The Gardener of Lashkar Gah: The Afghans who Risked Everything to Fight the Taliban

"Beautifully researched and deeply moving " - John Simpson, The Guardian "First-class...exhaustively researched and sensitively written" - The Times The extraordinary true story of the Afghans who risked their lives for us. The 20-year war in Afghanistan is the longest of the 21st century and resulted in tragedy and opportunity for those who lived through it. The sudden withdrawal of British and American troops in August 2021 allowed the Taliban to recapture the country, leading to turmoil for many Afghans who had served alongside NATO forces. This is the story of one such family. Following the journey of Shaista Gul who built a garden inside a British base in Lashkar Gah. Shaista and his family faced great danger and sacrifice, but also found hope and courage throughout the war. Larisa Brown - Defence Editor for The Sunday Times, award-winning journalist and a campaigner for the interpreters of Afghanistan - spent years with the family to tell their story and provides a unique insight into one family's bittersweet experience during the end of the 'War on Terror'.