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WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY TARAN KHAN, author of Shadow City
TRANSLATED FROM BENGALI BY NAZES AFROZ An intrepid traveller and
true cosmopolitan, legendary Bengali writer Syed Mujtaba Ali spent
a year and a half teaching in Kabul from 1927 to 1929. Curious to
explore Afghan society, Mujtaba Ali had access to a cross-section
of Kabul's population, and in In a Land Far from Home he chronicles
his experiences with a keen eye and a wicked sense of humour.
Mujtaba Ali's travels coincided with a critical point in
Afghanistan's history: when the reformist King Amanullah tried to
steer his country towards modernity by encouraging education for
girls and giving them the choice of removing the burqa. Branded a
'kafir', Amanullah was overthrown by the bandit leader
Bacha-e-Saqao. With striking parallels to twenty-first century
events in the region, In a Land Far From Home is the only
first-hand account of this tumultuous period by a non-Afghan.
Providing a unique perspective, Mujtaba Ali's fascinating account
is brought to life by contact with a colourful cast of characters
at all levels of society -- from the garrulous Pathan Dost Muhammed
and the gentle Russian giant Bolshov, to his servant, Abdur Rahman
and his partner in tennis, the Crown Prince Enayatullah.
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