From the award-winning co-author of I Am Malala, this book asks just how the might of NATO, with 48 countries and 140,000 troops on the ground, failed to defeat a group of religious students and farmers? How did the West’s war in Afghanistan and across the Middle East go so wrong?

‘As a personal account of this sad, twisted story, Lamb's book is unlikely to be surpassed; gracious and humane, she always gives a fair hearing, while her observation is always needle sharp. It is one of the most rewarding and thought-provoking books by any journalist of my acquaintance’ Evening Standard ‘This is a journey through more than a decade of hell and futility, written vividly, with emotion but mercifully shorn of polemic … in this most captivating of war journals’ Observer ‘A spellbinding synthesis of analysis and highly personal reportage … Lamb's grasp of the back story enables her to weave illuminating historical context into the narrative’ Independent ‘She records with a clear eye and a longer perspective her successive encounters with the Afghans and their occupiers …she writes with sympathy and understanding … For anyone who wants to understand how Britain's road to Helmand was paved with well-meant but ill-founded intentions this magisterial memoir is the book to read and enjoy’ The Times ‘A brave and exceptional book … if you had to recommend one book on Afghanistan then ‘Farewell Kabul’ should be it" Daily Telegraph ‘As a personal account of this sad, twisted story, Lamb's book is unlikely to be surpassed; gracious and humane, she always gives a fair hearing, while her observation is always needle sharp. It is one of the most rewarding and thought-provoking books by any journalist of my acquaintance’ Evening Standard ‘Authoritative, wide-ranging and thoroughly readable, Lamb's knowledge and understanding of the region and its central players are impressively profound … Highly recommended’ Literary Review ‘A very good book … that sits with distinction in a growing library about where we – both Afghans and the international community – went wrong … Lamb has a forensic understanding of how things work and why they don’t. An impassioned, at moments anguished, love letter to Afghanistan’ New Statesman

Includes PS Section • This is the definitive account of the War in Afghanistan from a multiple bestselling author. • The multi award-winning Christina was named Foreign Correspondent of the year in the 2007 British Press Awards. She is amongst the very best in her field. • ‘I Am Malala’ has sold over 100k copies. ‘The Sewing Circles of Herat’ has sold over 24k copies and ‘Africa House’ has sold over 15k in hardback and 70k in paperback in the UK alone. ‘Small Wars Permitting’ sold over 14k copies. • The book will appeal to not only the ‘No Easy Day’ (TCM 74k) and ‘Zero Dark Thirty’ markets, but also those who read William Dalrymple’s ‘Return of a King’ (TCM 50k). • 453 British servicemen were killed in Afghanistan, 2,351 Americans, 13,000 Afghan servicemen and 675 other coalition personnel. 21,000 Afghan civilians were killed. The financial cost to the UK of Camp Bastion alone is £37bn. • Guaranteed author appearances in Australian literary festivals to build on her strong sales in ANZ markets. Competition: The Swallows of Kabul;Pakistan;Unwinnable;Christy Lefteri;Azadi;Black Flags;Afghanistan;The Afghanistan Papers;Ghost Wars;The Bookseller of Kabul. Robert Fisk;Anatol Lieven;Yasmina Khadra;Malala Yousafzai;Theo Farrell;Ashok Sharma;Joby Warrick;Thomas Barfield;Craig Whitlock;Steve Coll;Asne Seierstad