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| Sunday, 3 July 2005 |
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Editorial
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Book Reviews The Kite Runner : beautiful friendship in Afghanistan Reviewed by Rohan Canagasabey It is said that the most beautiful of friendships are pre-pubescent childhood friendships. The Kite Runner is a story of such a friendship, but one that is adversely affected by the prejudiced gratification of others and society's ambivalence to that prejudice, if not the violence. These issues are common in many countries, including Sri Lanka.
What makes the The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini all that more interesting is that it is set mostly in Afghanistan, giving an insight into the peaceful and relatively prosperous middle-class life in Kabul, before the onset of the cycle of wars that began with the Soviet invasion of 1979. This is not just a story of childhood friendship between two boys, Amir of the ruling Pashtun race and Hassan of the oppressed Hazaras, but also of Amir's subsequent quest for redemption for not having stood by Hassan, in a moment that would change the nature of their friendship and lives. 'Unforgettable... extraordinary. It is so powerful that for a long time after, everything I read seemed bland', said Isabel Allende, in one of the several quotes printed on the book's cover. It is essentially, to quote a UK newspaper, the Daily Telegraph, 'A devastating, masterful and painfully honest story'. Amir's father is portrayed as a self-made business man who is one of those untypical characters; generous, bold and larger than life, while being respectful of Afghan customs, if not the preaching of the mullahs. Amir is cast as a budding writer and avid reader, especially of Persian and Afghan folklore, through which Hosseini introduces some of the rich cultural heritage of Afghanistan and Iran. But to his father, Amir does not measure up to his expectations, unlike Hassan, his son's friend, causing Amir some resentment. The friendship between Amir and Hassan is not that of equals. For Hassan is the son of the family servant, Ali. But Ali is no ordinary servant, as he had been adopted by Amir's grandfather when he was a child and his father and Ali had similarly grown up together. The depth of the friendship between the two boys in an idyllic setting is recalled later by Amir, while they went kite flying, one of the favourite pastimes of children in Kabul. It is thus: 'An open field of grass speckled with mulberry trees in blossom. Hassan and I stand ankle-deep in untamed grass, I am tugging on the line, the spool spinning in Hassan's calloused hands, our eyes turn up to the kite in the sky. Not a word passes between us, not because we don't have anything to say, but because we don't have to say anything - that's how it is between people who are each other's first memories ... A breeze stirs the grass and Hassan lets the spool roll. The kite spins, dips, steadies. Our twin shadows dance on the rippling grass. From somewhere over the low brick wall at the other end of the field, we hear chatter and laughter and the chirping of a water fountain. And music, something old and familiar. I think its Ya Mowlah on rubab strings. Someone calls our names over the wall, says it's time for tea and cake'. For Amir that memory was 'a perfectly encapsulated morsel of a good past, a brush stroke of colour on the grey barren canvas that our lives had become'. The event that largely turned their lives into a 'grey barren canvas' was the kite tournament in Kabul of 1975, when Amir and Hassan were 12 and 11 years old respectively. A kite tournament in Afghanistan meant that the thread was coated with glass shreds to bring an opponent's kite down. But running after a falling kite and bringing it back as a trophy was also a feat to be admired. And Hassan was the best Kite Runner in town. And Amir's desire to earn his father's respect by not only cutting down a kite but bringing it home, leads Hassan to promise to get it for him, saying, 'for you a thousand times over'. But Hassan was a Hazara, who was then unfortunately forced to confront the prejudices that lurked around him head-on in a particularly brutal manner. And in that moment Amir could not find the courage to come to Hassan's aid. Whilst the social respectability of Hassan's tormentors meant they were not troubled by their actions. Six years later, Amir leaves Kabul with his father for the USA, to escape the gathering storm of the descent into civil war. In the USA they are amid an Afghan community of refugees, reasonably existing, though not living the American dream. Amir, who has been tussling with a feeling of guilt over Hassan for over two decades, receives a telephone call from his father's close friend in Pakistan, in June 2001, prior to 9/11, with the words 'there is a way to be good again'. Amir realises that he can only redeem himself by returning. Unexpectedly Amir finds that he can only do so by returning clandestinely to Taliban ruled Afghanistan, but is motivated into undertaking this seemingly suicidal mission, by shocking new revelations about Hassan. The novel does not end with a cliche happy ending, but illustrates that self-redemption can never be complete for a past sin, perhaps only partial. For me, the The Kite Runner describes vividly that the purest form of love is that of childhood friendship, even if, like me, you were not lucky enough to have had such a friendship. The novel also describes well the feelings of love and loss in general, and in the end, the importance of trust from a child's perspective. And all set in a page-turning narrative. A note on the author Khaled Hosseini reveals that he was born in Afghanistan and his family received political asylum in the USA in 1980, and that this is his first novel. The Kite Runner can be purchased at Vijitha Yapa Bookstores and at Barefoot Gallery and is well worth reading. Partition Law: A digest of casesThe book 'Partition Law' written by M.M. Reyaz is a Digest of cases, and contains all decided cases on Partition Law from the year 1820 to 2003. Partition Law being one of the oldest procedural laws, is eventually a happy recipient of a vast amount of jurisprudence and literature that has evolved over the years. As the author has pointed out, it would not be uncommon for a middle-aged applicant to a partition case to contemplate its conclusion either in his twilight years, or after his demise. In the Preface of the book the author has referred to a case which had its beginnings in the early 1940s, and concluded recently in the Supreme Court. What is the true reason behind such delays ? He poses the questions - Is the law too slow and inefficient? and, does the cost of litigation justify litigating? The answers to these questions lie in a research that is yet to commence. The author justifiably states that reform is urgently needed, so that the partition of land can be concluded promptly. In his view for e.g., the introduction of a voluntary scheme of registration under the Registration of Title Act, could drastically reduce the need for partition. The book is in six parts, for the purpose of easy reference. Part I contains the Partition Act No. 21 of 1977, both in the English and Sinhala texts. Parts II and III contain the Partition Act No. 16 of 1951, and the Partition Ordinance No. 10 of 1863, respectively, together with the decided cases. Part IV contains a section index of all three enactments, which the author hopes will function as a quick reference guide. Part V of the book contains all cases related to the subject of Partition Law. Part VI is a user-index for the insertion of any notes. The author holds an Honours degree in LLB (London). He has taken great pains in arranging the decided cases according to the dates. The book could be of immense value to the practising lawyer, to the student, and the general public as well, who may be interested in the Partition Law. Sorcery: deep-rooted in our culture 'Deities and Demons, Magic and Masks' comes in two volumes, so there are two parts - part I and Part II. This book was published by M. D. Gunasena & Co. Ltd., in 1987. Pundit Dr. Nandadeva Wijesekara explores a very interesting theme associated with the Sinhalese. This book would be of great value to someone studying masks, deities, magic and demons. What the author means by magic in this context is sorcery in which many people believe. It forms an essential part of our culture and folklore and so would interest even a non-believer. Part I concerns men, beliefs and superstitions of the Sinhales; Gods and deities, Rakshasas, Yakshas, magic and devil dancing. But it is in part II that you find colour photographs of the masks. Even the various charms and diagrams are there. But personally what interested me were the stories about ancient folklore. But I must say that the author has included detailed information about the rituals of how they were carried out, the paraphernalia that was needed to do so. You hardly ever get books on this subject so this book is certainly going to hold a few surprises for you. - Dilini Algama In the Shadow of the Tamarind Tree Matthew S. Friedman, an American who is a professional in the field of international health who has travelled to over 50 countries around the world has chosen a Sri Lankan publisher to publish his first novel "In the Shadow of the Tamarind Tree". The book set in Sri Lanka traces a gentle relationship between an elderly widower who had given up on life and a young girl who had just lost her brother in a tragic accident. Both were trying to escape their respective grief and deal with the burden of guilt and sorrow when they were brought together by circumstance and fate. The story weaves the threads of love and loss of faith in the meaning of life together in a manner that walks the reader down a path where the concept of destiny, time and the life affirming quality of life are called into question. Using folklore and strong cultural symbolism to propel the plot along, this inspirational story highlights the reality that rebirth and a sense of healing can follow even the most terrible tragedy. The book is priced at Rs. 350.00 published by Vijitha Yapa Publications and will be launched on June 28 at 5.00 p.m. at the auditorium of the National Library Services and Documentation Board. The Chief Guest will be His Excellency Jeffrey J. Lunstead, the Ambassador of United States of America. For the past fourteen years, Matthew Friedman has been living and working in South and South-East Asia setting up and managing a diverse range of developmental programs including child survival, family planning, HIV/AIDS prevention and control, and human trafficking. During this time, Friedman has immersed himself in the various cultures he has lived and worked in. His interests are diverse, ranging from bronze statue making in South and South-East Asia to working with local indigenous communities to help document and maintain their cultural heritage. His seven other books focus on subjects ranging from bronze statue-making and philosophy to a pair of adventure novels. Following the December 2004 tsunami, Friedman spent a month working for USAID/OFDA in Sri Lanka to provide immediate relief support.
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