The Secret Gate
a true story of courage and sacrifice during the collapse of Afghanistan
Published on 11. May 2023
Book
Paperback/Softback
336 pages
978-1-915590-25-1 (ISBN)
Description
The incredible story of a breathtaking rescue in the frenzied final hours of the US evacuation of Afghanistan - and how a brave Afghan mother and a compassionate American officer engineered a daring escape.
When the US began its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Afghan army instantly collapsed, Homeira Qaderi was marked for death at the hands of the Taliban. A celebrated author, academic, and champion for women's liberation, Homeira had achieved celebrity in her home country by winning custody of her son in a contentious divorce, a rarity in Afghanistan's patriarchal society. Despite her fierce determination to stay in her homeland, it finally became clear to Homeira that escaping was the only way she and her family would survive. However, like so many, she was mired in the chaos that ensued at Kabul Airport, struggling to get on a plane with her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family.
Meanwhile, a young US foreign service officer, Sam Aronson, who had volunteered to help rescue the more than 100,000 Americans and their Afghan helpers stranded in Kabul, learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into Kabul Airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates. He started bringing families directly through, and on the very last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira's literary agent, who persuaded him to help Homeira get out.
The story that follows is unbelievable but true. Zuckoff's firsthand accounts come exclusively and directly from Homeira, Aronson, and Homeira's literary agent. The Secret Gate is beyond riveting, and will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
When the US began its withdrawal from Afghanistan, and the Afghan army instantly collapsed, Homeira Qaderi was marked for death at the hands of the Taliban. A celebrated author, academic, and champion for women's liberation, Homeira had achieved celebrity in her home country by winning custody of her son in a contentious divorce, a rarity in Afghanistan's patriarchal society. Despite her fierce determination to stay in her homeland, it finally became clear to Homeira that escaping was the only way she and her family would survive. However, like so many, she was mired in the chaos that ensued at Kabul Airport, struggling to get on a plane with her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family.
Meanwhile, a young US foreign service officer, Sam Aronson, who had volunteered to help rescue the more than 100,000 Americans and their Afghan helpers stranded in Kabul, learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into Kabul Airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates. He started bringing families directly through, and on the very last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira's literary agent, who persuaded him to help Homeira get out.
The story that follows is unbelievable but true. Zuckoff's firsthand accounts come exclusively and directly from Homeira, Aronson, and Homeira's literary agent. The Secret Gate is beyond riveting, and will keep readers on the edge of their seats.
Reviews / Votes
'In Mitchell Zuckoff's capable hands, here is an unforgettable account of a daring attempt to temper the brutality of war. It's all here: the impossible moral choices; the desperation and the ingenuity; the courage to step in and help when it's most needed; the anguish of those who must uproot themselves and take the struggle for freedom to another shore. The Secret Gate is inspiring on every level.' -- Robert Kolker, #1 <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Hidden Valley Road</em> 'Mitchell Zuckoff's The Secret Gate is the harrowing and emotional true-life story of survival during the Afghanistan evacuation. The fast-paced drama centres around the American diplomat Sam Aronson and the Afghan women's rights activist Homeira Qaderi. This riveting book has major motion picture written all over it. A must read!' -- Douglas Brinkley, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Silent Spring Revolution</em> and <em>American Moonshot</em> 'Mitchell Zuckoff has located a genuinely thrilling tale, told with style, grace, and empathy. The Secret Gate will get your blood pumping.' -- Hampton Sides, <em>New York Times</em> bestselling author of <em>Ghost Soldiers</em> and <em>On Desperate Ground</em> 'An American diplomat intervenes to help a women's rights activist and her son flee Kabul before it falls to the Taliban in this taut account from journalist Zuckoff ... Drawing on extensive interviews with Aronson and Qaderi, Zuckoff reveals the human side of geopolitics. Readers won't be able to put this down.' * Publishers Weekly * 'A suspenseful chronicle of a dramatic rescue at the end of America's evacuation of Afghanistan in 2021 ... An uplifting account of genuine heroics in the latest American military debacle.' * Kirkus Reviews * 'Reads like a thriller ... Zuckoff does a remarkable job not only of describing the chaos and confusion at Kabul airport, but also of framing the fraught choices faced by Afghans and Americans alike. The Secret Gate describes, in compelling detail, the excruciating decisions faced by members of the diplomatic corps and military as they decided who to evacuate and who to leave behind; however, the book doesn't fall into the trap of allowing the American narrative to subsume the Afghan one. [It] is a fast-paced escape narrative, but it is also a morally complex interrogation of Homeira's wrenching choice.' * The Washington Post * Praise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11:'With his rigorous research and moral clarity, Mitchell Zuckoff has provided us with an invaluable service. He has deepened our understanding of what happened on 9/11 and recorded the voices of the victims and the survivors. What's more, he has ensured that we never forget.' -- David Grann, #1 <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author of <i>Killers of the Flower Moon</i> Praise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11:
'The 9/11 book we've been waiting for. A terrific storyteller and gifted researcher, Mitchell Zuckoff has rendered that world-changing day on a scale both intimate and monumental. This is narrative history at its very best.' -- Cokie Roberts, <i>New York Times</i> bestselling author and Emmy Award-winning journalist Praise for Fall and Rise: the story of 9/11:
'Inspiring, depressing, heartbreaking, and simply astonishing ... Zuckoff delivers a master-class in long-form historical journalism.' * The Sydney Morning Herald * Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi:
'A crisply written, gripping narrative of the events of the battle in Benghazi that adds considerable detail to the public record of what happened there ... [an] authoritative account.' * The Wall Street Journal * Praise for 13 Hours: the inside account of what really happened in Benghazi:
'A great number of journalists and government instrumentalities have tilted at Benghazi ... All of those efforts look fragmentary when placed side-by-side with 13 Hours.' * The Washington Post *
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 153 mm
Thickness: 24 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-915590-25-1 (9781915590251)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Mitchell Zuckoff is the author of eight previous works of nonfiction, including the #1 New York Times bestseller 13 Hours, as well as Frozen in Time and Lost in Shangri-La. As a member of the Boston Globe Spotlight Team, he was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in investigative reporting. Zuckoff's honours include the Livingston Award for International Reporting, the Winship/PEN New England Award for Nonfiction, and the Heywood Broun Memorial Award. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, and numerous other publications.