Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good

A memoir of lost Afghanistan.

When the going was good, a young American woman traveled to the then-remote country of Afghanistan. A classic memoir in the tradition of Rebecca West, Rosanne Klass's Land of the High Flags is an insightful account of the land and its proud people. She was the first woman to teach boys from the country's villages, at a time when Afghan women were still kept hidden behind veils. Ms. Klass writes of Afghan traditions, of stark, splendid landscapes, and of the enduring friendships she made at a time when Afghanistan was reaching out to a hopeful future. Hailed by critics when it first appeared, this reissue of a classic includes additional new sections telling of her return to Afghanistan as a journalist—and of what became of the friends she brought to life for her readers. This is a vivid portrait of Afghanistan as it was before Afghan life was blasted into ruins like the great Buddhas of Bamian by the wars and the Taliban. 16 black & white photos, 1 map.