A focused history of women and popular culture in Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion, to 9/11, to the Taliban's takeover.How does normal social, cultural, religious life survive in constant turmoil? How can the people flourish? These basic questions are examined and answered by Razia Sultanova's academic analysis and deep fieldwork, with extensive eyewitness and personal contacts and conversations with a wide variety of Afghan men and women. She looks at basic questions of gender, identity, nation, tradition, history, popular culture and especially the role of music — classical, popular, modern and contemporary — as a vital element for survival. And all is over—shadowed by the Taliban with on—going threat of terror and repression especially for women and girls. Here is a classical story of a people's struggle for everyday normality and preservation of cherished traditions in a war—torn society.