Reed flute and gunpowder: Understanding the Afghan Taliban through their poetry

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Himal (Kathmandu), 14 January 2013
A review by AAN’s Thomas Ruttig of ‘The Poetry of the Taliban’, edited Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuehn (London: Hachette, 2012). He finds similarities with pre-war poetry, both in style and subject, and calls the anthology ‘not only a remarkable literary and sociological project but also a reminder that normal life still exists in Afghanistan. Poetry is a big part of that sphere of normality.’ And adds: ‘Perhaps an anthology of contemporary Afghan poetry, beyond those of the Taliban, would make for an interesting project for the future’.