Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez (ISBN:0812976738)

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		Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil
	
				(248 reviews)			
(2167 Readers)

			Deborah Rodriguez		
	
Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn...more
 Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills–as doctors, nurses, and therapists–seemed eminently more practical than her own, Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, despaired of being of any real use. Yet she soon found she had a gift for befriending Afghans, and once her profession became known she was eagerly sought out by Westerners desperate for a good haircut and by Afghan women, who have a long and proud tradition of running their own beauty salons. Thus an idea was born. With the help of corporate and international sponsors, the Kabul Beauty School welcomed its first class in 2003. Well meaning but sometimes brazen, Rodriguez stumbled through language barriers, overstepped cultural customs, and constantly juggled the challenges of a postwar nation even as she learned how to empower her students to become their families’ breadwinners by learning the fundamentals of coloring techniques, haircutting, and makeup.Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts: the newlywed who faked her virginity on her wedding night, the twelve-year-old bride sold into marriage to pay her family’s debts, the Taliban member’s wife who pursued her training despite her husband’s constant beatings. Through these and other stories, Rodriguez found the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again, Afghan style.With warmth and humor, Rodriguez details the lushness of a seemingly desolate region and reveals the magnificence behind the burqa. Kabul Beauty School is a remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom.From the Hardcover edition.   less

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
No poetic prose or artistic literary expression here. Just  honest, in-your-face, matter-of-fact kind of narrattive. Although the book is not too thick , it took me a while to read through everything. This was because every now and then I just simply had to put the book down, so overcame by emotions as I was, and reflected on how blessed the life that I have right now compared to...more
 No poetic prose or artistic literary expression here. Just  honest, in-your-face, matter-of-fact kind of narrattive. Although the book is not too thick , it took me a while to read through everything. This was because every now and then I just simply had to put the book down, so overcame by emotions as I was, and reflected on how blessed the life that I have right now compared to so many of the Afghan women. The book has also made it even clearer to me that a thousand good intentions are useless if not followed by any actions. Salute to Ms Rodriguez who has braved many hurdles and obstacles to lend a helping hand and ultimately give her heart to Afghanistan.   hide

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							Brampton
						
							few weeks ago						
Does a burkha create a bad hair day or does it just hide one? American hair stylist and beautician Deborah Rodrigues found the answer to that question in 2002 when she went to Kabul as a volunteer and stayed to introduce the first beauty school in that city. In addition to providing training for the Afghani women under her charge, she shared their triumphs, joys and sadness. Often hilarious,...more
 Does a burkha create a bad hair day or does it just hide one? American hair stylist and beautician Deborah Rodrigues found the answer to that question in 2002 when she went to Kabul as a volunteer and stayed to introduce the first beauty school in that city. In addition to providing training for the Afghani women under her charge, she shared their triumphs, joys and sadness. Often hilarious, always thought provoking, the Kabul Beauty School is an enjoyable look at a culture entirely different from our own.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
People who do stupid and dangerous things that endanger the lives of others hardly ever write it up as a madcap adventure like Rodriguez has. I was aghast at her cultural ignorance, lack of sensitivity, and obnoxiousness; intensely embarassed even, as an American. It is worth reading as a cautionary tale. Don't overseas aid agencies carefully examine the people they allow into war zones?...more
 People who do stupid and dangerous things that endanger the lives of others hardly ever write it up as a madcap adventure like Rodriguez has. I was aghast at her cultural ignorance, lack of sensitivity, and obnoxiousness; intensely embarassed even, as an American. It is worth reading as a cautionary tale. Don't overseas aid agencies carefully examine the people they allow into war zones? That said I could not put the book down. The lives of the women she relates are so unrelentingly grim that it is almost unbearable to learn about them; but we have to know these things in order to know who we are dealing with, and to be even more grateful for our own freedoms as Western women.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
All of my previous knowledge of and exposure to Afghan culture did not give me the insight into what it is like to be an Afghan woman like this book has. I dated an Afghan man for over a year, and tried to assimilate into his culture, but I had no idea just what the expectations are of Afghan women in Afghanistan (and probably here in the U.S., as well.) When I saw the film about the...more
 All of my previous knowledge of and exposure to Afghan culture did not give me the insight into what it is like to be an Afghan woman like this book has. I dated an Afghan man for over a year, and tried to assimilate into his culture, but I had no idea just what the expectations are of Afghan women in Afghanistan (and probably here in the U.S., as well.) When I saw the film about the beauty school, I thought Debbie was a bit overbearing, but after reading her book, I see that her personality got things done that I never would have accomplished because I would have been too afraid to offend or be inappropriate. It's interesting to contemplate the different subtle strengths of both Afghan and American culture in relation to women's lives. I can't wait to one day go to Afghanistan.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Debbie Rodriguez went to Afghanistan in 2001 originally as part of a humanitarian group. In Kabul she soon became sought after for her hairdressing background, which gave her the idea of opening a beauty school for local women whose new skills would enable them to earn additional income for their families. The struggle to find funding for the school, in addition to all of the cultural and...more
 Debbie Rodriguez went to Afghanistan in 2001 originally as part of a humanitarian group. In Kabul she soon became sought after for her hairdressing background, which gave her the idea of opening a beauty school for local women whose new skills would enable them to earn additional income for their families. The struggle to find funding for the school, in addition to all of the cultural and political hoops to jump through in Afghanistan itself make for a fascinating story. At the end I found myself wanting to know more about what happened afterward, about Debbie's Afghan husband, their life there, etc.That said, I fervently regret reading a more recent news article before writing my review as it has dampened my enthusiasm for the book somewhat. As of June 2007, Debbie has apparently left Afghanistan and her husband for good, and many of her former students fear for their lives since the book's publication. It was a great story, but I now wonder if some of the book's resolutions weren't quite as rosy as suggested.   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
an amazing story, told in a very moving way.  an american beautician went to Afghanistan, after 9/11, and finds a need for beauticians to train the women there who, thanks to the Taliban, never got the training.  She gets lots of donations from American beauty suppliers & starts the school & ends up moving there permanently and finding a Saudi husband (who already has a wife (a...more
 an amazing story, told in a very moving way.  an american beautician went to Afghanistan, after 9/11, and finds a need for beauticians to train the women there who, thanks to the Taliban, never got the training.  She gets lots of donations from American beauty suppliers & starts the school & ends up moving there permanently and finding a Saudi husband (who already has a wife (a marriage he was forced into) who supports her, after learning to accept her non Islamic ways.  Very inspiring and moving book.  Highly recommended   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
Wonderful book!  As an expat myself, I totally identified with the women who were so excited to find an English-speaking hair stylist in Afghanistan.  I was truly inspired by Deborah Rodriguez's desire to find out all she could about the people she shared her life with while there.  So many times we simply take people at face value and never get to know who they are or what has happened in their...more
 Wonderful book!  As an expat myself, I totally identified with the women who were so excited to find an English-speaking hair stylist in Afghanistan.  I was truly inspired by Deborah Rodriguez's desire to find out all she could about the people she shared her life with while there.  So many times we simply take people at face value and never get to know who they are or what has happened in their lives to make them who they are.  This book was interesting and challenging on many different levels.   hide

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							Heidi
						
							few weeks ago						
An interesting window into life in Afghanistan, but not extremely well-written.

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to get a glimpse at life in Afganistan at least from a westerners view. I would have like to have learned more about the students though and I can't understand why she didn't bother to take the time to really learn the language since she lived there off and on for years, taught school and married an Afgan man. Life could have been atleast that much...more
 I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to get a glimpse at life in Afganistan at least from a westerners view. I would have like to have learned more about the students though and I can't understand why she didn't bother to take the time to really learn the language since she lived there off and on for years, taught school and married an Afgan man. Life could have been atleast that much easier.
This was a great look into a westerner's life in Afganistan.  I would like to know more about the students I think but I really liked this book. I kept wondering though how come she never took the time to really learn the language. That would have made alot of things much easier!   hide

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							A Reader
						
							few weeks ago						
I'm glad I read this but ohmygoodness - the whole time I could NOT get past that the author, Deborah Rodriguez, had left her sons with her mom in the US to go to Afghanistan and ended up marrying a native who already had a wife somewhere else.  Ugghh.  But the lady accomplished something truly amazing for Afghan women - gave them an opportunity for a life.  And if you read the book you'll...more
 I'm glad I read this but ohmygoodness - the whole time I could NOT get past that the author, Deborah Rodriguez, had left her sons with her mom in the US to go to Afghanistan and ended up marrying a native who already had a wife somewhere else.  Ugghh.  But the lady accomplished something truly amazing for Afghan women - gave them an opportunity for a life.  And if you read the book you'll understand that, sadly, she likely could never have accomplished what she did without an Afghan husband.  Rodriguez provides an uncomfortable realisitc glimpse of the oppression women in Afghanistan face.   hide

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