Last Caravan: Touring Afghanistan During the 1978 April Revolution
In Last Caravan: Touring Afghanistan During the 1978 April Revolution, Spokane author Penelope Rundle reveals a journal kept during a tour of Kabul, Khyber Pass and the famous Buddahs of Bamiyan in April 1978 during what became the April Revolution. Political tensions were high prior to the trip but they overflowed into a military coup during their stay.
This timely topic sheds some light on the conditions of the Afghanistan political landscape today. The text provides insight into the people, the culture, and the locale. Over 70 color photographs highlight the sights of the capitol city, the now infamous Khyber Pass, and the recently destroyed statues in the ancient city of Bamiyan.
Accompanying the text is a historical timeline of Afghanistan showing it as a central figure in ancient trade routes, a focal point for war, and recently an encampment for terrorist organizations.
Penelope Rundle shares the experiences of the tour including the problems of transportation, sanitary facilities, and questionable accommodations. From shopping in the markets on Chicken Street in downtown Kabul to the specter of the Red City and the dizzying heights atop the Buddhist statues at Bamiyan her story is fascinating and poignant.
About the Author: Penelope Rundle was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and grew up in Bangladesh, Europe, Somalia, and Trinidad and Tobago. She studied French language and literature at the Sorbonne, Paris, France. She earned a bachelor’s degree in French and journalism, and a master’s degree in Spanish from Simmons College, Boston, Massachusetts. After returning from Iran to Boston, she earned a law degree from Suffolk University and a master of public health from Harvard. She has worked as a parent, writer, teacher, and lawyer.
Other appearances and signing dates are scheduled for:
Thursday, March 25th at the Coeur d’Alene Library 6:00-8:00 pm
Friday, March 27th at the Shadle Hasting’s on Wellesley 2:00-5:00 pm
Saturday, April 10th at the Hasting’s on 29th Avenue 1:00-3:00 pm
Saturday, April 17th at the Hasting’s on Sullivan 2:00-5:00 pm
With more to come…..
To purchase copies of Last Caravan, ask your favorite bookstore or click here to order direct from the Gray Dog Press.