"A Cup of Friendship" - This Cup Runneth Over!

Before everyone thinks that I'm only going to give good reviews, you should know that it is just happenstance that the books I have read recently have all been brilliant - except one.  That book, entitled The President and the Assassin: McKinley, Terror, and Empire at the Dawn of the American Century, started out very promising with a well-written account of the assassination of President William McKinley by the anarchist Leon Czolgosz, but then quickly got mired down in the minutiae of McKinley's political and personal history, which could have used some editing.  Despite the great reviews, after 50 pages of plodding through the back story, I put the book down, never to be picked up again.  Therefore, I cannot give a definitive review.

*****

But I would like to provide my thoughts on the book I just finished reading, A Cup of Friendship, by Deborah Rodriguez.  Just as there are 'click flicks,' there are definitely 'chick reads' and this book would come under that heading.  Not that it is a light and fluffy read without any substance behind it, which is what I think most people believe about chick reads. Quite the contrary.  This book has all the earmarks of an enjoyable read for women - strong female characters, realistic romances and relationships, women's based issues, etc.  

Synopsis: Set in modern day Afghanistan, it tells the story of a group of people who have a coffee shop as the centerpiece of their lives.  The Coffee Shop, run by an American woman Sunny, welcomes anyone in search of a home away from home - expatriates, mercenaries, missionaries, etc.  Set primarily in Kabul, A Cup of Friendship tells the story of a group of people, living in a dangerous time and place but still attempting to keep some semblance of peace and order in their lives, loves and friendships.  These characters are thrown together by circumstance, bound by secrets and united by their friendship. 

Review: This bookworm went on an emotional roller coaster ride while reading this novel.  I laughed, I cried, I got angry over injustices and I fell in love with these well-written and well-loved characters.  The story is penned by someone who clearly has spent a good deal of time living in Afghanistan and has come to understand how this country functions ... or rather, doesn't function.  Ms. Rodriguez, who authored Kabul Beauty School, a memoir of her time spent in Afghanistan, has come to love the Afghan people and their traditions, while at the same time finding their antiquated views on relationships and women's rights infuriating.  Although a work of fiction, I have come away with a better understanding of life in Afghanistan and the Afghan people.  This novel is Ms. Rodriguez's first work of fiction and she should be commended for her realistic characters and beautiful storytelling.  A very enjoyable read!

Rating: 4 out of 5