The Finest Hotel in Kabul

Lyse Doucet's book tells the story of Afghanistan through the lens of the Inter-Continental Kabul hotel. Opening in 1969, the hotel symbolized Afghanistan’s aspirations for modernity and connection to the world. Over the years, it has endured numerous challenges including Soviet occupation, coups, civil war, US invasion, and the rise and fall of the Taliban. The author, the BBC’s Chief International Correspondent, has been staying at the hotel since 1988 and uses its history to craft an immersive narrative of Afghanistan's modern history. The book features stories of individuals such as Hazrat, a housekeeper from the 1970s; Abida, the first female chef after the fall of the Taliban in 2001; and Malalai and Sadeq, staff members who experienced Afghanistan’s fragile democracy and subsequent Taliban resurgence. It offers a vivid account of how Afghans have survived decades of upheaval, presenting the history of a nation through the story of a hotel and its people.