Bookseller -- Controversy

Sorry, I just figured out how to actually post a blog -- so I know this "controversy" one looks out of place amidst all of the "description" blogs.
Oh well. That aside, after reading many of the blogs about the controversy of Sereistad's ethics in writing Bookseller of Kabul, I realized that many of you focused on the fact that the controversy stems from a major difference in culture. I agree that the controversy comes from the huge culture gap that separates our cultures. Though Sereistad may have exaggerated some aspects of her story in order to appeal to the emotions of her readers, I think that it is much more likely that she represented them in a realistic way, but included her Western-based insights. In an Afghan culture, the idea of what it is to be a woman is clearly much different than it is here -- what we see as subjugation and overall weakness is their idea of virtue and justness. Of course, this is generally speaking -- I'm sure there are some liberal-minded people in Kabul, or other Afghan countries, who disagree. However, I'm sure that Sereistad's interpretation of the events she witnessed was shocking, and even insulting, to her host family.

I think that the question is not whether Sereistad abused her host family's privacy or exagerrated their actions, but whether we are willing to accept the Afghan culture or would hope to reform it.

I think that's what made Sereistad's host angry -- he saw Sereistad's interpretation as a critique of his society, an attack on the entire Afghan culture.