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Kaboul Disco #2
Kabul Disco Vol.2: How I managed not to get addicted to Opium in Afghanistan
A satirical autobiography about a young Frenchman and his hilarious, yet poignant, adventures in the heart of Afghanistan.
It’s 2005. Nicolas Wild is a French cartoonist. He’s broke and about to be homeless. He’s a man without a plan. That is until destiny shows up in his inbox: a paid job… In Afghanistan! In his graphic Travelogue series, Nicolas Wild brilliantly explores the differences between the Afghan cultures around him and his own, as he and his fellow expat friends crash Asura celebrations, avoid the afterlife, and muse on the differences between Christian Easter egg hunts and Islamic penance.
It’s 2005. Nicolas Wild is a French cartoonist. He’s broke and about to be homeless. He’s a man without a plan. That is until destiny shows up in his inbox: a paid job… In Afghanistan! In his graphic Travelogue series, Nicolas Wild brilliantly explores the differences between the Afghan cultures around him and his own, as he and his fellow expat friends crash Asura celebrations, avoid the afterlife, and muse on the differences between Christian Easter egg hunts and Islamic penance.
176 pages, Paperback
First published November 6, 2008
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 29, 2021
Nicolas Wild continues his comic diary about working for a communications company producing government propaganda in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2005. It's mostly boring anecdotes about co-workers who are barely named, much less given personalities, with the only intrigue coming from the fact that it's Dilbert happening in what is basically a war zone. He spends soooo much of his time sitting in cafes eating and having drinks, but the fun and games screech to a halt when a riot breaks out. But even that can't really lift this book out of its flat groove for long.
July 28, 2020
This...is a really underrated gem! By far one of the best comics concerning Middle East!
I really cannot wait for the third book!
I really cannot wait for the third book!
July 18, 2012
J'ai lu sur un site : "Kaboul disco... Comment je suis devenu acro à l'Afghanistan", et ça résume tout à fait mon sentiment après avoir lu l'oeuvre de Nicolas Wild:
Le premier tome : "Kaboul disco - Comment je ne me suis pas fait kidnapper en Afghanistan"
le deuxième : "Kaboul disco - Comment je ne suis pas devenu opiomane en Afghanistan"
Dans un style très dynamique et un peu caustique, il nous raconte son expérience de l'Afghanistan et de Kaboul en particulier. L'histoire démarre alors qu'il peine à vivre de son métier de dessinateur, il squatte chez un copain... et finalement, il tombe sur une offre d'emploi pour graphiste dans une petite entreprise de communication à ... Kaboul ! Il quitte alors l'Alsace et la France pour la capitale afghane, sans aucune expérience antérieure de pays en guerre et surtout sans avoir conscience que la guerre ne s'est jamais arrêtée en Afghanistan.
L'histoire est narrée dans un ton léger, comique, très facile à lire (une soirée environ par tome, voire moins pour les férus de lecture) et participe à étoffer un peu plus notre connaissance de la situation en Afghanistan. Quelque chose de plus que la liste de nombre de blessés ou de tués parmis les soldats de l'OTAN.
Vivement le tome 3 !
Le premier tome : "Kaboul disco - Comment je ne me suis pas fait kidnapper en Afghanistan"
le deuxième : "Kaboul disco - Comment je ne suis pas devenu opiomane en Afghanistan"
Dans un style très dynamique et un peu caustique, il nous raconte son expérience de l'Afghanistan et de Kaboul en particulier. L'histoire démarre alors qu'il peine à vivre de son métier de dessinateur, il squatte chez un copain... et finalement, il tombe sur une offre d'emploi pour graphiste dans une petite entreprise de communication à ... Kaboul ! Il quitte alors l'Alsace et la France pour la capitale afghane, sans aucune expérience antérieure de pays en guerre et surtout sans avoir conscience que la guerre ne s'est jamais arrêtée en Afghanistan.
L'histoire est narrée dans un ton léger, comique, très facile à lire (une soirée environ par tome, voire moins pour les férus de lecture) et participe à étoffer un peu plus notre connaissance de la situation en Afghanistan. Quelque chose de plus que la liste de nombre de blessés ou de tués parmis les soldats de l'OTAN.
Vivement le tome 3 !
October 9, 2017
Not a bad memoir I liked his style, reminds me of Guy Delisle a lot , I'm always open to learning more about what goes on in Afghanistan and he delivered his story fine.
December 4, 2019
Un tome 2 qui m'a peut-être encore plus plu que le tome 1 que j'avais déjà énormément apprécié.
On y retrouve l'humour et le détachement ironique de Nicolas Wild qui pour autant ne cachent pas son humanité et son intérêt profond pour l'Afghanistan et surtout pour ses habitants.
Dans ce tome 2, les événements se précipitent et on ressent une certaine urgence qui était moins présente dans Comment je ne me suis pas fait kidnapper en Afghanistan (malgré son titre), ça rend la lecture d'autant plus haletante.
On y retrouve l'humour et le détachement ironique de Nicolas Wild qui pour autant ne cachent pas son humanité et son intérêt profond pour l'Afghanistan et surtout pour ses habitants.
Dans ce tome 2, les événements se précipitent et on ressent une certaine urgence qui était moins présente dans Comment je ne me suis pas fait kidnapper en Afghanistan (malgré son titre), ça rend la lecture d'autant plus haletante.
May 27, 2020
This book is much better than the first one in the series. It is funnier and gives a slightly better view of life in Afghanistan. Nicolas works on a campaign to stop the growing of opium but eventually realizes the futility of it.
Nicolas Wild does remind me of another French Cartoonist Guy Delisle. It was also funny that I mentioned The photographer in the review of the first book and here in the second book, there is a picture of him with Nicolas Wild. A decent read.
Nicolas Wild does remind me of another French Cartoonist Guy Delisle. It was also funny that I mentioned The photographer in the review of the first book and here in the second book, there is a picture of him with Nicolas Wild. A decent read.
December 29, 2017
A slice of living in Kabul at it's transition point from Taliban to democracy, from an expat's eyes, this book left a warm feeling in my heart for Kabul and the Afghans. Great artwork and storytelling, too.
August 3, 2019
Toujours aussi bien écrit. Je l'ai lu d'une traite:))
February 8, 2014
Kabul Disco Vol. 2: How I Did Not Become An Opium Addict In Afghanistan, continues the story of Nicolas Wild, a French comic book artist and graphic designer who takes a position with a "communications and community building" enterprise in Kabul when viable employment opportunities at home dry up. While Kabul Disco Vol. 1 is funny and explores the "stranger in a strange land" concept (with generous doses of self-deprecating humor), Vol. 2 is about Nicolas renewing his contract with Zendagui and willingly choosing to make Kabul is home. The harsh and hard realities of a country in crisis and struggling with the forces of modernity are skillfully explored through both the narrative and the illustrations. Nicolas, in this story, begins to see Afghanistan as more than quaint tea-drinking customs and unfamiliar clothes, and he begins to look deeper at the motives of the many NGOs and government agencies often stepping over one another in the name of "progress."
This book ends with a very sweet full color section that shows shows of Nicolas' design work and photos of his colleagues featured in the story. Supposedly a Volume 3 is in the works? I'd certainly look forward to finding that - even though it means a special order as these books are published by Harper Collin India and not widely available in the United States - what's up with that?
This book ends with a very sweet full color section that shows shows of Nicolas' design work and photos of his colleagues featured in the story. Supposedly a Volume 3 is in the works? I'd certainly look forward to finding that - even though it means a special order as these books are published by Harper Collin India and not widely available in the United States - what's up with that?
November 26, 2014
This is second part of the book; it was a breeze to read. It covers a brief overview of rise of Taliban by way of history. This time Nicolas works on a project to stop opium harvest in Afghanistan. But soon enough, it proves to be a futile activity.
This book is little less witty than the first one, but still fun to read. Some of new characters except perhaps Pakistani accountant, who offered a few laughs, were not very interesting.
It was perversely fun and ironic to read about their evacuation and how Jeff was 'rescued' anf quite heartening to note how Afghani neighbors protect the expats when they are under threat.
P.S: For me, personally, it was a surprise to see a pic of French photographer, Didier Lefevre, who wrote 'The Photographer' about his expeditions in Afghanistan with Doctors without Borders. Since the moment I had picked up these books, I have been thinking of Didier and his book 'The Photographer'.
This book is little less witty than the first one, but still fun to read. Some of new characters except perhaps Pakistani accountant, who offered a few laughs, were not very interesting.
It was perversely fun and ironic to read about their evacuation and how Jeff was 'rescued' anf quite heartening to note how Afghani neighbors protect the expats when they are under threat.
P.S: For me, personally, it was a surprise to see a pic of French photographer, Didier Lefevre, who wrote 'The Photographer' about his expeditions in Afghanistan with Doctors without Borders. Since the moment I had picked up these books, I have been thinking of Didier and his book 'The Photographer'.
June 19, 2012
El primer tomo resultaba curioso e interesante, éste es un tanto repetitivo, aunque la experiencia de la evacuación de la ciudad resulte realmente trepidante. ¿Hay un tercero? ¿No aprenderá este hombre a estarse quieto?
La traducción un tanto irregular. ¿Problemas de presupuesto obligaron a traducir solo los diálogos y no permitieron modificar los textos de las viñetas?
La traducción un tanto irregular. ¿Problemas de presupuesto obligaron a traducir solo los diálogos y no permitieron modificar los textos de las viñetas?
September 1, 2019
Un cómic de autoficcion geopolítica o como queramos llamar al subgénero en el que marcan la pauta las novelas gráficas de Guy Delisle. Aquí se añade un punto más de surrealismo y de humor ácido. Probablemente estuvo bien en su momento pero ahora suena a dejavu, es el momento de oír la historia de estos países a través de autores locales y la visión de los visitantes extranjeros aporta poco
March 12, 2010
Divertida novela gráfica sobre las vivencias de Nicolas Wild, un dibujante que trabaja en un proyecto para intentar disminuir el consumo del opio.
August 16, 2014
A brilliant evocation of life for foreign experts in post-Taliban Afghanistan...
December 31, 2014
Nicolas continues his adventures and observations in Afghanistan. I found this more entertaining and endearing than the first one.
June 11, 2025
A delight from start to finish, takes you through the horror by your hand but always with a wry smile on its face.
April 23, 2016
Enjoyed the first book a little more. This one not-so-much.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews