The Afghans: Three Lives Through War, Love, and Revolt by Åsne Seierstad

"An astonishing feat of writing and reporting and one of the finest books written on Afghanistan in a generation." -Eliza Griswold, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Amity and Prosperity

"A valuable addition to the canon of literature on the country . . . [ Seierstad ] manages to achieve a rare intimacy." -New York Times Book Review

From the internationally bestselling author of The Bookseller of Kabul, an expansive, deeply felt portrait of Afghanistan, examining the human cost of wars fought, lost, and won.

From Soviet occupation to the rise of the Taliban, from the outbreak of the War on Terror to its disastrous fallout, The Afghans is an extraordinary journey told over the course of three lives. Since she was a girl, Jamila fought tirelessly for her education. At 25, strengthened by the Quran and supported by the flow of international aid that accompanied U.S. invasion, she set off on a campaign to lead Afghanistan to a better future. Meanwhile, teenager Bashir joined the Taliban, eager to kill infidels in a holy war he would one day lead. In their crosshairs, Ariana grew up with hopes of becoming a lawyer-only to have them dashed in 2021 as the U.S. military pulled out and the Taliban retook Kabul, shuttered schools, and wiped the country clean of Western influence.

Taking us through the Taliban's first year in power, The Afghans is an essential contribution to the American reckoning with our longest war and a profound work of empathy for three people shaped by a ruinous battle for the soul of their nation.

Åsne Seierstad has worked as a correspondent since 1993. She has written seven books and received numerous awards for her journalism. The Bookseller of Kabul was translated into over 40 languages. One of Us about Anders Breivik, was selected as one of the ten best books of 2015 by the New York Times and was awarded the 2018 Leipzig Book Award for European Understanding. Her latest work, Two Sisters, was awarded the Brage Prize in Norway.

Hardcover

2025