Book summary

In this appealing oddball memoir, Deborah Rodriguez, an impetuous Michigan hair-dresser, flees her miserable marriage, relocates to Kabul, and opens a beauty academy. The culture clash is both inevitable and hilarious, as women used to ultraconservative Taliban rule are suddenly exposed to thong underwear and the make-over. Afghanistan is obviously not all sunny salon fun, and Rodriguez also writes with passion about the oppressive conditions under which many women suffer. Overall, though, KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL is a quixotic cosmetic delight.

Media reviews

"[Deborah Rodriguez's] bighearted and entertaining memoir...has a gossipy, conversational style...[and] the results are delightful...but Rodriguez never shies away from the misery and oppression she encounters...."