Three Women of Heart

In the years before the communist coup and the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, Veronica Doubleday set up home in the ancient city of Herat. At first, her only glimpses of women were as shadows - faceless and voiceless. Gradually, however, she began to meet them in the seclusion of their homes. She formed particular friendships with three young mothers who welcomed her into their lives, teaching her their customs and music and sharing the details of their everyday existence. She witnessed their most personal moments: the births and deaths of their children, their marriages and celebrations, religious holidays, healings, and rituals. In 1979, the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. The country Doubleday had come to love changed irreparably and for some years she lost all contact with her friends. Incredibly, during a recent visit to Herat, she met many of them again. This is a remarkable story and a poignant record of life in an Afghanistan that no longer exists.