The Dressmaker of Khair Khana

Five Sisters, One Remarkable Family, and the Woman Who Risked Everything to Keep Them Safe

By: Gayle Tzemach Lemmon

Narrated by: Sarah Zimmerman

The life Kamila Sidiqi had known changed overnight when the Taliban seized control of the city of Kabul. After receiving a teaching degree during the civil war - a rare achievement for any Afghan woman - Kamila was subsequently banned from school and confined to her home. When her father and brother were forced to flee the city, Kamila became the sole breadwinner for her five siblings. Armed only with grit and determination, she picked up a needle and thread and created a thriving business of her own.

The Dressmaker of Khair Khana tells the incredible true story of this unlikely entrepreneur who mobilized her community under the Taliban. Former ABC Newsreporter Gayle Tzemach Lemmon spent years on the ground reporting Kamila's story, and the result is an unusually intimate and unsanitized look at the daily lives of women in Afghanistan. These women are not victims; they are the glue that holds families together; they are the backbone and the heart of their nation.

Afghanistan's future remains uncertain as debates over withdrawal timelines dominate the news. The Dressmaker of Khair Khana moves beyond the headlines to transport you to an Afghanistan you have never seen before. This is a story of war, but it is also a story of sisterhood and resilience in the face of despair. Kamila Sidiqi's journey will inspire you, but it will also change the way you think about one of the most important political and humanitarian issues of our time.

©2011 Gayle Tzemach Lemmon (P)2011 HarperCollins Publishers

Excellent Listen

For someone whose knowledge of the Taliban in Afghanistan mostly came from the evening news and Newsweek, this is a personal account of extraordinary women quietly living within a system and taking care of themselves and their families through a collective effort and the determination of a strong and courageous woman. The story is not heavy with political or governmental details, rather it is from the perspective of a family and its neighbors looking after one another while living under Taliban rule. Zimmerman's reading was tempered and consistent; she let the story speak for itself.

Inspiring

I'm a big fan of entrepreneurship. Reading about the courage, drive & thoughtfulness of these sisters who start a dressmaking business while under Taliban rule was amazing. This is a remarkable family & I so enjoyed reading about how their lives transformed in so many ways.

I was hooked from the first 5mins

What made the experience of listening to The Dressmaker of Khair Khana the most enjoyable?

I enjoy hearing about the life these girls had to lead and how they found a way to live withing the endless rules that had been placed on them...it was good to hear triumph over the odds.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Kamila, the way she approaches things and deals with what comes to her is wonderful.

What does Sarah Zimmerman bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I find the readers voice entrancing and she keeps you focused on the story and you want to hear more.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I laughed and cried through the book, the girls had their moments but the descriptions of what happed to some was heartbreaking for me and unlike who told the story I wasn't there so imagine how they felt.

Any additional comments?

It is well worth a listen I found the whole thing uplifting so now if I think I am having a tough time I just remember what they lived through and I can see I am not really doing it tough.

Everyone needs to read this

I had no idea of history of this country..i am amazed at the strength and faith of this family..i want to eat naa and chai tea and sew this them...true heroines..everyone who wants to own a business or teach needs to read this book.

The Women of Afghanistan are Amazing!

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This was a wonderful real life tale. The women portrayed in this were amazing and the author and narrator keep you engaged through out. I felt the fear and the betrayal of a country turned against it's own citizens, but also an appreciation of why events unfolded the way they did. It helped me understand what it felt like to have the taliban take over your neighborhood and the women shut into their homes, only to find a way to keep themselves occupied as well as make a living in such an environment! This really is a must listen to for anyone interested in women in Afghanistan and their survival and strength. I was in awe.

What other book might you compare The Dressmaker of Khair Khana to and why?

The Kite Runner

Which scene was your favorite?

When the Taliban regime had just taken over and how it affected the women.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I had many "drive way" moments where I couldn't get out of my car because I wanted to listen to the end of a chapter.

beautiful!

The story was easy to follow and could understand clearly. I was just doing this for summer reading but I really enjoyed the book.

illuminating and readable too

with the present-day demonization of Muslims I think this is an excellent book for all to read. I have spent some time in the Middle East . returning home to the kinds of things that are going on in the United States against Muslim people has dismayed me. this book is about children who survived the occupation of Afghanistan by radical rabid Muslim men. had there been a journalist in the early days of Christianity writing about a family without mother or father surviving the Spanish Inquisition it could be no more contemporary.

A story for the world to read

This true story is one that applies to the world as we know it today and should be read by everyone.
We are all one and what apples to one part of the world applies to everywhere
We should realize that our world as we knew it is gone and should strive to apply what we have just learned by reading this story and work to make the world a better place to live together.

Follow your passions

A powerful book written to show how resourceful women became during a war when the Taliban ruled Kabul and essentially imposed restrictions to survive. The author wrote the details of a young woman who had the courage to support her family as their income dwindled to below sustainable as men fled or fought, and women were house bound. I enjoyed the book, emotionally feeling inspired to not give up. We are blessed to live in a community with many resources and non profit organizations that support women and families.

nice story-writing style and performance lacking

The performance was better suited to a mystery or thriller. It got tiring after the first few chapters. The writing style was more like a long magazine article and really bogged down as the book progressed. Occasionally terms would be used that were glaring exceptions to dialog. e.g. women were warned not to goof-off? so out of place....