The Taliban Shuffle

Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan

De: Kim Barker

Narrado por: Kirsten Potter

Now a Major Motion Picture titled Whiskey Tango Foxtrot starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, and Billy Bob Thornton.

From tea with warlords in the countryside to parties with drunken foreign correspondents in the "dry" city of Kabul, journalist Kim Barker captures the humor and heartbreak of life in post-9/11 Afghanistan and Pakistan in this profound and darkly comic memoir. As Barker grows from awkward newbie to seasoned reporter, she offers an insider’s account of the region’s "forgotten war" at a time when all eyes were turned to Iraq. Candid, self-deprecating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Barker shares both her affection for the absurdities of these two hapless countries and her fear for their future stability.

©2011 Kim Barker (P)2011 Random House

Reseñas de la Crítica

“Read this and try not to hurt yourself laughing. Who knew war could be so funny? The Taliban Shuffle isn’t like any other book out there about Afghanistan and Pakistan. It’s witty, brilliant, and impossible to put down. Think P. J. O’Rourke meets Paul Theroux. Kim Barker is a gifted storyteller, and her intrepid, sometimes wacky travels through these two strife-torn nations will leave you informed, amused, and—depending on your sense of adventure—wanting to tag along on her next trip.” (Rajiv Chandrasekaran, author of Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq’s Green Zone)

“ The Taliban Shuffle is Scoop meets Dispatches, remixed with a 21-century Bollywood soundtrack. Laugh-out-loud funny, it is the true story of what it is like to be a female journalist in one of the world's most exotic war zones, while telling the reader much about what is really going on today in Afghanistan and Pakistan.” (Peter Bergen, author of Holy War, Inc.: Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden and The Longest War: The Enduring Conflict between America and Al-Qaeda)

“Yes, there are bombs. And there is carnage. And all sorts of mayhem. But mostly there are people, human beings even, with appetites—for life, for adventure, for riches, for love. Ms. Barker offers this world—the human world caught in the crosshairs of history—with a vitality rarely seen in accounts of the war. A compelling read that offers readers a glimpse of the goings-on behind the byline.” (J. Maarten Troost, author of The Sex Lives of Cannibals)

Great Stuff

I enjoyed every minute of this audio book. It gives a feeling that you're getting the 'real' story about the wars and lives in Afghanistan. Yes, there is humor. But Kim certainly is not diminishing the seriousness of the issue in any way. I would say the humor of some of the situations reflects the reality of life which is too often focused on the fighting and not nearly enough on how we (U.S.) are affecting life where our military goes.

Thanks Kim. Great work.

Chris Reich

Unique Take on a War Story

Any additional comments?

I thought it was extremely unique to hear what kinds of trials a woman in the journalism field faces while a foreign correspondent in a Muslim country. The unique situations and Kim's wry wit add a very unique twist on the war stories I am fond of reading.

informative

This felt less about partying and more about how to potentially mend foreign policy. I enjoyed listening to this remarkable story.

Fantastic story

If you could sum up The Taliban Shuffle in three words, what would they be?

Self-deprecating, authentic, engaging

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

The story behind the story - the layers of information Barker is able to provide about events we all witnessed in real time was astonishing

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely, I just wanted it to last longer!

Any additional comments?

This has been adapted into the new movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, which is what prompted me to read the book. I absolutely adored it. I'm a former journalist (small, weekly paper), a military spouse, a political junkie, a lover of women's stories of their own experiences and this hit every button. It's incredibly compelling to hear Barker's observations on Afghanistan from her early days to when she eventually left and how her views evolved and changed and then also, stayed the same. She's very self-aware, not afraid to call out her own privilege, inherent biases and missteps and her deep love for Afghanistan and the people there is abundantly clear. Would highly recommend to anyone - in fact, I did just that to two other friends as well!

Great story keeps you hooked

It was over-all a fantastic read. The only problem I had Was that I wish the author would have gotten a little more explicit with her story telling. I kind of felt like I was listening to my mom tell a toned down version of a story to protect my virgin ears lol! More than likely the author just doesn't. Talk or think that way. But I do and I prefer to hear a few More F bombs and dirty details in my stories but that's just me. I'd recommend this book to just about anyone though

Much better than the movie.

Great story. It's amazing to hear just how difficult it was there and how out of touch US politicians are with the region.

Better than the movie Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

As much as I enjoy Tina Fey, the movie "based on" The Taliban Shuffle is an entirely different story than Kim Barker's fascinating and detailed true story of being a reporter in Afghanistan for several years. There is neither the Margot Robbie character nor Billy Bob Thornton's General. Even the title makes no sense. (I had to explain the military phonetic alphabet to my adult sister.) I urge you to read / listen to The Taliban Shuffle instead. Imagine Barker's (not Baker's) life in a war zone. Well, don't imagine it, listen to or read her stories. The audio version was well done in all respects. We listened to this book during a long drive and then plugged into our RV speakers to finish the final two hours. I enjoyed them both...but they are not the same story.

LOVE!!!

Loved this book so much! It's her story so don't read it looking for a history of the war. It's what she experienced and it's colorful and beautiful.

Struggled to finish

I'm not a fan of memiors especially when written by a reporter. They are necessarily great story tellers. I finished it because it was a book club pick.

Fascinating!

This was a very interesting memoir of this woman's experiences in Afghanistan and Pakistan. It has helped me to understand why there seems to be unending chaos in that part of the world.