Little Women of Baghlan is the true account of an ordinary young
woman who answers the call to service and adventure during an
extraordinary time in world history. Her story rivals the
excitement, intrigue, and suspense of any novel, unfolding against
the backdrop of changing social mores, the Cold War, the Peace
Corps, and a country at the crossroads of China, Russia, India,
Pakistan, and Iran. When John F. Kennedy, delivers a speech in the
Senate Chambers on a hot July day in 1957, a young girl named
Joanne Carter listens from the Senate gallery. Ten years later
Kennedy has been assassinated and America is mired in the Vietnam
War. Jo remembers Kennedy's words and is inspired to join the Peace
Corps. She flies into Afghanistan on March 21, 1968. From her plane
window, the Hindu Kush Mountains appear desolate and barren, not
unlike the surface of the moon. On the ground, Kabul explodes into
color and sound. Taxis honk. Busses spew diesel fumes, sharing
traffic lanes with donkeys and camels. The air is infused with the
aroma of wool, dust, and dung. As the Volunteers tour the Blue
Mosque in Mazar-e Sharif, three Russian MIGS buzz the courtyard,
foreshadowing the Soviet invasion of 1989. With co-workers Nan and
Mary, Jo starts a school of nursing for Afghan girls. The students
are almost non-literate. The hospital lacks equipment, trained
doctors, and a reliable source of water. Babies routinely expire
from poor delivery practices. On Christmas Eve 1968, Jo walks the
frozen mud streets of Baghlan. Overhead, the Apollo 8 astronauts
orbit the moon. In January, the women travel on vacation to India,
prompting the Peace Corps director in Kabul to dub them the "Little
Women of Baghlan." They make a stop at Peshawar Air Base in
Pakistan, and Jo attracts the attention of a handsome, charismatic
airman. When they return, Jo reflects on the paradox that is
Afghanistan. The Afghans are mired in poverty, yet generous to the
point of embarrassment. The men are welcoming and solicitous of the
Volunteers, yet capable of turning a blind eye to the suffering of
their wives, daughters, and sisters. The climate is harsh and
unforgiving; the Hindu Kush starkly beautiful. During her two-year
deployment, Jo fills the pages of a small, compact diary, never
dreaming her tiny handwriting will eventually become a significant
historical account. Nearly a half century later, her journal is a
bittersweet reminder of a country that has since vanished-a country
on the brink of becoming a modern nation, moving toward the
recognition of women's rights. The Volunteers live in safety. They
celebrate the end of the holy month of Ramadan and Eid-al-Fitr with
their Afghan hosts; the Muslims bring a Christmas tree to their
American guests. The Peace Corps workers are long gone, replaced by
Soviet troops in 1979, mujahideen fighters ten years later, the
Taliban in 1996, and the United States military in 2001, joined by
NATO forces in 2003. Afghanistan is no longer the name of a
country, it is the name of a war. The country Jo once called home
has been buried under layers of recent history, and there is little
evidence to suggest that such a time or place ever existed.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
