I Am a Bacha Posh: My Life as a Woman Living as a Man in Afghanistan by Ukmina Manoori
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I saw this book on Overdrive and wanted to read it because I've read and enjoyed The Pearl That Broke Its Shell and The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan and both enjoyed them and learned from them.

Unfortunately this book was a disappointment. It was very readable, but I didn't really learn anything that hadn't been covered in the other books, and I really didn't like the author very much. Sometimes I was confused, as when the author stated "Families without sons and without descendants have the right to cross-dress one of their daughters to preserve the family’s honor." However, she had an older brother, and she really didn't explain why her family was allowed a bacha posh. She also states "A woman cannot gain freedom just by changing her clothing.", but she has done exactly that!

I also found her personality annoying. Admittedly there may have been something lost in the translation, but while she bemoaned the fate of women in her country, she also adopted the same arrogant attitude as the males of her country, implying that women weren't good enough or worthy, with comments about the weakness of women, etc.

If you've not read either of the other books, you may enjoy this look into the life of one bacha posh, but truthfully, if you are interested in the subject, I recommend you pick up either of the other books first!

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