Afghanistan Diary: 1992-2000

Rating:
Summary: Kabul turns to Rubble
Review: Edward Grazda shot these black and white photos during his visits to Afghanistan's Capitol, Kabul, over a period of eight years. For him, these photos reflect "A history and culture" being erased. Afghanistan today is one of the poorest, most devastated countries in the world. The ruling power, the Taliban, is very reluctant to allow visitors into their country because of their fear of the stories the visible suffering would generate. Because of this self imposed quarantine, Afghanistan is also one of the least understood countries. Grazda, through his photographs, has given us insights into the plight of these people.

I am not sure what it is about death and destruction that captivates a photographer's camera, but it must be a tinge of macabre. In "Afghanistan Diary," and through the eye of Edward Grazda, you will get a glimpse of the demented effect that the Taliban zealots have had in Afghanistan. Their oppressive and harsh treatment of women is well documented. The Talibans continue to be in the world news because they support terrorist training camps and harbor the accused terrorist Osama bin Laden. Most recently, March 2001, the Talibans blew up several enormous, priceless, Buddhist statues, which were carved into mountain walls between the second and fifth centuries AD.

Grazda's photographs, while interesting, are not captivating. The reproduction of the photos are often too dark, thus greatly diminishing their impact. If ever a story of struggling common people, amidst despair and depravation, needs to be told, it is in Afghanistan. But, this story is not visible here. Grazda has not laid out the photographs in a coherent manner. One photo will be of buildings riddled with bullets, then another of turbaned, armed Afghanistani's; which then, nonsensically gives way to another photograph of office workers and then a photo of an empty office with a calendar on the wall. Also, the five pages that journal Grazda's thoughts while he was in Afghanistan were uninspiring. Though I am grateful for the glimpse into the sorrow of this section of the world, I was disappointed by the reproduction quality, thematic layout and writing. Conditionally Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Kabul turns to Rubble
Review: Edward Grazda shot these black and white photos during his visits to Afghanistan's Capitol, Kabul, over a period of eight years. For him, these photos reflect "A history and culture" being erased. Afghanistan today is one of the poorest, most devastated countries in the world. The ruling power, the Taliban, is very reluctant to allow visitors into their country because of their fear of the stories the visible suffering would generate. Because of this self imposed quarantine, Afghanistan is also one of the least understood countries. Grazda, through his photographs, has given us insights into the plight of these people.

I am not sure what it is about death and destruction that captivates a photographer's camera, but it must be a tinge of macabre. In "Afghanistan Diary," and through the eye of Edward Grazda, you will get a glimpse of the demented effect that the Taliban zealots have had in Afghanistan. Their oppressive and harsh treatment of women is well documented. The Talibans continue to be in the world news because they support terrorist training camps and harbor the accused terrorist Osama bin Laden. Most recently, March 2001, the Talibans blew up several enormous, priceless, Buddhist statues, which were carved into mountain walls between the second and fifth centuries AD.

Grazda's photographs, while interesting, are not captivating. The reproduction of the photos are often too dark, thus greatly diminishing their impact. If ever a story of struggling common people, amidst despair and depravation, needs to be told, it is in Afghanistan. But, this story is not visible here. Grazda has not laid out the photographs in a coherent manner. One photo will be of buildings riddled with bullets, then another of turbaned, armed Afghanistani's; which then, nonsensically gives way to another photograph of office workers and then a photo of an empty office with a calendar on the wall. Also, the five pages that journal Grazda's thoughts while he was in Afghanistan were uninspiring. Though I am grateful for the glimpse into the sorrow of this section of the world, I was disappointed by the reproduction quality, thematic layout and writing. Conditionally Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: Kabul turns to Rubble
Review: Edward Grazda shot these black and white photos during his visits to Afghanistan's Capitol, Kabul, over a period of eight years. For him, these photos reflect "A history and culture" being erased. Afghanistan today is one of the poorest, most devastated countries in the world. The ruling power, the Taliban, is very reluctant to allow visitors into their country because of their fear of the stories the visible suffering would generate. Because of this self imposed quarantine, Afghanistan is also one of the least understood countries. Grazda, through his photographs, has given us insights into the plight of these people.

I am not sure what it is about death and destruction that captivates a photographer's camera, but it must be a tinge of macabre. In "Afghanistan Diary," and through the eye of Edward Grazda, you will get a glimpse of the demented effect that the Taliban zealots have had in Afghanistan. Their oppressive and harsh treatment of women is well documented. The Talibans continue to be in the world news because they support terrorist training camps and harbor the accused terrorist Osama bin Laden. Most recently, March 2001, the Talibans blew up several enormous, priceless, Buddhist statues, which were carved into mountain walls between the second and fifth centuries AD.

Grazda's photographs, while interesting, are not captivating. The reproduction of the photos are often too dark, thus greatly diminishing their impact. If ever a story of struggling common people, amidst despair and depravation, needs to be told, it is in Afghanistan. But, this story is not visible here. Grazda has not laid out the photographs in a coherent manner. One photo will be of buildings riddled with bullets, then another of turbaned, armed Afghanistani's; which then, nonsensically gives way to another photograph of office workers and then a photo of an empty office with a calendar on the wall. Also, the five pages that journal Grazda's thoughts while he was in Afghanistan were uninspiring. Though I am grateful for the glimpse into the sorrow of this section of the world, I was disappointed by the reproduction quality, thematic layout and writing. Conditionally Recommended.

Rating:
Summary: A photographic documentation of a land torn by war
Review: The Taliban of Afghanistan have forbidden and banned the taking of photographs of its citizens. This religion-based edict has been severely enforced since the mid 1990s. Edward Grazda's Afghanistan Diary: 1992-2000 is a photographic documentation of a people and a land torn by war, religious fanaticism, power politics, pandemic poverty, and the collapse of cultural, educational, political, and economic institutions. Grazda's powerful, gripping black-and-white photography and text are a stirring testament to the force and authority of an Islamic fundamentalism in total control of the daily life and functions of a battered people.

Rating:
Summary: Classic black & white photojournalism of a tragic conflict
Review: These photographs are the authentic face of Afghanistan in the 1990s. Those that have been there will recognize the situations, people, and places. For those that have not, this is as close to the spirit as images can get. The tragedy of the conflict and the endurance of the Afghans despite it all are shown throughout this collection.

Rating:
Summary: Classic black & white photojournalism of a tragic conflict
Review: These photographs are the authentic face of Afghanistan in the 1990s. Those that have been there will recognize the situations, people, and places. For those that have not, this is as close to the spirit as images can get. The tragedy of the conflict and the endurance of the Afghans despite it all are shown throughout this collection.

Rating:
Summary: LACKS SUBSTANCE AND QUALITY
Review: What this book does point out is the imposed limitations and oppressive treatment of women, and a country torn by war, unrest and political upheavel. Death and destruction seem to prevail though this short book, which leaves the reader with the impression there is nothing more worth mentioning about the country other than the Taliban movement who harbors the accused terrorist, Osama bin Laden. We learn little about the Afghanistan people other than that of the Taliban. If the reader is searching for answers in this book, they will not likely find them.

The quality of the black and white photographs is extremely poor, so much so that some are hardly worth printing. The overall consensus of the book was that it lacked substance, quality and insightful information; the reading was equally as dark and gloomy.