Love and War in Afghanistan on the second reading

I have really enjoyed this book and have been really interested in hearing their stories. They are very personal and really help you to get a sense of what the culture is like. I was in the second group so I read pages 105-147.

The first story really gave a man's perspective, which was different than the last story we read. I found however, that I did not agree with his treatment of the woman he had been seeing. He promised her that he would marry her, then after dating her for six years he decides to marry another woman. This completely ruins the other women's life as it will be difficult to find someone who will marry her after she has been with another man for six years. I found it to be a very interesting cultural difference, because in the United States it is perfectly normal to date many people before finding the one you want to marry, however that is not the case in Afghanistan. She was the center of gossip. He also mentions that he still loves her and even says that to his new fiance. I felt bad for the both of them and how they were treated. I felt that it really showed how poorly women are treated in Afghanistan and how they are not viewed as equals. 

The second story I read was from a woman's perspective. She is another strong woman who ended up having to provide for her family as well. Her husband is wrongfully committed for a crime he did not commit and is moved around to many different jails. Eventually the isolation and sadness overwhelmed him and he became ill and died. She then also suffered the loss of her daughter who was accidentally shot while walking home from the store, when there was a battle outbreak. She has trouble providing for her family, but eventually gets a promotion and her life begins to turn around. Then a suitor comes to ask for her daughter's hand in marriage. He is at first wonderful and takes excellent care of her and her mother and family. He treats her with respect and it was a nice change to see a man respect his wife. However, his family becomes jealous and orders him to move back home. He obeys, and they all move back, and this is where his personality changes. He begins to treat her terribly and beats her and verbally abuses her. For a while they are separated, then move back together and for a while things are better, but he soon goes back to his old ways. He forces her to get an abortion from a "doctor" with only three months of training. The procedure is not done correctly and it eventually kills her. Her mother is horrified and tormented with guilt. She is given some piece of mind when he is blamed for her death and goes to jail. I was very sad that it had to end this way.