The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad

A journalist's (and a woman's) account of living with an Afghani family for a year just after the fall of the Taliban. I'd wondered what a woman's life is like in a society where women have few freedoms and fewer privileges. Eye-opening. She also gives some glimpses into what Afghanistan was like in the 60's - glorious. It's a heartwrenching and sobering read, but well worth it.