyama-winner Aslam (Maps for Lost Lovers) takes an ambitious and moving look at the human cost of Afghanistan's war-torn reality. Marcus, a British doctor, lives near Jalalabad and quietly mourns the loss of his Afghan wife, their grown daughter and his hand to the Taliban and tribal warring. His houseguests includes Lara, a Russian woman searching for the truth about her soldier brother's disappearance, and David, a formerly zealous CIA operative whose love for Marcus's murdered daughter binds him to the older man as they search for her missing son. There's a tremendous tension in the first half of the book as the connections between the characters and the country are built up, and Aslam exploits the setup perfectly when a cast of younger characters—a fervent jihadi, a charismatic but arrogant American soldier, a rebellious local schoolteacher—arrive at the house and bring danger with them. Lyrical but not overwritten, the novel creates an unflinchingly clear picture of a country whose history of strife is still being written. (Sept.)
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From Bookmarks Magazine
Nadeem Aslam's unflinching epic novel spans centuries of civilization and conflict in Afghanistan, shifting back and forth through time while resolutely refusing to side with East or West. While he takes a dim view of terrorism, Aslam dismisses the notion that the Taliban is solely to blame for Afghanistan's plight, pointing instead to the conjunction of multiple cultural, political, and economic forces in a relentless cycle of aggression and retaliation. Some critics took issue with Aslam's prose, and his graphic descriptions of torture, rape, and murder make the book unsuitable for the squeamish. But for those with strong stomachs, Aslam takes readers on a haunting journey into a civilization on the margins of modernity, a world still incomprehensible to most Western eyes.
Copyright 2008 Bookmarks Publishing LLC

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1 edition (September 9, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 030726842X
• ISBN-13: 978-0307268426
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #224,559 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exquisite, September 30, 2008

By	Elish (NY) - See all my reviews

Nadeem Aslam has woven exquisite beauty out of great tragedy. It is easy to fall into despair when dealing with the last 30 years of Afghanistan's history, yet Aslam not only navigates away from despair, he imbues this tragedy with both delicate beauty - both human and natural. This book is more complex than "A Thousand Splendid Suns," and should be read by anyone who loved that book and wants to move further...This is a remarkable novel to savor and linger over...

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Afghanistan in a new light, October 15, 2008

By	L. M. Crane (Durham, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

No matter what your political persuasion, this book will provide you with a new perspective on Afghanistan. Through a simple, but compelling narrative story involving characters from diverse backgrounds, The Wasted Vigil reminds us of the oft forgotten cultural and human elements of Afghan society, including their interaction with other cultures. Similar to the movie Crash, The Wasted Vigil shows the interconnectedness of all who have been involved in Afghanistan. Many of the themes developed in this book can be applied to other countries as well.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Wast Vigil - Pure Poetry, January 1, 2009

By	Anita Anand (New Delhi, India) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I looked at Nadeem Aslam's latest book several times in the bookstore. The cover picture - five delicious pomegranates (two cut in half) invite the browser. I picked it up and put it down several times, on several visits to different bookstores. Then, on my birthday in December, I got two copies.

Aslam's Wasted Vigil is a delight to read. It's almost like a poem - lyrical and soft. The lives of many different kinds of people - old and young, men and women, Afghans, Americans, British, Russian - are all woven together in a tapestry of love, intrigue, hate and regret. Wasted Vigil is a tremendous insight into present day realities in Afghanistan.

I have been in Afghanistan twice over the last four years and once for almost six months. I did not know too much about Afghanistan's socio-political history before I went there in 2004. The book makes it all come alive, in a lyrical way. There is a calmness in Aslam's style which is rich and powerful, gentle and kind, giving an intimate insight into the minds and hearts of all the characters - so well developed - right to the end. For all those wondering why things are the way they in today's global geo-politics, the book is a terrific read. For others, interested in poetry and literature, the book is an even finer read.

Read the book!