IN DISPATCHES from the Kabul Cafe journalist Heidi Kingstone creates a number of sketches that when drawn together provide a fascinating insight into life in war-torn Afghanistan.

Kingstone lived in the expat community between 2007 and 2011, and she creates a picture of life there illuminated by an array of characters. They include mercenaries, soldiers, cleaners, NGO workers, fashionistas, activists and people struggling to get by.

It is not all blood and destruction, though, with Kingstone able to convey a real love for Afghanistan and its people — something that is all too rare in accounts written about that country over the past few decades.

The author adopts an objective position while giving real insight to the individuals concerned. Remarkably, she even manages to achieve this feat regarding those with whom she has passing relationships, accounts which add a certain amount of spice and perspective to proceedings.

Kingstone lived for most of the period in Kabul working for various publications, while trying to illuminate the story of women’s rights and this theme comes through in various sketches — from the revolutionary girl Chasing to Duncan, the cleaner who doesn’t like cleaning but loves to dance.

What comes over strongly is the problem of Westerners trying to impose their concept of rights, without ever really acquainting themselves with what Afghan women are up against in a deeply chauvinistic society.

At times the reader would like to know more and maybe there could be a stronger narrative thread between sketches but overall the book presents a comprehensive picture of a war-torn country by blending together accounts of the people who live there and those coming into “help.”

Its great strength is that while it brings home scenes of poverty and death, there’s no cloying pity. The Afghans emerge as a proud people, whose land has been abused but it remains a fantastic place to be. Kingstone evokes the joy and excitement of daily life in Kabul along with the buzz of life as a reporter in a war zone with the constant threat of death — a number of her friends die either during or after her time in Afghanistan.

There’s also something of an intrigue about Kingstone herself, with the book offering insights into her personality that makes the reader want to know more about the subject and its scribe — a job well done.

Review by Paul Donovan