“Free books.” That is a phrase that is veryvery difficult for me to pass up. And so, with the promise of receiving free books, I have become a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson Publishers. I have just finished the first book offered- Kabul 24 by Henry O. Arnold and Ben Pearson.“The thick, blue cotton fabric was little protection from the sting of the whips and the blunt strikes from the wooden rods on her body as she stumbled along the dusty streets of Kabul…” From the first page, readers are quickly moved into the always oppressive and frequently violent world of Afghan life under Taliban rule. Kabul 24 tells the story of the arrest, 105 day imprisonment, and dramatic rescue of 8 Christian workers from Shelter Now International (SNI) in 2001. As the prisoners, a group of men and women, young and old, of varied occupations but of one call- to serve the oppressed of Afghanistan, are captured, and then begin the torturous wait of hope for rescue, readers are dramatically reminded of how very different the extreme Muslim culture is, and of how little respect for human life and dignity it allows. Yet despite conditions and suffering unimaginable by American standards, the source of hope for the prisoners remains clear, hope in God to provide through the unexpected and the unlikely.
Kabul 24 begins in the weeks prior to 9/11, and continues through the first days of the US/Afghan war. It is in that highly charged setting we gain appreciation for the extreme oppression common under Taliban rule. Human rights abuses are frequent. Prison conditions are inhumane. As a reader, I struggled with the hostages to examine where would my strength lie under such conditions. To read of the hostages abiding faith in God, as they were composing songs of praise, continuing in study, and constant in prayer, was an encouragement to me.
My primary frustration with the book was that it seemed mis-titled. There were indeed 24 hostages, 8 Westerners and 16 Afghans, but the story focuses primarily on the 8 that were imprisoned separately from the Afghan 16. I wanted to know more about the story of the 16. The book also refers to a Taliban informant, the “Afghan angel,” crucial to rescue of the westerners, and I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to know more about how their story ended as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to others, particularly to those with an interest in non-fiction and those desiring to learn more about conditions under Taliban rule, an increasingly relevant topic in world events today.
Kabul 24 begins in the weeks prior to 9/11, and continues through the first days of the US/Afghan war. It is in that highly charged setting we gain appreciation for the extreme oppression common under Taliban rule. Human rights abuses are frequent. Prison conditions are inhumane. As a reader, I struggled with the hostages to examine where would my strength lie under such conditions. To read of the hostages abiding faith in God, as they were composing songs of praise, continuing in study, and constant in prayer, was an encouragement to me.
My primary frustration with the book was that it seemed mis-titled. There were indeed 24 hostages, 8 Westerners and 16 Afghans, but the story focuses primarily on the 8 that were imprisoned separately from the Afghan 16. I wanted to know more about the story of the 16. The book also refers to a Taliban informant, the “Afghan angel,” crucial to rescue of the westerners, and I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to know more about how their story ended as well.
Overall, I would recommend this book to others, particularly to those with an interest in non-fiction and those desiring to learn more about conditions under Taliban rule, an increasingly relevant topic in world events today.
2 comments:
Man, how do I get in on that?! FREE books? Awesome!
Great review. Glad you got in on the free books, too! B.
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