The Underground Girls of Kabul

In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan

By: Jenny Nordberg

Narrated by: Kirsten Potter

Length: 10 hrs and 56 mins

Publisher's summary

An investigative journalist uncovers a hidden custom in Afghanistan that will transform your understanding of what it means to grow up as a girl.

In Afghanistan, a culture ruled almost entirely by men, the birth of a son is cause for celebration and the arrival of a daughter is often mourned as misfortune. A bacha posh (literally translated from Dari as dressed up like a boy) is a third kind of child - a girl temporarily raised as a boy and presented as such to the outside world. Jenny Nordberg, the reporter who broke the story of this phenomenon for the New York Times, constructs a powerful and moving account of those secretly living on the other side of a deeply segregated society where women have almost no rights and little freedom.

The Underground Girls of Kabul is anchored by vivid characters who bring this remarkable story to life: Azita, a female parliamentarian who sees no other choice but to turn her fourth daughter Mehran into a boy; Zahra, the tomboy teenager who struggles with puberty and refuses her parents’ attempts to turn her back into a girl; Shukria, now a married mother of three after living for 20 years as a man; and Nader, who prays with Shahed, the undercover female police officer, as they both remain in male disguise as adults.

At the heart of this emotional narrative is a new perspective on the extreme sacrifices of Afghan women and girls against the violent backdrop of America’s longest war. Divided into four parts, the book follows those born as the unwanted sex in Afghanistan, but who live as the socially favored gender through childhood and puberty, only to later be forced into marriage and childbirth. The Underground Girls of Kabul charts their dramatic life cycles, while examining our own history and the parallels to subversive actions of people who live under oppression everywhere.

©2014 Jenny Nordberg (P)2014 Random House

Critic reviews

"Five years of intensive reporting have yielded this gritty, poignant, and provocative collage of intimate portraits.… Nordberg conveys captivating nuance and complexity; just when you feel some kind of judgment or conclusive opinion is within reach, she deftly turns the tables, leaving us to reexamine our own prejudices and societal norms as we struggle with questions that are perhaps unanswerable." ( Elle)

"[A] searing exposé… Nordberg's subtle, sympathetic reportage makes this one of the most convincing portraits of Afghan culture in print." ( Publishers Weekly)

"A stunning book… Nordberg has done some staggering work in this unique, important, and compelling chronicle. Book clubs will be riveted, and will talk for hours." ( Booklist)

Glad I read/listened to this book

A great book - good narrator - easy to listen to- highly recommend for better insight into the complex role of women in afganistan

All women should read this book

The accounts of the Afghani girls and women are frightening, but intimately inspiring. As American or Western women we are so casual about our freedoms. Seeing the plight of these women makes our status something we should value and fight fiercely to protect!

Great journalist writing

Glad writers like this exist. Highly recommend this book to anyone looking to expand their mind

Everyone should read this book to understand the world and get perspectives straight.

I loved this book as I learned so much and realized that the women In Afghanistan are doing what they can to survive not just the women, the men too. I look at the world better after reading this book. It is not as easy to judge when you have knowledge. Thank you for this book Jenny. I am proud to be a Swede!

worth the read

Very well written and informative. Helps understand the culture of why the beliefs establish so much of what occurs and how hard it is to change this string held beliefs. It was interesting to learn that reputation is a more valuable currency than actual currency.

Amazing!

It is a great mix of documentary and first person story telling! What a great read!!!

The Underground Girls of Kabul

This has been one of the most powerful and and enlightening books I have listened to listen to in a long time. I feel it was Excellently written and wonderfully read. I learned that many of my ideas about the United States's presence in Afghanistan and the education and advancement of women has been sadly, way off the mark. I am filled with admiration and awe of the courage and determination of all the women there, especially those who have dared to step out, speak out and stand bravely, in spite of incredible opposition for how they feel, what their beliefs are and how they want to spend their lives. I have been given a new area of thinking about sex and gender roles to study. I believe everyone, especially women who live in a free country should listen to this book immediately. It will make you want To hug every woman in Afghanistan, Emma and it will break your heart in lieu of the present re- occupation of that country.
I guarantee you will be riveted.

this book inspires you to get involved!

very moving. inspired me to give monthly to two international women's aid organizations. I will look for ways to do more. I feel like I know the women in this book. thank you for writing this book Jenny.

Great story!

This is a fascinating tale of a little known phenomenon. The story is well-researched and the characters are life-like. I only wish the author had worked harder to suppress her Western bias. Taking an Afghan-centered approach to this issue would have been far more illuminating

Important information for all

A lot of information about women's lives in Afghanistan. Important for westerners to know, especially as we venture into the cultures of nations whose history,values and mores we do not have any knowledge of.