An Evening with Lyse Doucet - The Finest Hotel in Kabul

Join us for an evening with Lyse Doucet, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, as she talks about her new book The Finest Hotel in Kabul, a peoples history of Afghanistan.

When the Inter-Continental Hotel opened in Kabul in 1969, it reflected the hopes of the country: a glistening white edifice that embodied Afghanistan's dreams of becoming an affluent, modern power.

Five decades later, and the Inter-Continental is a dilapidated, shrapnel-damaged shell. It has endured civil wars, terrorist attacks, the US occupation, and the rise, fall and rise of the Taliban. But its decaying grandeur still hints at ordinary Afghans' hopes of stability and prosperity.

Lyse Doucet, the BBC's Chief International Correspondent, has been staying at the Inter-Continental since 1988. She has spent decades meeting its staff and guests, and listening to their stories. And now, she uses their experiences to offer an evocative history of modern Afghanistan. It is the story of Hazrat, the octogenarian receptionist who for five decades has been witnessing diplomats and journalists, mujahideen and US soldiers, passing through the hotel's doors. It is the story of Abida, the first female chef to work in the Inter-Continental's famous kitchen after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. And it is the story of Sadeq, the 24-year-old front-desk worker who personifies the ambitions of a new generation of Afghans.

The result is a remarkably vivid account of how ordinary Afghans have experienced half a century of disorder. It captures the soul of Afghanistan from within the walls of the Kabul Inter-Continental.

We look forward to welcoming Lyse Doucet to Oswestry to celebrate the publication of The Finest Hotel in Kabul. It promises to be a fascinating event.

Event Format:

Author talk 'in conversation' followed by audience Q&A and book signing / meet and greet

Tickets:

£12 without book (admits one, £10 redeemable against a signed copy of The Finest Hotel in Kabul) or £24 (admits one, includes signed copy of The Finest Hotel in Kabul)

Venue:

The Holroyd Community Theatre is accessed off the Gledrid junction of the A5 north of Oswestry and is sign posted off Station Road (left turn before railway crossing). On-site parking is available. The Theatre foyer has a bar where pre-event refreshments can be purchased.

Please let us know if you have an accessibility/mobility requirements.

Refunds:

It is our general policy not to refund event tickets unless an event has sold out. In the case of sold out events where we have a waiting list for tickets, we will attempt to sell on your tickets at face value, if notified 7 days prior to the event. If sold, you will receive a refund for the ticket value (excluding Eventbrite fees). Alternatively, you can request to transfer your tickets to another event, making up any difference in ticket price. Please contact us if you are unable to attend an event: hello@bookabookshop.co.uk for further advice.

Please contact us if you are unable to attend an event: hello@bookabookshop.co.uk for further advice.