The Wasted Vigil

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by Nadeem Aslam
A lyrical, poignant and blistering novel set in and commenting on the plight of contemporary Afghanistan from the points of view of a female Afghani doctor, her English husband, an ex CIA operative, a Russian woman searching for the truth about the death of her Soviet soldier brother, a US special operations soldier,  and a fervent jihadist. Their lives intertwine in an unexpected way at the enchanting home of the Englishman, whose wife, in order to protect their library during the reign of the Taliban, frantically nailed the books onto the ceiling (hence the cover).  No one escapes responsibility for the plight of the decades long war in Aslam’s telling of it, least of all the Afghani’s themselves.  This is the best novel I have read about the state of Afghanistan and the Middle East, bar none as it brings together so many of the elements in play today.  Highly recommended!

wastedvigilby Nadeem Aslam

A lyrical, poignant and blistering novel set in and commenting on the plight of contemporary Afghanistan from the points of view of a female Afghani doctor, her English husband, an ex CIA operative, a Russian woman searching for the truth about the death of her Soviet soldier brother, a US special operations soldier,  and a fervent jihadist. Their lives intertwine in an unexpected way at the enchanting home of the Englishman, whose wife, in order to protect their library during the reign of the Taliban, frantically nailed the books onto the ceiling (hence the cover).  No one escapes responsibility for the plight of the decades long war in Aslam’s telling of it, least of all the Afghani’s themselves.  This is the best novel I have read about the state of Afghanistan and the Middle East, bar none as it brings together so many of the elements in play today.  Highly recommended!