August in Kabul: America'S Last Days in Afghanistan

Told through the eyes of witnesses to the fall of Kabul, Walkley award-winning journalist Andrew Quilty's debut book offers a remarkable record of this historic moment. As night fell on 15 August 2021, the Taliban entered Kabul, capital of Afghanistan. After a 20-year conflict with the United States, its Western allies and a proxy Afghan government, the Islamic militant group once aligned with al Qaeda was about to bury yet another foreign foe in the graveyard of empires. And for the US, world superpower, this was yet another foreign disaster. As cities and towns fell to the Taliban in rapid succession, Western troops and embassy staff scrambled to flee a country of which its government had lost control. August in Kabul is the story of how America's longest mission came to an abrupt and humiliating end, told through the eyes of Afghans whose lives have been turned upside down: a young woman who harbours dreams of a university education; a presidential staffer who works desperately to hold things together as the government collapses around him; a prisoner in the notorious Bagram Prison who suddenly finds himself free when prison guards abandon their post. Andrew Quilty was one of only a handful of Western journalists who stayed in Kabul as the city fell. This is his first-hand account of those dramatic final days.

Table of Contents:
Author's Note Map Prologue Part 1: Early August - 'Everything was out of Control' 1. Antenna Post, Chak District, Maidan Wardak Province 2. Presidential Palace Kabul 3. Shah Shahid - Kabul-1 Part II: Mid-August - 'The Taliban are at the Gates' 4. Emirate City, Kabul 5. Resolute Mission Headquarters, Kabul 6. Shah Shahid - Kabul II 7. Parwan Detention Facility, Bagram District, Parwan Province Part 3: Late August - 'The War was now in Kabul' 8. Fort Myer, Virignia, USA 9. Deh Sabz District, Kabul 10. Emirate City, Kabul 11. Shah Shahid - Kabul III 12. Abbey Gate, Hamid Karzai International Airport 13. Hamid Karzai International Airport Index

About the Author :
Andrew Quilty is the recipient of nine Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley, for his work on Afghanistan, where he was based from 2013 to 2022. He has also received the George Polk Award, the World Press Photo Award and the Overseas Press Club of America award for his investigation into massacres committed by a CIA-backed Afghan militia. August in Kabul is his first book.

Review :
A gripping account. . . . Quilty's narrative is powerful and illuminating, weaving together the personal stories of resilience, fear, and hope that unfolded amidst the chaos. He skillfully highlights the complexities of the situation, providing readers with a nuanced understanding of the larger geopolitical forces at play and the far-reaching consequences of foreign intervention in Afghanistan in chronological order. . . . A vital contribution to the historical record, offering readers a remarkable and deeply human perspective on a pivotal moment in recent history. With meticulous research, powerful storytelling, Quilty crafts a narrative that will leave a lasting impact on readers, urging them to reflect on the complexities of war, its aftermath. August in Kabul is a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of the Afghan conflict and the profound impact it has had on individuals and nations alike. By foregrounding the stories of ordinary Afghans who must now pick up the pieces, [August in Kabul] makes for compelling reading. A vital eyewitness account by one of the few Western journalists to stay behind in Kabul throughout the evacuation. Quilty brings those hectic days in August to life on the page. Few foreign journalists have put in as much time, or as much heart, into Afghanistan over the past decade as Andrew Quilty. His dedication and integrity has been unwavering even in face of great danger, hardship and pressure. His work in exposing the wrongdoing committed by U.S. backed forces is unparalleled, and anyone wishing to understand the West's defeat after 20 years of war should read this book. "Andrew Quilty has written the definitive account of America's catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Blending courageous on-the-ground reporting with meticulous research, August in Kabul offers an authoritative and devastating answer to anyone who has wondered, How could this have happened? Quilty was not just in the mob outside of the airport as the last American aircraft left Kabul; he'd been living in the country, covering the events leading up to that moment, for the past nine years. Only someone with Quilty's deep experience could have written such a moving and revelatory chronicle, with such empathy and insight." Few foreign reporters have spent as much time in Afghanistan, or traveled the country as widely, as Andrew Quilty. As readers we are lucky that he was there when the Taliban captured Kabul. This astute and vivid first-hand account of the fall of Kabul, and of the fates of the people caught in the chaos, is a must-read. Quilty writes with passion, honesty and a photographer's eye for detail. You may know the ending, but he makes everything leading up to it a genuine page-turner. The book is a huge inspiration to people both in Afghanistan and outside Afghanistan. . . . An amazing contribution.