The bood was interesting with some humor added. However, Deb exposed the woman to danger while in and after leaving Afghanistan. Telling some of these stories, whether true or not has put the women in a place to be further persecuted. I feel she has used her 'western-ness' to the extreme in some cases that could have caused casualties. One can not go into another persons country (especially one you are clueless about) and start standing your ground on things most women would be beaten for. What saved her was the fact that she towered over everyone there. Having said that, I have a few questions. Why in the world would she refer to Afganistan as 'home'? As well as leave her kids to do hair in support of disaster relief? What is she really running from in the states? I feel she had low self esteem under that huge bleeding heart of hers. After everything witnessed, she goes and marries an Afghan? Lucky for her, he was nice. But did she ever question or suspect abuse of his other (Afghan) wives? She did not know this man, she did not know his family. Wow, unbelievable. I can go on and on, but I have one final question? Where are all of these women today? How many did she really help? Or will this become a meer memory of what it could be like for women over there.

In 2002, Deborah Rodriguez ventured off to Afghanistan with Care for All Foundation, an emergency and disaster relief organization. She knew nothing really about emergency and disaster relief--she is a hairdresser by trade. But she had a generous and brave spirit. When all the doctors and nurses had gone, she stayed behind to to build a beauty school and salon (something the Taliban had outlawed). She encountered the Taliban, women in arranged marriages, bombings, cultural divides--and all with great humor and grace. This was not only enlightening, but fun to read.

I highly recommend this book. Some may say that Rodrigues gave herself too much credit for what others have done. But I have to admit, that I for one would never go to Kabul. So regardless of how much she did, or did not achieve, she was there, and we weren't. To be a woman in a repressive society is beyond difficult, it's torturous. I applaud her courage, and her determination to initiate change in a world where women's voices are meaningless. I wish the best for the women of Kabul, and for the few good men there who help them in their way.

TV and news reviews make war feel distant, un-human and entirely male-centered. This book beautifully captures a glimpse of Afghan life. Every page was enlightening and touching in the same way. Written in a refreshingly simple way, this book allowed me to think about complex issues in a digestible (and dare I say, whimsical) manner.

TV and news reviews make war feel distant, un-human and entirely male-centered. This book beautifully captures a glimpse of Afghan life. Every page was enlightening and touching in the same way. Written in a refreshingly simple way, this book allowed me to think about complex issues in a digestible (and dare I say, whimsical) manner.

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave a look into the lives of Afghan women trying to make a positive step in their lives, sometimes when their husbands couldn't provide. They took it upon them selves to take a step toward financial independance for themselves and their families.

What was a bit contradictory, perhaps, was how Debbie Rodriguez mentions a few times that the Afghan people were the warmest and most endearing people, however, it seems like most of her students and women there in general were being beaten by their husbands. It seemed every time she brought it up, somebody was getting beaten. So what's the deal?? Are the people only nice to women outside their families, or did she miss something in her writing to differenciate the two.

I enjoyed this book very much. It gave a look into the lives of Afghan women trying to make a positive step in their lives, sometimes when their husbands couldn't provide. They took it upon them selves to take a step toward financial independance for themselves and their families.

What was a bit contradictory, perhaps, was how Debbie Rodriguez mentions a few times that the Afghan people were the warmest and most endearing people, however, it seems like most of her students and women there in general were being beaten by their husbands. It seemed every time she brought it up, somebody was getting beaten. So what's the deal?? Are the people only nice to women outside their families, or did she miss something in her writing to differenciate the two.

Well I really enjoyed this book. The author writes in a way that makes it seem she is talking directly to the reader. She gives many situations that are sad, funny and difficult. She points out how ahrd it is for Afgan women, and all the "rules" they must follow(this is upsetting for us westerners) but also enlightens us about what other women have to endure. Her funny incidents are really light and show a comradary with women as women. All in All I found this a very enjoyable ready and I learned a lot and this is a women who at least tried to do some "good" for women under the worst situations.

This is life outside our protected little world. This book has had a lasting impact on me, and I can't stop thinking about it. Except for the dust and the other atrocities committed by ugly old men, I would go myself... Nah, I would never go, I hate dust, grayness and ugly old men. But I admire her attempt to bring beauty to the women. And I admire the donations of the other beauty-industry companies. Great story.

FASCINATING INSIDE PICTURE OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN A PLACE THAT IS AN ENIGMA TO MOST AMERICANS. VERY ENTERTAINING BESIDES.

This was a decent book, despite uninspiring prose. The author/protagonist does a good job taking us to the far away land of Afghanistan and relaying the plight of many Afghani women. She's inspiring as she throws herself into helping distressed people around the world; however, I was disappointed that I couldn't like the author/protagonist. By the end of the book, I found it troubling that she could travel thousands of miles to live and help others, while neglecting her own children. This dichotomy was all I could think of towards the end of the book and after finishing. Recognizing "no one's perfect," I think she could have been more likeable and the book more satisfying if she would have addressed this dichotomy.

Kabul Beauty School is an amazing memoir by a divorced American hairdresser. Debbie Rodriguez travels to Afghanistan and opens a cosmetology school so that women there can learn a marketable skill and make some money of their own. She then alternates her time between Afghanistan and her home back in the United States (though one does wonder about the fate of her two children in the middle of all this), eventually marrying an Afghan man. (Who later, as it turns out, already HAS a wife. Eeesh.). This book provides a riveting look at the lives of women in modern-day Afghanistan. To boot, Rodriguez has an irreverent personality and a wicked sense of humor. The book moves along very quickly, and I enjoyed reading it. Even though much of the text describes the terrible repression/abuse of Afghan women, it is written with a light touch.

[...]

Facts aside, the book is an interesting read and I believe does paint a semi-accurate picture of the life in Afghanistan. However, the writing style is sub-par and the story jumps around from past to present so much, that it's hard to tell what already happened and what's going on right now.

As for the facts, a 2007 New York Times articles exposed just how over exaggerated the story really is. Ms. Rodriguez was not the founder of the Kabul Beauty School - the beauty school was already established, the building built and donations received before Rodriguez even came into the picture. Ms. Rodriguez described with much drama being held at gun point and being told that the Women's Ministry is taking over the school. In reality, others involved with the school stated that Ms. Rodriguez moved the school to her own private residence to make profit. As long as the school was at the Ministry, it was non-profit.

One of the women, Roshanna, figures promptly in the book. When questioned as to her existence, Rodriguez said that she fabricated many of the details of Roshanna's story. The reality is that Rodriguez profited from her experience through the book and movie deal, and then left this women to fend for themselves. She placed them in danger by telling their stories, and then left Afghanistan for good. As one article states, the beauty school is currently closed and Ms. Rodriguez has no plans of returning there.

While Ms. Rodriguez tells a compelling story, I was disenchanted to learn that she misrepresented a lot of facts and made herself out to be a saint that she's clearly not.

Facts aside, the book is an interesting read and I believe does paint a semi-accurate picture of the life in Afghanistan. However, the writing style is sub-par and the story jumps around from past to present so much, that it's hard to tell what already happened and what's going on right now.

As for the facts, a 2007 New York Times articles exposed just how over exaggerated the story really is. Ms. Rodriguez was not the founder of the Kabul Beauty School - the beauty school was already established, the building built and donations received before Rodriguez even came into the picture. Ms. Rodriguez described with much drama being held at gun point and being told that the Women's Ministry is taking over the school. In reality, others involved with the school stated that Ms. Rodriguez moved the school to her own private residence to make profit. As long as the school was at the Ministry, it was non-profit.

One of the women, Roshanna, figures promptly in the book. When questioned as to her existence, Rodriguez said that she fabricated many of the details of Roshanna's story. The reality is that Rodriguez profited from her experience through the book and movie deal, and then left this women to fend for themselves. She placed them in danger by telling their stories, and then left Afghanistan for good. As one article states, the beauty school is currently closed and Ms. Rodriguez has no plans of returning there.

A look at the lives of women in Afghanistan through the eyes of a beauty school (mainly hairdressing and some beauty salon treatments).

Deborah Rodriguez first went as a volunteer with a small non-profit organization and she realized the huge demands for a Western hairdressers in that country . So she gave up her time to train Afghan women to get a career and able to support themselves and their families.

Afghanistan women were not treated as equal to the men and their opportunities were limited. The students own stories all so different and interesting. Deborah Rodriguez involved herself to try to help or fix extremely difficult problems these women were experiencing. She really pushed the boundaries.

Narrator in Audio is brilliant. Highly recommend this on audio.

For all of the critics who are complaining that this book is just some book written by some dumb American bla bla bla...Well, to me, as an American, I liked the fact that it was written and filtered by her point of view. Additionally, she didn't try to hide the fact that she was coming into this situation from a very different culture; she admitted her cultural differences and wore them on her sleeve. If she would have refused to do this her book would have been phony. Perhaps some of you pseudo-liberals would have preferred her to pretend like she was some super culturally sensitive American (which is what you would have done, right) that was cool with how they treat women (rape, arranged marriages, sexual harassment, etc.) After all, we have to be culturally sensitive. No, that's not the way it works. I am a true liberal and it ticks me off when "liberals" don't allow for the criticism of other cultures when it involves HUMAN RIGHTS. Yes, lot's of the things she said were tough to hear, but for all of you complaining that she was not 'sensitive enough to the culture' I personally think that is B.S. Why don't you try to live in Kabul for one month. I challenge you. You probably wouldn't make it as you are used to all of the rights (especially you women) we take for granted here in America.

When I started reading this book, I was surprised to learn that the author is from my hometown in Michigan (I moved cross-country two decades ago, but still visit once a year). So, from the get-go I was extra curious about Debbie's story. At first glance, I thought the book was fascinating, and I admired the author's tenacity and heart. I didn't mind her writing style (I thought that was part of the charm), and I gave her ditzy personality a lot of latitude because I figured, at the end of the day, her efforts were having a positive impact. Naively, I assumed that Debbie had the Kabul women's best interests at heart... even though she chose to reveal "secrets" and privileged information about her beauty school students and peers. But, post-book, as I've learned more about the story (with a good bit of googling), my curiosity and fascination with the book has been replaced by sadness and disappointment. A recent (June 2008) article in the Chicago Tribune tells how the story has unfolded, or unraveled, since the book's been published... and it ain't pretty. Since she's a hometown girl, I still want to believe that Debbie's intentions have always been above board... but, either way, it's had a devastating impact on the women left behind in Kabul. Debbie's gotten some degree of glory, but her Kabul "sisters" are paying the price, and having to do it all by themselves. Very, very sad.

Just finished reading this with my book club. Creating a beauty school in Kabul is so uniquely feminine in a male dominated environment. It's like listening to men in the barbershop, lots of lies and exaggerations but women in beauty shops talk not of the conquests (sports or the bedroom) but of pain and paybacks (to men and other women). Read it with "A Thousand Splendid Suns" (horribly lovely). One gets a flavor of life in Afghanistan relative to the shoeleather scaring of the recent invasions (Russian, USA, Taliban,etc.). The women in both books are incredibly strong (suns behind the wall). I am not sure if it is tradition that makes them such equisite problem-solvers or men and their notions of their 'role'. Ms. Rodriquez' experiences are appealing as she presents the lives of the more 'priviledged' women of Kabul and their challenges. If she were an Afghani woman, I fear she would not have been alive to write this "People Magazine" chronicle of the women's lives through this American Lens. However, much of this swiss cheese of a story is true (lot of stuff left out - like what happens to her husbands and her son, Noah, after agreeing to marry a girl in Afghanistan) and my general conflict is whether I should condemn or seek to understand. Quite an interesting read, no doubt. One does wonder about the effect of exposing the Afghani Sisters' secrets. Our book club meeting talked much about the 'ethics' of exposing these expereinces.

This is a quick read, and it is interesting. However, I never really liked the author, and it seems irresponsible for her to divulge so many details about the lives of her students.

This book starts off with what could have been a fascinating chapter about getting ready for a wedding, but then reveals a secret that the bride confides to the author. The bride seems to have considered the author to be a friend. Even if all the names and places have been changed (and it doesn't say changes were made), it is an astounding betrayal. There is no excuse. I really regret having paid money for this.

After reading this book, I was so concerned about what would happen to these women in war torn Afganistan. I felt she revealed so much about them and then fled the country to probably never return.

My mother eagerly sent this book to me (yes here in Afghanistan) because she knows how much my heart bleeds for people (read: women) who do not relish in the wonderful things we westerners take for granted.

At times, I applauded Debbie for taking a stand, and never in a million years would I critize her for leaving, because the folks who are the heaviest criticizers have NO concept of bombings, kidnappings, beheadings, and the like. It is truly one of the most horrifying things I have dealt with.

Now...Kabul...I am going to attempt to describe this large city in layman's terms so the average person can understand where I am coming from. I apologize for any hurt feelings or protests, but unless you can meet me downtown Kabul tonight for tea, please take this for what it is: a description of someone who is there.

Yes, some women still wear Burqas (chadris), but while I detest the things more than I can describe, many women still wear them to protect themselves from stares, fondling, cat calls, etc. This is not to say no woman is exempt from these things, but many prefer to wear it, much to their chagrin, because women by themselves are truthfully considered "whores" by many and thus "deserving" of being fondled and hollered at. One of the things I had to get used to as a western woman (obviously, I am rich and a prostitute because I'm not married..."obviously") is the CONSTANT gaping by young men. Truckloads of young men will physically hang out their entire bodies to gawk at a western woman. Shuras won't look at me, though (usually). I have gotten my hand shaken, however, which was considered a huge step up by many in my circle.

For those who wear it, the preferred chadri/burqa is a lovely shade of periwinkle, if only because white is nearly impossible to clean in a country that does not have running water, reliable electricity (only government offices and hospitals are required to maintain electricity; most homes only have the equivalent of a 40-watt light bulb in terms of lights...please note I said MOST), and proper (western) sanitation. You cannot stereoptype Afghans (NOT "Afghanis" like so many people have called them in these reviews) because like any other country, they are not all the same. Kabul is arguably the most "progressed" city, but there are other smaller provinces that boast more progress than Kabul, but I'll concentrate today on the capital. Kabul is a filthy city by western standards. I have lived all over the world (southwest Asia, the middle east, Europe, 12 states, etc.), and my passport is nearly filled with stamps. The nicest parts of Kabul, at least the public areas, are as nasty as the bad parts of big U.S. cities (this is a comparison so people who have never been outside the U.S. can understand...I'm sorry if I offend anybody. It's not my intent.) There is trash, feces, and dead animals along the pocked roads, but the roads are greatly improved since the Taliban was "thrown out." The Taliban is still present, and not a lot of Afghans approve of them in the least, but in some cases, it's like a pesty fly they just swat and and choose largely to ignore (for various reasons, including but not limited to, protecting their families, which is paramount.) In no other country have I ever seen such love for one's family, no matter how far apart the "cousins" are. It's truly heartwarming but can also be a downfall, like the author discusses in some cases.

However, amongst the sea of chadris are also the women who proudly wear high heels with their polished toes and glittering gold bracelets through the dirty streets, but I have never seen an Afghan woman in public without at least a head scarf. There are women in schools, colleges, and those who proudly work, and there is much reformation in parts of the cities. There are men who strongly encourage their daughters to become more educated, but just like any other family, there are some fathers who do not let their daughters do anything beyond their destiny, which is to get married and have sons. Like so many countries that take the Koran literally, the belief males are the dominant gender is held fast.

Every day is Market Day it seems, with thousands of people crowding the narrow streets filled with produce (tangerines are huge here...who knew?), Coca Cola by the liter (doesn't taste the same), nuts, carcasses of dead animals for sale with the head sitting in the middle of the shop to prove what kind of animal it is, children playing, people sitting around listening to the radio (still the most frequent way people get their news), carts pushed by men or donkeys, an occassional horseback rider who narrowly misses the old Opal cars on the side of the road, the useless traffic circle with everybody going whichever way he/she chooses, etc. etc. On Fridays, traditional Afghan music is blared throughout the markets while people noisily chat to one another. Mixed in with the robes and chadris is occassionally a child wearing a Mickey Mouse sweater and Nikes. It is a beautiful place, a dangerous place, and that brings me to my final point before I ramble too much.

I only gave this book 3 stars because, while I understood everything she discussed, I was alarmed about how blase Debbie was about certain cultures...she honestly at times came across as The Ugly American. I wanted to like her, and I loved what she did, but I cannot comprehend why she thought it was okay (spoiler) to put her friend in danger in the market. Nobody is as indignant about being touched by strangers as I, but she did not think about how her actions could have put her friend in danger, or in the very least, embarrassed her. Embarrassment in the U.S. is easily overcome; in this part of the world, you rarely get second chances (Debbie was alloted many because she is a "heathen" American). Why after so long she didn't understand that, or chose to, baffles me.

I love reading books that really describe what it is like to live in another country, especially a country I have never visited. This book was able to paint a picture of of Kabul so that I could see what it was like. I enjoyed reading the stories of the women attending the beauty school and I was saddened by their personal histories. The author is witty and kind and I found myself rooting for her and this school!

I thought this was a great glimpse into a world that most women can't imagine. And the thing that is common to women is beauty. This was an incredible story that enlightened me about life in Afghanistan, which I probably would not have read about otherwise. Very good read.

I suggest this book to everyone. It was an amazing memoir that reads like a novel. You will see the country of Afghanistan in a new light. Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil

It's worth reading if only for a view into cultural insensitivity and the lack of reflection that plagues our society. One can only marvel at Rodriguez' inability to reflect on the danger in which she places her former friends in Kabul by publishing this memoir. Her veracity is suspect in many passages (a solitary woman crossing the Hindu Kush without proper documents?)and the reader finds herself astonished at the author's refusal to reflect on how her beauty school perpetuates the subjugation of women in Afghanistan. Written in a folksy tone that only heightens her cloddish behavior, it's hard to be a patient reader.

First, let me say that the writing in this book is not bad - it's not great either, but it is readable. The content is a different story. The first chapter of this book describes how Debrorah saves her friend by tricking her friend's new husband (and everyone else in the family) into believing that her friend was a virgin when she got married. I spent the next 15 minutes leafing through the rest of the book, hoping to see that the friend had somehow escaped what was undoubtedly the death sentence that Deborah had committed her to when she published her book. Not getting any such assurance, I have been hoping since then that Deborah was lying through her teeth. I can not believe that anyone who knew fully well what would happen, could have been so irresponsible. Deborah comes across like Amazonian airhead - after all, she must be fairly muscular to collar a fully grown man when he groped her bottom and drag him across the street to a cop; and marrying a man who she knew absolutely nothing about can't be considered the wisest move in world. She is obviously very proud of being feisty and not standing for any nonsense, but she has an American passport and could (and did) get the hell out of Dodge when the going got rough. All those girls she "liberated" and then wrote about might not agree that their lives were worth the story she lived to tell.

Well written, highly personal story of a wonderfully gregarious woman who tried to help Afghani women become more independent by teaching them hairdressing and how to set up beauty salons. She sounded as if she would make a social success wherever she went and her dedication is admirable.

This book provides an excellent insight into the daily ups & downs for the women of Afghanistan. I was impressed that the author gave up her life and clients in America to live very differently in Kabul. My son was in Afghanistan for a year - I felt like I knew some of the places from his descriptions & photos. Very delightful book.

Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil

The book starts out interesting, but very quickly becomes all about the author. Neither the author nor the ghost writer are strong writers. None of the side stories or characters are finished or ever mentioned again.

I very much enjoyed reading this book. Very entertaining even tho it's true. Easy read.

Debbie, a hairdresser from Michigan, decides to go to Afghanistan and opens a beauty school to help the women there. This becomes an interesting lesson for her in learning about the Islamic culture and how it affects womenfolk. She marries an Afghan man who barely speaks English, which I also found interesting as well as gutsy.

At times Debbie does act really snobby and careless, but there's also a lot of humor in all this. The prose is not flowery, but as a reader, I feel that she is frank in her feelings about her experiences in Afghanistan, both good and bad.

It's a nice book, and Deborah Rodriguez is a woman both strong and weak in a spontaneous way. There are a lot of scenes in this book that remind me of both novels by Khaled Hosseini - The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns.

"The must read for all book clubs. The best book about the women of Afghanistan since A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini."

I had a difficult time reading this book. It didn't engage me the way many other books about Afghani culture has.

A Short Walk In The Hindu Kush
Danizers Travels
An Unexpected Light
The Swallows of Kabul
The Book Seller of Kabul
Three Cups of Tea
Women on the Bridge of Fire

to name a few, but this hairdresser left me yawning. Do you really think this is a good book to recommend for book clubs???

I was intrigued by this book and the concept of the Afghan beauty school. I do think it's a positive thing to do for the women there to allow them to train for a career to make money for their families, although I don't think it's nearly as important to their culture as Debbie Rodriguez makes it out to be.
That said, I was pretty disgusted with her overall conduct and surprised that anyone would allow this kind of story to be read by millions of people without shame. First, though she doesn't mention them much, Debbie has two sons who she literally abandons for years on end while putting her life in danger in Kabul. Later on she actually has the nerve to have her sons visit her there, and put their lives in jeopardy too. She marries an Afghan man that she doesn't know and can't communicate with, out a clear desperate need for love and attention that she probably could have gotten from the children she left behind. After committing to a marriage in a culture she doesn't understand, she is shocked to discover that her new husband will not conform to her Westernized ideals, AND that he already has a family of his own. Wow! Who could have guessed... (actually, most of the readers could have guessed). Although most of the time she is trying in her own ignorant way to be helpful and supportive to these women, she often times puts others at risk but sticking her nose where it didn't belong.
All that said, the book is well written and interesting, but her personal story just came across as pathetic. She probably would have been well advised to keep her journals private.

Good non-fiction read; hopeful. Demonstrates courage and the will to create change, one step at a time.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fast read and held my attention! I learned a lot about the lives of the Afghani women.

Deborah Rodriguez is a beautician from Michigan who went over to Afghanistan after September 11th to help in any way she could. She quickly fell in love with the country and wanted to reestablish the Afghan beauticians who went out of existence when the Taliban took over. Along with help from others, she opened a beauty school where she trained Afghan women to become beauticians who could then open up their own beauty salons.

This amazing true story is heartwarming yet incredibly sad at the same time. The reader learns the personal and tragic story of the many Afghan women that Rodriguez befriends. We learn of their arranged marriages to men twice their age, abusive husbands who will divorce them if the women can't bear a son, and monetary struggles and desperate attempts to find that money. It is also wonderful to read about these same women becoming independent and happy due to their education from the beauty school and their friendship with Ms. Rodriguez.

This book is truly inspiring and educational. The reader learns about many customs and misconceptions about Afghanistan and its people through the real life experiences of Rodriguez. Her desire to help the kind Afghan people can inspire anyone to do the same.

KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL is sure to please all readers who are open to learning about a foreign people, their customs, and an American woman who felt the need to dedicate her life to those less fortunate.

Reviewed by: Steph

This book is refreshing, passionate.I could not put it down. Again you realize how lucky we are to be leaving in USA.

This is an awesome book. I could not put it down. It draws you in and keeps hold of you till the very in. This book is very Empowering.

Interesting and often moving, "Kabul Beauty School" nevertheless might have made a better novel than memoir. I say this because information dealing with Ms. Rodriguez's personal life- especially her marriages and family life stateside- is doled out extremely sparingly and very sketchily, to the point of it becoming a distraction. It's clear that she wanted to mainly talk about her experiences in Afghanistan, and that's fine, but if you're writing about your life, well... then write about your life. A novel may have been the way to go: the author could have written an original story that was heavily informed by her experiences in Afghanistan, but used a fictional American protagonist so she wouldn't have had to write about her own personal life at all.

Faults aside, however, "Kabul Beauty School" can't help but be engaging and informative. In particular, it was very interesting to learn that, as oppressive as the Taliban was, even regular Afghan culture doesn't offer much freedom or opportunity to women, and actually the men don't have it all that easy, either.

Don't bother, I was so excited to read a book about Afghani women - instead its a poorly written book about Deborah Rodriquez. Every story is about her and seems very contrived. D. Rodriquez is patronizing and seems to exploit the women - please don't give her any more $!

Here's the thing about this book: It's well-written, has some funny and heartfelt moments, and (I think) was written with good intentions.

So, why am I only giving it two stars?

Well, because the author, in the end, has done more harm than good, I think. In fact, her actions more or less destroyed the lives of most of the women she writes about and claims to care about in the book.

(You can't tell this from the hardcover version of the book, but in the softcover version she has an extra chapter of "updates" where she herself basically tells you this.)

I think the author has a serious problem with reasoned judgement. Her lack of judgement has left mostly devastation in her wake, from the Afghani women she tried to help, to her sons, to her husband. (I do agree her intentions, however, were mostly good.)

Give me a second to explain, and you'll see why I say this:

The basic outline of the story is this: The author is a hairdresser in Michigan with two teenage sons, and who is stuck in a horrible abusive marriage she put herself in (not the boys' father). (Why she just doesn't leave her husband is not clear.) Eventually, she has some revelation that she wants to go to Afghanistan-- though why she wants to do that is also not clear. So she volunteers with a NGO and goes to Afghanistan as a medical volunteer. This spur of the moment, poorly thought out decision is a recurring theme in the author's life.

She ends up in Afghanistan with the NGO, and discovers that, as she is a hairdresser, she really has no medical skills. Her colleagues essentially remove her from active duty because she is a bit of a loose cannon. In her exile, she eventually starts doing the one thing she is good at: hair dressing. She builds an ex-pat clientele, and eventually some Afghanis, too. She gets the great idea of starting a beauty school for Afghan women, and goes back to the US with the goal of getting together funds to do this.

She goes back to the US, gets together a lot of supplies, finally leaves her husband, and hooks up with a larger organization which already has this project underway. She moves back to Afghanistan for an extended stay to work and build the beauty school.

This is the first poor choice of many poor choices. The question I kept asking myself is: "Who is raising your sons while you traipse about Afghanistan for 6 months at a time?" She basically abandoned her own chilren to go on this misguided adventure. This issue is never addressed.

Anyhow...

The body of the book is about her relationships and adventures at the school.

At one point, while she's in Kabul, some friends of hers decide she needs to get remarried. They find her an Afghani man who they think would make a good husband. She at first is just joking around, but meets the man. He can't really speak English and she can't speak the local language either. On the spur of the moment--and after having known this man for like two weeks--and without even being able to speak to one another except through hand signals--and even though he is Muslim and she isn't---she agrees to marry him! They get married... and thus ensues one of the weirdest marriages I've ever heard of! (They can't even speak to one another... and she only finds out later that she's actually his second wife!)

See what I mean about lack of judgement?

A lot of other stuff happens, she makes a lot of other poorly informed, brash, I would say even reckless decisions (like threatening a local drug smuggler.) She goes back and forth a few times to the US. She trains Afghani women to hairdress. The school is going well.

Then, all of a sudden, the Afghani government begins investigatory proceedings to try to shut the school down. The author returns to Kabul to see what is going on, is there for like three days, says she felt "threatened and afraid" (no explanation why) and skips town in the dark of night without even saying goodbye to her friends of THREE YEARS or Afghani HUSBAND!

She moves to Oregon, and never goes back to Afghanistan.

In the Epilogue, she says the Afghani women who were her friends and helping run the school were angry and did not understand why she just left without any notice at all. (No duh!! I would be angry, too!) She actually never gives either us the readers or her purported "friends" an explanation as to why she has just abandoned them. Most of the women she trained have now been forced into exile in other countries because of their association with her, and the school has been shut down. She herself admits this might have been because of writing the book. She says her Afghani husband also did not understand why she wrote the book. He does not understand why she has abandoned him, either.

The whole book is written second hand, because, even after three years in Afghanistan, the author never bothers to learn the local language. She relies on interpreters and hand gestures.

Now, you might argue that it isn't the author's fault the school has been shut down. That's partially true. But, when push comes to shove, her repeated rash, unexplained decisions precipitated the crisis.

I honestly don't know what the heck to think about what is going on here.

Read the book yourself, and see if you can figure it out.

It is an engaging, but utterly baffling, read.

Here's the thing about this book: It's well-written, has some funny and heartfelt moments, and (I think) was written with good intentions.

So, why am I only giving it two stars?

Well, because the author, in the end, has done more harm than good, I think. In fact, her actions more or less destroyed the lives of most of the women she writes about and claims to care about in the book.

(You can't tell this from the hardcover version of the book, but in the softcover version she has an extra chapter of "updates" where she herself basically tells you this.)

I think the author actually may be insane, or at least have a serious problem with reasoned judgement. Her lack of judgement has left mostly devastation in her wake, from the Afghani women she tried to help, to her sons, to her husband. (I do agree her intentions, however, were mostly good.)

Give me a second to explain, and you'll see why I say this:

The basic outline of the story is this: The author is a hairdresser in Michigan with two teenage sons, and who is stuck in a horrible abusive marriage she put herself in (not the boys' father). (Why she just doesn't leave her husband is not clear.) Eventually, she has some revelation that she wants to go to Afghanistan-- though why she wants to do that is also not clear. So she volunteers with a NGO and goes to Afghanistan as a medical volunteer. This spur of the moment, poorly thought out decision is a recurring theme in the author's life.

She ends up in Afghanistan with the NGO, and discovers that, as she is a hairdresser, she really has no medical skills. Her colleagues essentially remove her from active duty because she is a bit of a loose cannon. In her exile, she eventually starts doing the one thing she is good at: hair dressing. She builds an ex-pat clientele, and eventually some Afghanis, too. She gets the great idea of starting a beauty school for Afghan women, and goes back to the US with the goal of getting together funds to do this.

She goes back to the US, gets together a lot of supplies, finally leaves her husband, and hooks up with a larger organization which already has this project underway. She moves back to Afghanistan for an extended stay to work and build the beauty school.

This is the first poor choice of many poor choices. The question I kept asking myself is: "Who is raising your sons while you traipse about Afghanistan for 6 months at a time?" She basically abandoned her own chilren to go on this misguided adventure. This issue is never addressed.

Anyhow...

The body of the book is about her relationships and adventures at the school.

At one point, while she's in Kabul, some friends of hers decide she needs to get remarried. They find her an Afghani man who they think would make a good husband. She at first is just joking around, but meets the man. He can't really speak English and she can't speak the local language either. On the spur of the moment--and after having known this man for like two weeks--and without even being able to speak to one another except through hand signals--and even though he is Muslim and she isn't---she agrees to marry him! They get married... and thus ensues one of the weirdest marriages I've ever heard of! (They can't even speak to one another... and she only finds out later that she's actually his second wife!)

See what I mean about lack of judgement?

A lot of other stuff happens, she makes a lot of other poorly informed, brash, I would say even reckless decisions (like threatening a local drug smuggler.) She goes back and forth a few times to the US. She trains Afghani women to hairdress. The school is going well.

Then, all of a sudden, the Afghani government begins investigatory proceedings to try to shut the school down. The author returns to Kabul to see what is going on, is there for like three days, says she felt "threatened and afraid" (no explanation why) and skips town in the dark of night without even saying goodbye to her friends of THREE YEARS or Afghani HUSBAND!

She moves to Oregon, and never goes back to Afghanistan.

In the Epilogue, she says the Afghani women who were her friends and helping run the school were angry and did not understand why she just left without any notice at all. (No duh!! I would be angry, too!) She actually never gives either us the readers or her purported "friends" an explanation as to why she has just abandoned them. Most of the women she trained have now been forced into exile in other countries because of their association with her, and the school has been shut down. She herself admits this might have been because of writing the book. She says her Afghani husband also did not understand why she wrote the book. He does not understand why she has abandoned him, either.

The whole book is written second hand, because, even after three years in Afghanistan, the author never bothers to learn the local language. She relies on interpreters and hand gestures.

Now, you might argue that it isn't the author's fault the school has been shut down. That's partially true. But, when push comes to shove, her repeated rash, unexplained decisions precipitated the crisis.

I honestly don't know what the heck to think about what is going on here.

Read the book yourself, and see if you can figure it out.

It is an engaging, but utterly baffling, read.

I have read several reviews on this book - most praising Debbie's efforts to bring skills to Afghan women as well as to provide them with a space that is their own entirely. I have also read reviews that criticised her ways and how she was barging in with her American ways with little regard on how that might negatively affect the women she is trying to help. Overall my impression when reading this really enjoyable book was that Debbie is a woman with a full character that won't let much get in her way but that tries her best to make things work to get positive results for the women. It's very enlightening to read her own experience of Afghanistan and how she almost single handedly tries to bring a better future to some Afghan women. I think whatever cultural insensitivities she might be guilty of are due to her personality and spontaneity rather than an intention to shock. Recommended.

omg!!!!!!! What could I say I could not stop reading this book ,I just kept reading till I finished reading it. It was a great read and you actually feel that you are in the salon with the Afghanistani girls waxing Western women.I have never been to Afghanistan ,but I feel that I have learned so much about the culture and better understand their customs. The author has a rare view and deserves much praise for her braveness and her huge heart to want to help these women. She puts the reader next to her in her adventure and really makes you more tolerant. I remember thinking when I saw women wearing the burqa that they were awful for choosing to marry Taliban men,I could not have been more ignorant!These women are FORCED TO MARRY and they have very hard lives ,lives that make me grateful to have democracy and Christ! Also, if some one is interested in doing work overseas in countries were there is much conflict ,this book is also a great read because you understand what it takes to make it doing this type of work.GREAT READ,TRUST ME!!!!!

I enjoyed this book a lot. I couldn't put it down. I found it fascinating to read about the culture, the struggles, the triumphs and the sadness. I don't know how accurate of a portrayal it is, but I enjoyed it and could see clearly, in my mind, the characters from her descriptions.