A dream, eight girls, & a journey home

Nearby Reboot

Somehow this book got across campus from Erskine to Locke - I found it on the free stuff table outside the English department.

Very happy to find it there, too, because I'd actually gone hunting for it when libragirl released it, but it was already gone.

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The story of the fight for what seems like a very simple freedom: for girls to play soccer. But when the girls live in Afghanistan not long after the overthrow of the Taliban, it's a lot more complicated than it seems.

The author, organiser of an exchange to bring an Afghani girls soccer team to America, seems a bit naive at times, even after having visited Afghanistan herself (she is surprised, for example, that soccer isn't considered a gender-neutral sport in many countries), and it could be argued that fighting for sporting equality is a bit trivial in a city where girls still have to fight even to get an education, and people are starving because a loaf of bread costs a day's wages, but her heart is certainly in the right place, and at least she's honest that for some of the girls the project wasn't a roaring success.

Given to KiwiinEngland. Happy bookcrossing to the finder!

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P.S. If you live in the Christchurch area, you might like to join us at our monthly bookcrossing meetups. For details, see the BCNZ Yahoo Group.

Hurrah, looking forward to reading this early in 2014 to count as part of my 666 challenge. Thanks very much.

I enjoyed some of the intimate stories of the girls and the challenges and frustrations of having little say over your life. The author seemed a bit of a plonker, and I find American's desire to hold on to their former country by calling themselves (in this case) afghani-American strange.

The time line in the book is confusing, and I could never remember who was who. Overall an interesting enough book

Passing to Sherlockfan to assist with the 666 challenge.

Thanks KiwiinEngland for passing this on. I've not had a book about Afghanistan, let alone women, for this years 666 Challenge. Looks like a worthwhile read and I'll get to it before too long.

I certainly agree with KiE about the time line being confusing. I'd go so far as to say that it jumps around all over the place. Nevertheless it was interesting being faced with the realism of the struggles the young women had in their personal lives. Incomprehensible from a Kiwi perspective. I found the book quite rivetting especially as I am a keen soccer fan and really admired the enthusiasm with which those who could managed to practice and develop their skills from nothing.
Definitely a very good book for 666. I'll take it to the next meet-up for Edwardstreet who is also in the challenge.

Taking to BC meet-up meeting this evening for EdwardStreet for 666. If she doesn't require it I'll take to Melbourne.

TBR

enjoy

Hopefully after this final tidy up I've caught up with all my books

Part of the May cull been on my bookshelf far too long time to let go