Recent Reads: The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

This week I offer you just one review of The Dressmaker of Khair Khana by Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

What the book's about: This book tells the story of Kamila Sidiqi, a young Afghan woman whose life changed overnight after the Taliban seized control of Kabul. After the Taliban banned women from school and employment, Kamila was confined to her home. There, she struggled to find a sense of purpose and a way to provide for her family. Eventually, she learned to sew. She became an entrepreneur who not only earned income for her family by selling her clothes, but also opened a school to teach other Afghan women how to sew so they, too, could provide for their families.

Why I read this book: To learn more about the real lives of women in a war-torn country.

My favorite quotes from the book: "Necessity was turning these women into entrepreneurs. With no jobs available and no employers willing to hire them, they were making their own way, creating business that would help them feed their children." "Money is power for women. If women have their own income to bring to the family, they can contribute and make decisions."

Thumbs up or thumbs down? A reluctant thumbs up. Read this book because you want to learn more about another people and place; Not because it's riveting writing.

Who I'd recommend this book for: Those interested in learning more about Afghanistan and in particular, what life was like for women under Taliban rule.