The Bookseller of Kabul 11.17.08

In response to a question I was asked...do you think the author is entirely objective in presenting the events, or do you detect some element of author response? How is she making you sympathetic with the characters and which ones?

Throughout the entire book, although Seierstad is completely immersioned in another culture and living with another family that is very inviting, she isn't able to capture the full story. The family is very interested in helping her write the book but she can only get so far into the workings of their minds. She can only write what she is told from an individual, the rest, she must interpret. Because of this simple lack of the ability to mind read, I think that Seierstad had to input part of herself in the writing because she was observing the interpreting the scenes her way. This also is what leads me to have sympathy towards certain characters and the need to know what is happening in their life throughout the entire book. I can't really say that there is one particular character that is my favorite, however my favorite parts of the book are the ones about the women in the family. A major intrest of mine is the people and culture of the Middle East, espeically Afghanistan and Pakistan. I have come to discover that the culture and way of life for the women of these countries is what really grabs my interest. The women live such different lifestyles from the one I know and also have such an unknown and hidden presense in the Muslin world and Seierstad is able to se past the burkas and bring out their true personalities.