Les hirondelles de Kaboul 2002 transl. by John Cullen 2004. Paperback 195 p.

This is the first of the three novels that are also called the fundamentalist trilogy; the others are The Attack and The Sirens of Baghdad.

I have read this book earlier as a success ringbook, but now I met another copy and it wanted to follow me home. So I read it again. The story is set in Afghanistan under the Taliban. It is beautifully written but terrifying in its course. There is the downcast atmosphere from the first beginning, as the immoral and violent state rule is apt to destroy humanity and self-respect of ordinary decent people - "they are killed long before they are dead".

Unfortunately, Afghanistan is constantly topical. I hope this book will get many new readers.

-ruzena

Migratory birds!

Another day, another package with two surprise books, this one even on my wishlist. Thank you, ruzena.
I've read Attentaatti, the Finnish translation of L'attentat, and have wanted to read the other two books ever since. Now I've got the first one. Will see what I can do to help the book new readers, as you wished, but only I've read it first (and it may take some time).

I just finished The Swallows of Kabul and am (almost) without words. Admittedly, the text is beautiful, fluent, and visual — but the storyline is totally appalling. Actually, it's more than that: it is pretty easy to generalize. Take, for instance, the episode in which Mohsen joins the crowd in the square and gets so overwhelmed he takes part in stoning a woman. It reminded me of Germany in the thirties and forties. It's scary to think how easily one can be caught up in mass hysteria.
No way this is a nice book but it is an important one. And the story, I think, will stay with me for a long, long time. The reading experience was, ehm, haunting. Thank you for sharing, ruzena!
For the time being, this book is reserved. But it will be released, eventually.

P.S. The Swallows of Kabul was shortlisted for the 2006 International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Also, it was nominated the Best Book of the Year by both San Francisco Chronicle and Christian Science Monitor.

P.P.S. I found a beautiful bookmark inside the book. Thanks for that too, ruzena!

Yasmina Khadra at Wikipedia
Yasmina Khadra — Site officiel

Edited to add that I totally forgot I'm participating with this book in Amynita's Erilaiset kulttuurit (Different Cultures) Challenge. The Swallows of Kabul sets in Agfanistan during the Taliban reign. It presents many details we've already read from other texts: bearded men wearing turbans and women in burqas, a culture where no music is allowed and so on. Also laughing in public was forbidden.—I know that happiness is overvalued in the West, but I do find it hard to understand that you mustn't, basically, express your joy at all.—Most of all, I was struck by Khadra showing us how dangerous living under Taliban regime has been for both men and women. I'm amazed anyone has survived.

Just something you picked up from Palkintokaappi, the Finnish Forum Trophy Cabinet. Happy reading!

This book just sounded very interesting so I had to pick it up! Thanks for the chance, Tarna :)