Uzès Book Club

In March we will be discussing “The Finest Hotel in Kabul” by Lyse Doucet. Lyse Doucet first arrives at the Kabul Inter-Continental Hotel on Christmas Day 1988, the day after her thirtieth birthday, to cover the withdrawal of Soviet troops. But she was immediately taken by the faded grandeur of the hotel and the warmth of its staff.  Over the next four decades, Lyse would become the world’s best-respected war correspondent, reporting on moments from the Arab Spring to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as Chief International Correspondent for the BBC. Yet, she is always drawn back to her Afghan home, the hotel most people just call the ‘Inter-Con’.  Here, by drawing upon years of conversations with its staff and guests, she tells the story that only she can.  The book offers an unflinching and intimate portrait of contemporary Afghanistan, from the hopeful days following the fall of the Taliban’s first regime to the chilling return of fear under their second rule.

The Book Club has a waiting list at the moment, but we are happy to share our 2026 book list (created via a member poll) if anyone is looking for new reading ideas.  Please contact us if you are interested in being added to the waiting list or receiving our book choices.

Christine Frati                                              Angela Denton-Thompson
christine@britsnimes.com                             angeladt@britsnimes.com