Bookseller Blog

From what I have read so far in book, the chapter that intrigued me the most is "Billowing, Fluttering, Winding." The author's choice of referring to the woman as burkas (synecdoche) gives the reader a sense of ambiguity as if the reader himself or herself is walking the streets of Kabul observing the women run their errands. When the women remove their burkas to try on make up or to observe fabric, the author carefully changes the way she refers to the women. At this point when someone on the street or a vender sees the women's faces, the author uses the name of the women, which provides the reader with the same sense of discovery of who the women are as the people on the street. This rhetorical device adds to the portrayal of the Afghanistan culture and allows the reader to experience it (in a remote way) as well.

Bookseller Belongs in the Cellar

So far I'm on a modest page 41 in Bookseller and let me tell you, I'm not this book's biggest fan. Though I have no problem with Seierstad's use of language, her obvious bias that she establishes before the book even starts (the introduction doesn't account for any page numbers) impedes me from understanding the plight of these women. She only explores a few facets of oppression. Not only that, I felt like I've read this before in A Thousand Splendid Suns. Just for kicks, I researched the years both The Kite Runner andATSS were published. Interestingly enough, both of Hoessini's novels were released after Bookseller. This startling discovery got me to thinking: what if Hoessini "borrowed" from Bookseller? It's a stretch, but still. I think if I had readBookseller first then ATSS, I'd feel the reverse - I would've liked Bookseller and denounced ATSS as being a copy of it. Ultimately, once you see something like this more than once, it loses its shock value. For now, I'm hoping i get shocked within the next 240 pages.

Mr. C's Check in

Hey Block 7 ---
Given Chapter 4 of the Kaplan, write a brief paragraph of where you think the discourse of this class is going. What are you seeing as the significant threads? What worries/inspires/motivates you?

Mr. C's class--
You need to accept the invitation to the blog that I sent you. Then, I can grant you administrative/editor privileges so that you can post. Andrew W. is the only one so far to accept the invitation, and he is all set! Thanks, Mrs. L.

My class--
When you put up your revision of the Sarah Sue and John exchange, feel free to make a new post or just add a your piece as a comment attached to the wonderful first two blurbs.

Poor John!

For once taking a risk and silencing his ever-conflicted inner dialogue, John squeezed his eyes shut and pressed his anxious lips to Sarah Sue's just as she opened the door, only to be met with distant gasps saturated with unabated rage and hurt. Convinced he should have left their lifelong relationship in the friend zone, John cautiously opened his eyes, to his shock finding himself staring into the crinkly botoxed peepers of Sarah Sue's mother. He caught only a brief glimpse of his former best friend and eternal crush fleeing into the depths of her standard center-hall colonial before being chased down the street by the more immediate issue of Sarah Sue's father's capable fist.

The saga of John and Sarah Sue...

John's ardor coupled with his natural exuberance proved to be a ill-fated combination: instead of dipping Sarah Sue back in movie star fashion for a kiss, he managed to throw her into the nearby rhododendron bush. She emerged a few seconds later, sporting a headdress that mildly resembled a bird nest and an expression that had caused greater men than he to tremble in their shoes. She spat out a twig and crossed her arms, watching him retreat, ears aflame, from the steps of the house.