SUE THAT HAS RECENTLY EXPLODED IN THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA - THE REALITY OF LIFE UNDER THE TALIBAN. YOUNG PARVANA LIVES WITH HER FAMILY IN ONE ROOM OF A BOMBED-OUT APARTMENT BUILDING IN KABUL, AFGHANISTAN. BECAUSE HE HAS A FOREIGN EDUCATION, HER FATHER IS ARRESTED BY THE TALIBAN, THE RELIGIOUS GROUP THAT CONTROLS THE COUNTRY. SINCE WOMEN CANNOT APPEAR IN PUBLIC UNLESS COVERED HEAD TO TOE, OR GO TO SCHOOL, OR WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME, THE FAMILY BECOMES INCREASINGLY DESPERATE UNTIL PARVANA CONCEIVES A PLAN. SHE CUTS HER HAIR AND DISGUISES HERSELF AS A BOY TO EARN MONEY FOR HER FAMILY. PARVANA'S DETERMINATION TO SURVIVE IS THE FORCE THAT DRIVES THIS NOVEL SET AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF AN INTOLERABLE SITUATION BROUGHT ABOUT BY WAR AND RELIGIOUS FANATICISM. DEBORAH ELLIS SPENT SEVERAL MONTHS TALKING WITH WOMEN AND GIRLS IN AFGHAN REFUGEE CAMPS IN PAKISTAN AND RUSSIA. THIS SUSPENSEFUL, TIMELY NOVEL IS THE RESULT OF THOSE ENCOUNTERS. ROYALTIES FROM THE SALE OF THE BREADWINNER WILL GO TOWARD EDUCATING AFGHAN GIRLS IN PAKISTANI REFUGEE CAMPS. "A POTENT PORTRAIT OF LIFE IN CONTEMPORARY AFGHANISTAN, SHOWING THAT POWERFUL HEROINES CAN SURVIVE EVEN IN THE MOST OPPRESSIVE ... CONDITIONS." अफगाणिस्तानातल्या तालिबानी राजवटीचा अमानुष, क्रूर चेहरा उघडा करणारी एक थरारकथा... कहाणी परवानाची. देशातल्या तमाम स्त्रियांना बुरख्याआड कोंडणा-या तालिबानी राक्षसांची नजर चुकवण्यासाठी पुरुषी कपडे घालून काबूलच्या रस्त्यावर उतरणा-या, आणि उद्ध्वस्त कुटुंबाला जगवण्यासाठी जिगर पणाला लावून लढणा-या एका बहाद्दर अफगाण मुलीची! कहाणी बेचिराख काबूलच्या सुनसान रस्त्यांवर तरंगणा-या रक्ताच्या तवंगाची... मेलेल्या मनांची, तरीही चिवटपणे जगणा-या सुंदर स्वप्नांची! कहाणी परवानाची युद्धाच्या वणव्यात होरपळणा-या प्रत्येकाचीच...