The Finest Hotel in Kabul : A People’s History of Afghanistan

Author: Lyse Doucet

Afghanistan

Published on 3 September 2026 by Cornerstone (Penguin (Cornerstone)) in the United Kingdom.

Paperback | 448 pages
129 x 197 x 28 | 378g

WINNER OF THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2026The Sunday Times BestsellerShortlisted for the Nero Book AwardsShortlisted for the RSL Ondaatje PrizeShortlisted for the RSL Christopher Bland PrizeLonglisted for the Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-FictionThe Times, Financial Times, Guardian, Observer and Economist Book of the Year 2025A sweeping and immersive history of modern Afghanistan – the first book from one of the world’s leading war correspondents.

'Simply unforgettable' ELIF SHAFAK'Terrific' THE TIMES'Incredible' PETER FRANKOPAN'Powerful and charming' FINANCIAL TIMES'Utterly compelling' PHILIPPE SANDS'Masterly' TELEGRAPH'Ingenious' KAMILA SHAMSIE'A must-read' SUNDAY TIMES'Beautiful' RORY STEWARTIn 1969, the Hotel Inter-Continental Kabul opened its doors: a glistening white box, high on a hill, that reflected Afghans’ hopes of a modern, democratic future.

In the decades since, its staff have endured two coups, a Soviet occupation, the US invasion, and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. The Inter-Con has never closed its doors.

Here, Lyse Doucet offers a vividly human history of modern Afghanistan through the lives of the people who have passed through its battered halls.

It is the story of a hotel, and the story of a people.

‘Haunting, hopeful and occasionally harrowing . . . much more than a history. It is a love letter to Afghanistan and its people.’ Sunday Times‘Full of warmth, wit, and a lovely eye for the human stories that make the hotel not just a monument to tragedy, but also love and resilience.’ Financial Times‘Beautifully written and observed . . . One of the finest journalists of her generation.’ Observer‘Wonderfully human . . . A masterly evocation of a supremely complex decade in Afghanistan’s history.’ Daily Telegraph‘A monument to Afghan resilience and to the bravery and persistence of its staff . . . Witty, observant and sometimes heartbreaking.’ Guardian