Books like Bokhandleren i Kabul by Åsne Seierstad

Two weeks after the September 11th attacks, journalist Åsne Seierstad traveled to Afghanistan to report on the conflict. After a spring in Kabul with a local family, she returned to document the extraordinary life of Sultan Khan, a lifelong bookseller who defied both communist authorities and Taliban orders to keep books available in the city’s streets. Khan’s story spans more than two decades, including long periods of imprisonment, the burning of his stock by Taliban soldiers, and the covert hiding of books in attics throughout Kabul. While passionately protecting literacy, Khan also held firm Muslim views on family life, owning two wives and navigating the expectations of Afghan society. Seierstad’s outsider perspective allows her to witness both the private struggles of women within Khan’s household and the public challenges faced by Afghan men. Her account offers a vivid portrait of a family and a nation striving to reclaim freedom from a tumultuous past, blending reportage with human insight.

First publish date: 2003