99 Nights in Logar

By: Jamil Jan Kochai

Narrated by: Ali Nasser

“Funny, razor-sharp, and full of juicy tales that feel urgent and illicit . . . the author has created a singular, resonant voice, an American teenager raised by Old World Afghan storytellers.” —New York Times Book Review

“More than well crafted; it’s phenomenal. . . . Kochai’s book has a big heart.” —The Guardian

A dog on the loose. A boy yearning to connect to his family's roots. A country in the midst of great change. And a vibrant exploration of the power of stories--the ones we tell each other and the ones we find ourselves in.

Twelve-year-old Marwand's memories from his previous visit to Afghanistan six years ago center on his contentious relationship with Budabash, the terrifying but beloved dog who guards his extended family's compound in the rural village of Logar. But eager for an ally in this place that is meant to be "home," Marwand misreads his reunion with the dog and approaches Budabash the way he would any pet on his American suburban block--and the results are disastrous: Marwand loses a finger, and Budabash escapes into the night.

Marwand is not chastened and doubles down on his desire to fit in here. He must get the dog back, and the resulting search is a gripping and vivid adventure story, a lyrical, funny, and surprisingly tender coming-of-age journey across contemporary Afghanistan that blends the bravado and vulnerability of a boy's teenage years with an homage to familial oral tradition and calls to mind One Thousand and One Nights yet speaks with a voice all its own.

Great story and great narration

I experienced this novel like a story of more and more stories, and I loved each one. A combination of the story and narration gave me nostalgia for a reality I have not come close to actually having. Marwand’s character captures the boredom and intensity of what can unfold in an adolescent’s summer vacation. I didn’t have to be Afghan to feel the awkward moments when relationships weren’t going well or relate to his experiences with the dog. I really appreciate getting a glimpse of oral tradition in Afghanistan.

If you don’t speak the language or know the culture it’s hard to follow!

Too hard to follow references to things in another language without background or explanations or further references to meaning. Could not finish book. Just not enough background on culture. If you lived in his country you would better understand what he is talking about in the book. Otherwise so much is just not clear.