June 18, 2010

The Punishment of Virtue

Chayes spent five years living in Afghanistan, dressing as a man so that she would not draw attention. Working from a border town, she learned about the Afghani tribes, playing on their stereotypes of one another to fit in. She adopted local customs, including fasting during Ramadan, helping her to see the situation from the Afghani point of view. She lived among the people, learning the truth about the economy and how fragile democracy is built and even more easily destroyed. She met heads of state, tribal leaders, warlords, insurgents, opium traders, politicians, and intelligence agents--all of whom were competing for power in this turbulent time.

This book can be found in HECSA Library:

The Punishment of Virtue: Walking the Afghan Frontline of the War on Terror with a Woman who has Made it her Home
Sarah Chayes
DS 371.4 .C45 2007