Kandahar Cockney by James Fergusson

Kandahar Cockney by James Fergusson

The remarkable and touching story of a singular friendship between the author (an affluent Western correspondent) and his Pashtun interpreter who meet in an Afghan war-zone and resume their friendship when Mir becomes an asylum seeker in London's East End. In the spring of 1997, James Fergusson, a young freelance British correspondent, encounters a local Pashtun interpreter named Mir in rebel-controlled Afghanistan. They soon become firm friends, with Mir an invaluable guide not only to the battle zone, but to the country's complex politics, culture and traditions. Not long after James's return home, Mir and his family are forced to flee Afghanistan, fearing for their lives. When Mir arrives in London seeking asylum, it is to James that he turns for help. Now their roles reverse: the guided becomes the guide as James introduces Mir to the bewildering customs of the infidel West. Yet in many ways it is Mir who remains the guide -- this time to a side of his own homeland that James had never noticed or engaged with before. He discovers whole communities of Afghans scattered throughout London, and the shadow economy in which asylum seekers are forced to work.

'Excellent, gripping and thought-provoking.. I thoroughly enjoyed it.' John Simpson'I read Kandahar Cockney in a single sitting. Not only is it suspenseful, but the descent into the strange and terrifying world of the asylum-seeker is both revealing and told with humour. This book is a bridge between two very different but sometimes oddly similar cultures. It reinforces my conviction that the British and the Afghans share many traits and values: a great sense of humour, abundant self-control, cheerful resilience in the face of enormous odds and a courage that is often heroic.' Nick Danziger'Part travel, part memoir, part biography, Kandahar Cockney is more than a remarkable and vivid portrait of an Afghan refugee in Britain: it captures the essence of modern exile itself, with its expectations and hopes, its setbacks and fears, and the immensity of the cultural divide between East and West. Sad, funny and poignant, it also provides a disturbing look at the British legal system in its too often arbitrary, casual -- and racist -- dealings with those who seek asylum. I don't think I have ever read a better picture of what exile means. A wonderful read: terrific writing. I loved the book' Caroline Moorehead

James Fergusson has written as a freelance journalist for many magazines and newspapers, including the Independent, The Times, Daily and Sunday Telegraph, Daily Mail. Economist, Prospect, GQ and Conde Nast Traveller, covering current affairs in Europe, North Africa, Central Asia and elsewhere. In 1998--2000 he was spokesman in Bosnia for the civilian peace-keeping force.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780007156962
ISBN 10	0007156960
Title	Kandahar Cockney
Author	James Fergusson
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	HarperCollins Publishers
Year published	2004-06-07
Number of pages	384
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable