LOVERS: Afghanistan's Romeo and Juliet, the True Story of How They Defied Their Families and Escaped an Honor Killing - Softcover

"A hopeful tale of youthful romance, of passion and perseverance against the backdrop of a war ravaged Afghanistan. . . . [Nordland's] skills as a journalist are evident in his rendering of this love blossoming against all odds."--New York Times Book Review

"A rich account of Zakia and Ali's romance that doubles as an indictment of the Afghan patriarchy's abuse of women and the failures of all those in power, inside and outside the country, to curtail it."--Boston Globe

"From the couple's elopement to their elevation to media prominence, Nordland's storytelling remains gripping, with more than a hint of Shakespearean drama."--Publishers Weekly

"An appealing love story of a young couple from neighboring farming families in mountainous northern Afghanistan. ... A heartfelt, readable account for those interested in the personal impact of a decade of American engagement in Afghanistan."--Library Journal

"A captivating account of forbidden love in one of the world's most conservative countries. Nordland takes the reader on his personal journey to save a couple from the inevitable doom of secret love in Afghanistan and reveals an unprecedented window into the country's cultural constraints.--Lynsey Addario, author of It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War

"Rod Nordland has written a riveting, romantic page-turner about two young people fighting to be together against terrible odds. This is a vitally important book that exposes the abominable treatment of women by a society the U.S., in its ignorance, has fought to preserve."--Susan Adams, senior editor at Forbes

"With The Lovers, Rod Nordland has delivered a true-to-life Romeo & Juliet story that cuts straight to the heart. This saga of Zakia and Ali is raw, poignant, uplifting, and suspenseful, and absolutely compelling throughout."--Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker staff writer and author of Che Guevara

"A deeply reported and deeply felt book about true love and its political and personal consequences in one of the most dangerous countries in the world, for journalists and lovers, too."--Ron Javers, former Executive Editor, Newsweek International

"Rod Nordland develops a captivating and beautifully-written true story of an elopement into an analysis of Afghan misogyny and domestic violence which reveals more about conservative Afghan life and the struggle to change it than most other non-fiction books about the country."--Jonathan Steele, The Guardian

"Nordland offers a stark, eye-opening look at the deplorable state of women's rights in Afghanistan through the travails of a brave, determined young couple."--Booklist, Starred Review