Review of Once Upon A Time In Afghanistan

[Teresina Kamathi]

The story features events in the childhood of the author while growing up in Afghanistan. Their escape from Afghanistan and the struggles they went through as a refugee family in Canada. The author talks of the fashion trends in Afghanistan back in the years before Talibans took over and start introduction of strict a dressing code for women. She clearly explains this as an form freedom denial among women. Inspired by her fashion and design career, she hopes that someday the women in Afghanistan will regain their freedom especially in their manner of dressing.

[Victoria Zoe]

This story is pathetic and thank God for the survival. I would want to read more about the then Afghanistan. Congrats on the BOTD and a satisfactory review.

[Abraham Ozo]

Nazila Sawhney's non-fiction, "Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan," vividly recounts her family's escape during the conflict. Transitioning from her childhood in Kabul to the challenges faced in Canada as refugees, Sawhney shares emotional, relatable experiences.

[ndndndn]

I read the first few pages...and I'm loving it so far. Gotta finish my current book but this will DEFINITELY be my next!!

[M Ali 11]

Nazila Sawhney's "Once Upon A Time In Afghanistan: A Journey of Hope" is a captivating and insightful memoir that takes the reader on a journey through the author's experiences living in Afghanistan during some of its most tumultuous times. The book is a testament to the resilience and strength of the Afghan people, as well as a poignant commentary on the complexities of war and its impact on civilians.

Sawhney's writing is both eloquent and raw, as she chronicles her time working as an aid worker in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime and later as an advocate for women's rights under President Hamid Karzai's government. Her personal experiences are interwoven with historical context, providing a nuanced understanding of the political landscape that shaped her work and her relationships with Afghans she met along the way. Sawhney does not shy away from difficult topics such as corruption, violence, and cultural differences, but she also highlights moments of hope and resiliency that offer a glimmer of light amidst darkness. Her writing is both poignant and thought-provoking, leaving the reader with a deeper understanding of the complexities of war and its impact on civilians.

One of the strengths of the book is Sawhney's ability to convey the complexities of Afghan culture and society. She offers a nuanced understanding of the role of women in Afghan society, as well as the challenges and opportunities that arise in the context of war. Sawhney's personal relationships with Afghan women, in particular, are a highlight of the book, as she shares their stories and experiences with compassion and respect. Her insights into Afghan culture and society are both insightful and nuanced, offering a deeper understanding of the complexities of the region.

[M Ali 11]

I really like this book

[mrlefty0706]

Hi @M Ali 11, I really liked your thorough comments on the official review and sample of this book. I was amazed to learn that Afghanistan was a tourist destination for Europeans and Americans in the 1960s. Nazila made an incredible escape to freedom with her family and endured hardships along the way. Once in Canada her parents had to take jobs that they were over qualified for so that they could take care of the family. Very good book. @Mrlefty0706

[mrlefty0706]

Hi @Teresina Kamathi, Reading the comments and official review I was amazed at how beautiful Afghanistan was before the Russian and American wars. I was pleased to see how Nazila and her family was able to escape Afghanistan by way of India and immigration to Canada. I cannot imagine raising a family in Afghanistan today with the terrible restrictions the Taliban puts on women. I hope someday this country returns to its natural beauty and the Taliban are driven from the land. Very good comments. @Mrlefty0706

[ken4512]

Thank you for your well-written and insightful review of Nazila Sawhney's non-fiction book, Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan.
I just finished reading Nazila Sawhney's memoir and I'm very glad she decided to write about her life journeys, in Afghanistan, Canada, and the US. I was particularly struck by her honesty and frankness in those times in her personal journey, how she recognizes that she needed to be her own self, that many different aspects make up her identity. An inspiring life's journey!

[mrlefty0706]

Hi @ken4512, I really enjoyed your comments on "Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan". Nazila wrote an incredible book and I learned that Afghanistan was a major tourist destination in the 1960s for Europeans and Americans. I receive an email every time a member posts comments on a BOTD after my comments. Therefore, I learn from other members in the way they post their comments. Thank you. @Mrlefty0706

[Margi zuu202]

a story of afghan refugee who attempts to show us the other side of afhanistan i like this story

[mrlefty0706]

Hi @Abraham Ozo, I just read your comments on the official review of "Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan" and I agree this family went through so much in Afghanistan, East Pakistan and Canada. I was amazed that Afghanistan was an incredible vacation destination for Europeans and Americans in the 1960s before the wars and the Taliban. The parents sacrificed so much for their children so that they could grow up in a peaceful country. Taking jobs that they were highly overqualified for gave Nazila opportunities she would have never had if they had stayed in Afghanistan. @Mrlefty0706

[Prashanth M]

What we see in today's Afghanistan versus how it was few decades ago are two extremes. Nazila Sawhney through her book 'Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan' sheds light on the complexities of Afghan life before and during conflict. The book is in my next in my 'To Read' shelf.

[mrlefty0706]

Hi @Prashanth M, I just read your comments on the official review of “Once Upon a Time in Afghanistan” by Nazila Sawhney and add more depth to your comments so that the administrative review team can see that you read the official review and the sample, i.e. This is a recount of her experiences and her family's escape from Afghanistan during the war. She takes readers on her journey from her childhood to what Afghanistan is like today. She describes how wonderful Afghanistan was during their independence in the 1960s when it was a beautiful tourist destination for Europeans and Americans. The Afghan people have gone through two wars, the Soviets and the U.S. and now things are worse than ever because of the Taliban. Fortunately for Nazila’s family they escaped into through Pakistan to India and immigrated to Canada as refugees in the 1980s. Her parents found jobs that they were overqualified for but they had to feed the family and provide shelter. @Mrlefty0706