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

Rosanne Klass

Odyssey, 2007 - Biography & Autobiography - 344 pages

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.

Contents

• Section 1: 12
• Section 2: 17
• Section 3: 56

About the author

Rosanne Klass spent several years teaching in Afghanistan during the 1950s, which became the basis for this book. She returned as a journalist for the New York Times and established the Afghanistan Information Center at Freedom House during the Soviet - Afghan war. She also co-authored and edited Afghanistan - the Great Game Revisited, which is the standard reference on that war. She lives in New York City.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good; Odyssey Books and Guide Series
• Author: Rosanne Klass
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Odyssey, 2007
• ISBN: 9622177867, 9789622177864
• Length: 344 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Personal Memoirs; Travel / Essays & Travelogues; Travel / Middle East / General