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Good Reading : March 2012
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general non-fiction March 2012 main Opium Nation Fariba Nawa At the age of nine, Fariba Nawa and her family fled Afghanistan for the United States. After almost 20 years spent living in America – feeling the loss of her homeland and guilt that she had escaped to live a comfortable life while many remained in far from ideal conditions – Fariba decided to finally return to her homeland. While this account is a personal journey, it also exposes the rampant drug trade in Afghanistan – a trade that financed the Taliban and corrupt Afghan officials among others. Fariba looks at how smugglers and farmers initially benefited but then became reliant on poppy farming and the opium trade. Many were to become addicts, and their widows were often left with overwhelming debt if their husbands died or went missing while drug smuggling and didn’t complete their drug delivery. Fariba was moved by many stories, including that of 12-year-old Darya, who had been sold by her father (who remains missing) to a significantly older man to cover an opium debt. She appeals to Fariba to help her escape a fate that will condemn a young, smart girl to a life of slavery. A significant part of the book centres on saving Darya. Opium Nation is the story of Fariba reuniting with family, starting a new family and engaging with her heritage. Unfortunately, despite her strong connection with Afghanistan, Fariba was forced to return again to the United States in 2007 when things became increasingly dangerous. This fascinating and terrifying read is highly recommended. HarperCollins $19.99 e Reviewed by Melissa Wilson March 2012 main The Things That Nobody Knows: 501 mysteries of life, the universe and everything William Hartston Have you ever found yourself musing over the mysteries of life? Perhaps you’ve wondered about what’s at the centre of a black hole or what your dog is thinking about as he gazes up at you with those big brown eyes. Well, you’re not the only one. This book takes on the rather tricky task of investigating those burning questions – 501 to be exact – to which we just can’t seem to find an answer. Hartston investigates whether fish can feel pain, what colour dinosaurs were, what’s so special about prime numbers and how bumblebees are able to fly while defying the laws of physics. The entries are categorised for easy referencing, so you can easily brush up on the enigmas of cosmology, mathematics, science, literature, art and all things in between. Rather than providing definitive answers to these questions, however, Hartston instead explores our lack of knowledge surrounding these mysteries, how researchers have tackled them in the past and the different avenues that researchers may take in the future. While some of the mysteries are occasionally dull, the book as a whole is very entertaining and enlightening. I guarantee that The Things That Nobody Knows will have you thinking and philosophising in no time. Atlantic $35.00 e Reviewed by Alesha Evans 36_37_WOM_a.indd 37 9/2/12 8:49:08 PM
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