For years Ann Marlowe felt a connection with a country she had never even seen, Afghanistan. When she finally visited in 2002 she discovered a world filled with kind women and men while she taught English and lived with a family in northern Afghanistan.
Ann felt more at home in Afghanistan than in her Manhattan townhouse. Through her writing the reader can see that Ann is trying to determine what feels right to her even if it goes against convention and at times it seems like she can’t get far away enough from her own background.
Upon her return to the States she meets a younger man from Afghanistan and despite whatever reservations she may have about him she begins an affair with Amir. The affair is not an easy one. Amir, who is 10 years younger, is brooding and is often distant. Throughout this, Ann is not happy about the way things are going but from the onset she seemed to have no expectations about their relationship and so she doesn’t dwell on that.
This book could easily be divided into two parts, her love affair with a man and her love affair with a country. I enjoy travelogues greatly but I actually found her affair to be the most interesting part in this book, perhaps because it was from the viewpoint of a 40-something woman, very much in lust/love and not really caring about norms. She was just living her life.
She is honest even unflinchingly so and while I didn’t agree with her on her views about Iraq and the war I appreciated that she wrote what was the truth to her. Her candid views on cultural differences and her life are what make this book a stand out read.