About the Book: The Hotel on the Hill by Lyse Doucet is a powerful narrative nonfiction book tracing Afghanistan’s modern history through the iconic Inter-Continental Kabul hotel. From Soviet withdrawal and civil war to U.S. occupation and the Taliban’s return, Doucet tells the nation’s story through the lives of those who kept the hotel running — including a devoted housekeeper from its 1970s glory, the hotel’s first female chef post-Taliban, and young Afghans shaped by fleeting democracy. Rich in historical insight and human resilience, this immersive political biography captures the soul of Kabul through one enduring landmark.