Knowledge@wharton

From Reading Lolita in Tehran an award-winning account of an underground Iranian women’s book group to The Kite Runner a best-selling novel about modern Afghanistan tales of Islamic culture have entranced Western readers eager for a glimpse into a world that is at once far removed from theirs and yet fundamentally intertwined with it. A recent book adds to this genre. In Kabul Beauty School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil author Deborah Rodriguez opens a window onto the private lives of Afghan women by explaining what it’s like to try and launch a business -- in this case a beauty school -- in a remote unfamiliar area. The tale according to our reviewer is heartwarming eye-opening and ultimately chilling. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.