The Afghans: Three Lives through War, Love, and Revolt

by Asne Seierstad

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781639736263
Publisher:	Bloomsbury USA
Publication date:	08/05/2025
Pages:	448
Product dimensions:	6.12(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Åsne Seierstad is an award-winning Norwegian journalist and writer known for her work as a war correspondent. She is the author of The Bookseller of Kabul, One Hundred and One Days: A Baghdad Journal, and Angel of Grozny: Inside Chechnya. She lives in Oslo, Norway.

Editorial Reviews

Åsne Seierstad is the supreme non-fiction writer of her generation.” —Luke Harding

“Engrossing, important . . . There are many, many indelible images in Seierstad's account . . . As hard as it is to read about the attack . . . as monstrous as Breivik is, [his victims] on that island that day were beautiful in their idealism. They deserve to be witnessed, which is the ultimate reason to read One of Us.” —Maureen Corrigan, Fresh Air on ONE OF US

“Has the feel of a nonfiction novel . . . powerful and compelling.” —The New York Times Book Review on ONE OF US

“A masterpiece of journalism, a deeply painful chronicle of an inexplicable and horrifying attack that we'll likely never understand . . .[A] brilliant, unforgettable book.” —NPR on ONE OF US

“An admirable, revealing portrait of daily life in a country that Washington claims to have liberated but does not begin to understand.” —The Washington Post on THE BOOKSELLER OF KABUL

“Seierstad is a sharp and often lyrical observer.” —New York Times Book Review on THE BOOKSELLER OF KABUL

“Brilliantly conceived, scrupulously reported and beautifully written.” —Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer on TWO SISTERS

From the Publisher