In her bestseller The Bookseller of Kabul, the Norwegian journalist Åsne Seierstad offered a vivid portrait of Afghanistan before and after the fall of the Taliban regime in 2001. More than 20 years on, with the Taliban back in power, she is returning with a new book, The Afghans (Virago, £25, May 28), drawing on the stories of three individuals: Jamila, a women’s rights activist; Bashir, a Taliban commander; and Ariana, a law student. Through their lives and those of their families, the publisher says, “we experience the lead-up to the Taliban’s retaking power in 2021, how the first year of Taliban rule unfolded, and where this leaves Afghans today, and tomorrow”.