Tuesday 12 November 2013

Yasmina Khadr, Author of The Swallows of Kabul

Mohammed Moulessehoul, is the true identity of the man who wrote The Swallows of Kabul. Yasmina Khadr is the name of his wife that he adopted as his pen name in order to conceal his identity as an officer in the Algerian Army. This was done to prevent military censorship of his novels.  Mohammed released his identity to the public in 2001 and left the Algerian army as a Major in 2004. Mohammed's reasoning behind The Swallows of Kabul is giving the west, that has barely scratched the surface, a better understanding of the core of Afghanistan and its cultural differences. Although Mohammed isn't from Afghanistan, and neither is his wife, he understands the Taliban as he has been fighting islamist extremists during his time in the military. Mohammed is able to understand the time and situation in Afghanistan because he can relate. This book also highlights the violence and meaning behind the conflict. I believe this book is a great choice for someone who is interested in the culture and wants to better their understanding of a Muslim state of mind and go farther than the western view of the middle eastern conflicts.