The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan
By: Kim Barker / Narrated By: Kirsten Potter
Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
Looking for darkly comedic? Comedic darkness? Looking for good writing? Uhm…?
Now, ‘pon first blush, The Taliban Shuffle seems like exACTly the kinda writing I’d take to: A cockeyed view of a region gone wrong, and a woman trying to do her best, report the facts, all whilst trying to live her best life. -But- she’d settle for a mediocre one… as long as there’d be a drink or two at the end of the day (In a “Dry” country!). Huzzah for Mediocrity!!!
Uhm, hmm…
At first, Barker had me, and her writing, her thoughts were just outlandish enough that I was googling schtuff to see if this was all real. Always a good sign, that desire to do a bit o’ extra digging! -AND- she was calling out Bush (And Cheney tho’ she doesn’t say: AND CHENEY!!!!) for the debacle that dragged on for years where IT should have been the focus— instead of moving past and invading Iraq for Halliburton’s oil-longings.
Oops, devolving into rage I see… Now back to this book… with my apologies…
But then her thoughts start showing her to be a grossly immature individual sooo out of touch with the culture around her, not even trying to broaden her mind to differences. And she’s harsh. And judgmental. And OY does she COMPLAIN, or what?! In war-ravaged and desperately impoverished Afghanistan! I mean, did she have to include that she complained ceaselessly about her colored clothes being mixed in with her whites when someone ELSE was serving her and doing HER laundry?! Seriously… you want the public to know just what an Ugly American you felt you had a right to be… well, huh…
Now, don’t expect heart-stopping, pulse-pounding action, as Barker is usually thinking about just how drunk she’s going to get in her whole: Kabul High (As in: High school for cripes sake). I get it, this is a memoir and not a serious piece of journalism. But aside from her wiping her bloody hand on her trousers after the carnage of a successful assassination, she keeps herself remarkably centered in the whole: Can’t wait to sing Karaoke in a brothel later. Okay okay okay… I’m soooo being harsh, and let’s give PTSD its due. Dissociation is part and parcel of trauma, so of COURSE she ain’t There in the Carnage. -But- it’s pretty goshdanged annoying, esPECially when I was hoping that a woman was going to represent her gender in a better light.
Kirsten Potter, whom I’m used to doing fairly serious works, gives a grand performance here. When Barker squawks rePEATedly from butt-grabs she suffers whilst trying to do some actual reporting (You know, Barker, that thing JOURNALISTS do?), Potter’s voice has just the right note of long-suffering outrage… almost enough to make me feel for Barker as a woman reporting in a patriarchal society. Aaaaalmost is NOT enough, however. So I heavily relied on Potter delivering The MOST Glib lines that Barker speaks, The MOST Trivial thoughts that run through her head, and I DESperately clung to those as “amusing” lest I pop off and scream about how inCREDibly shallow Barker is. I do like Kirsten Potter, and I always look forward to her nonfiction. And I thank her oh sooo much for her diverting narration here.
It’s always a nice thing when ya write something specifically to be turned into a film. She doesn’t say it, but boy does she craft each little scenario as tho’: Gosh! This would make a great movie! But, hey: When they get Tina Fey to play you? NOT good. She’s a wonderfully witty actress, but dude! do you reeeeally wanna come off as THAT much of a git? That your “journalism” takes a backseat to oh the wacky things you do, say, think?
Nope, this ain’t journalism, and I s’pose Barker ain’t going for that. That said?
Good COW then! What on earth IS she going for?!?
Thank goodness for the bloodied hand cuz I think I woulda really really Wanted My Hours Back. I gueeeessss I can cut her some slack for what I’m HOPing is PTSD. Not that I’d wish PTSD on anyone, but it sure would go a looong way towards excusing some incredibly juvenile behavior…
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