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The Secret Gate: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice During the Collapse of Afghanistan
The incredible true story of a breathtaking rescue in the frenzied final hours of the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan—and how a brave Afghan mother and a compassionate American officer engineered a daring escape—from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 13 Hours
“Reads like a thriller . . . The Secret Gate is a fast-paced escape narrative, but it is also a morally complex interrogation.”� The Washington Post
When the U.S. 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. As evacuation planes departed above, Homeira was caught in the turmoil at the Kabul Airport, trying and failing to secure escape for her and her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family.
Meanwhile, a young American diplomat named Sam Aronson was enjoying a brief vacation between assignments when chaos descended upon Afghanistan. Sam immediately volunteered to join the skeleton team of remaining officials at Kabul Airport, frantically racing to help rescue the more than 100,000 stranded Americans and their Afghan helpers. When Sam learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into the airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates, he started bringing families directly through, personally rescuing as many as fifty-two people in a single day.
On the last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira's literary agent, who persuaded him to help her escape. He needed to risk his life to get them through the gate in the final hours before it closed forever. He borrowed night-vision goggles and enlisted a Dari-speaking colleague and two heavily armed security contract “shooters.� He contacted Homeira with a burner phone, and they used a flashlight code signal borrowed from boyhood summer camp. For her part, Homeira broke Sam’s rules and withstood his profanities. Together they braved gunfire by Afghan Army soldiers anxious about the restive crowds outside the airport. Ultimately, to enter the airport, Homeira and Siawash would have to leave behind their family and everything they had ever known.
The Secret Gate tells the thrilling, emotional tale of a young man's courage and a mother and son’s skin-of-the-teeth escape from a homeland that is no longer their own.
“Reads like a thriller . . . The Secret Gate is a fast-paced escape narrative, but it is also a morally complex interrogation.”� The Washington Post
When the U.S. 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. As evacuation planes departed above, Homeira was caught in the turmoil at the Kabul Airport, trying and failing to secure escape for her and her eight-year-old son, Siawash, along with her parents and the rest of their family.
Meanwhile, a young American diplomat named Sam Aronson was enjoying a brief vacation between assignments when chaos descended upon Afghanistan. Sam immediately volunteered to join the skeleton team of remaining officials at Kabul Airport, frantically racing to help rescue the more than 100,000 stranded Americans and their Afghan helpers. When Sam learned that the CIA had established a secret entrance into the airport two miles away from the desperate crowds crushing toward the gates, he started bringing families directly through, personally rescuing as many as fifty-two people in a single day.
On the last day of the evacuation, Sam was contacted by Homeira's literary agent, who persuaded him to help her escape. He needed to risk his life to get them through the gate in the final hours before it closed forever. He borrowed night-vision goggles and enlisted a Dari-speaking colleague and two heavily armed security contract “shooters.� He contacted Homeira with a burner phone, and they used a flashlight code signal borrowed from boyhood summer camp. For her part, Homeira broke Sam’s rules and withstood his profanities. Together they braved gunfire by Afghan Army soldiers anxious about the restive crowds outside the airport. Ultimately, to enter the airport, Homeira and Siawash would have to leave behind their family and everything they had ever known.
The Secret Gate tells the thrilling, emotional tale of a young man's courage and a mother and son’s skin-of-the-teeth escape from a homeland that is no longer their own.
316 pages, Hardcover
Published April 25, 2023
74 people are currently reading
4588 people want to read
About the author
Mitchell Zuckoff
21books710followersMitchell Zuckoff is a professor of journalism at Boston University. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers "Fall and Rise," "13 Hours," "Lost in Shangri-La," and "Frozen in Time." His previous books are: "Robert Altman: The Oral Biography," one of Amazon.com's "Best Books of 2009"; "Ponzi's Scheme," and "Choosing Naia." He is co-author of "Judgment Ridge," which was a finalist for the Edgar Award.
Zuckoff's magazine work has appeared in The New Yorker, Fortune, and other national and regional publications. He is a former special projects reporter for The Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting as a member of the Spotlight Team. He received the Distinguished Writing Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Livingston Award for International Reporting, the Heywood Broun Award, and the Associated Press Managing Editors' Public Service Award, among other national honors. He lives outside Boston.
Zuckoff's magazine work has appeared in The New Yorker, Fortune, and other national and regional publications. He is a former special projects reporter for The Boston Globe, where he was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for investigative reporting as a member of the Spotlight Team. He received the Distinguished Writing Award from the American Society of Newspaper Editors, the Livingston Award for International Reporting, the Heywood Broun Award, and the Associated Press Managing Editors' Public Service Award, among other national honors. He lives outside Boston.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
November 4, 2024
I thought the idea of this book was great. I didn’t love the writing style. I wasn’t really drawn in. It seemed to me that the author was trying too hard to show what brave, heroic people these people were instead of letting the story speak for itself. Also, I wanted to love Homeira because of her work and what she stood for but I found myself frustrated with her for the choices she made and the danger she put others in without seeming to care.
October 14, 2022
We all make countless decisions every day, but none will measure up to the magnitude of the decision Homeira Qaderi made on August 30, 2021.
On behalf of her son, and knowing she’d need to leave the rest of her family in Kabul, Qaderi made the difficult decision to flee Afghanistan. When the Taliban took control on August 15, 2021, thousands of anxious people rushed to flee the country. Being outspoken, divorced and a known author, Qaderi knew that despite her longing to remain in her homeland, it wasn’t safe for her nor her family if she stayed. She was marked for certain death by the Taliban.
Homeira and her eight-year-old son, Siawash were two of the last to fly out of the Kabul airport on a US military transport.
From the comfort of our homes, we all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard about the agreement reached between the Taliban officials and the USA. American troops and diplomats would control the airport for a massive evacuation until August 31 when Kabul would return to Taliban rule. In our limited scope, we imagined what it would be like. We still couldn’t come close to the reality - even after watching the images of hundreds of Afghans chasing an Air Force C-17 as it taxied down the runway with a dozen men clinging to its side.
THROW AWAY ANY CONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT THE EVACUATION PLAN AND PRE-ORDER ‘THE SECRET GATE�. You have NO idea what those serving, nor those escaping, faced in those two weeks. Let Mitchell Zuckoff share with you what it was really like and how a secret CIA gate made Homeira’s escape possible.
I was in awe reading about the ten days that the U.S. and its allies had to assemble, screen, and safeguard 120.000 people. I read in horror at the risks taken to ensure a better life and shook my head in disbelief at the struggle those with proper identification faced even when they reached the airport.
Mitchell has channeled the turmoil, anguish, desperation, sacrifice, and courage as well as the glimmer of hope in relaying to us the harrowing experiences of Sam Aronson, a political officer with the State Department who was on duty at the Secret Gate, and Homeira Qaderi, a mother with a vision for a better future.
“In the war with the Taliban, everyone has a method. Everyone has a weapon. My weapon is my pen.�
I was in awe at the publishing community and their efforts to ensure Homeira’s safety. I’d previously read Deborah Rodriquez’s ‘Kabul Beauty School� and was happy to read about her influence on Homeira’s escape.
This book needs to be on your radar come April 25, 2023.
I was gifted this copy by Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
On behalf of her son, and knowing she’d need to leave the rest of her family in Kabul, Qaderi made the difficult decision to flee Afghanistan. When the Taliban took control on August 15, 2021, thousands of anxious people rushed to flee the country. Being outspoken, divorced and a known author, Qaderi knew that despite her longing to remain in her homeland, it wasn’t safe for her nor her family if she stayed. She was marked for certain death by the Taliban.
Homeira and her eight-year-old son, Siawash were two of the last to fly out of the Kabul airport on a US military transport.
From the comfort of our homes, we all breathed a sigh of relief when we heard about the agreement reached between the Taliban officials and the USA. American troops and diplomats would control the airport for a massive evacuation until August 31 when Kabul would return to Taliban rule. In our limited scope, we imagined what it would be like. We still couldn’t come close to the reality - even after watching the images of hundreds of Afghans chasing an Air Force C-17 as it taxied down the runway with a dozen men clinging to its side.
THROW AWAY ANY CONCEIVED IDEAS ABOUT THE EVACUATION PLAN AND PRE-ORDER ‘THE SECRET GATE�. You have NO idea what those serving, nor those escaping, faced in those two weeks. Let Mitchell Zuckoff share with you what it was really like and how a secret CIA gate made Homeira’s escape possible.
I was in awe reading about the ten days that the U.S. and its allies had to assemble, screen, and safeguard 120.000 people. I read in horror at the risks taken to ensure a better life and shook my head in disbelief at the struggle those with proper identification faced even when they reached the airport.
Mitchell has channeled the turmoil, anguish, desperation, sacrifice, and courage as well as the glimmer of hope in relaying to us the harrowing experiences of Sam Aronson, a political officer with the State Department who was on duty at the Secret Gate, and Homeira Qaderi, a mother with a vision for a better future.
“In the war with the Taliban, everyone has a method. Everyone has a weapon. My weapon is my pen.�
I was in awe at the publishing community and their efforts to ensure Homeira’s safety. I’d previously read Deborah Rodriquez’s ‘Kabul Beauty School� and was happy to read about her influence on Homeira’s escape.
This book needs to be on your radar come April 25, 2023.
I was gifted this copy by Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.
February 13, 2023
Two yrs ago, I struggled with all the conflicting news stories regarding the pull out of US from Afghanistan. In this book, two vies are presented: a US Security member and an Afghan woman activist.
Boy, did this help clear events up for me. I really felt misinformed and confused at the time.
This book is very informative. I’m not a war-time reader but given the opportunity by ŷ, I dove into it and was glad I had. Thank you.
Boy, did this help clear events up for me. I really felt misinformed and confused at the time.
This book is very informative. I’m not a war-time reader but given the opportunity by ŷ, I dove into it and was glad I had. Thank you.
May 23, 2023
A fantastic story about an Afghan woman, her son, and brother, and the US Diplomat who risked his life to get them out of Afghanistan at the last minute.
Filled with twists and turns and some really great information, this was a great read. I learned so much and much of that was never, ever shown on TV or reported on. I think that people's opinion would change about the whole situation if they read this book - I don't think anyone was prepared for all that happened, especially those on the ground. Mitchell Zuckoff writes in such a way that you often feel you are in the middle of the fray and there were moments where I found I was gripping my chair so hard I lost feeling in my hands; intense doesn't seem to be a strong enough word. Amazing.
I am so glad I read this.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mitchell Zuckoff, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Filled with twists and turns and some really great information, this was a great read. I learned so much and much of that was never, ever shown on TV or reported on. I think that people's opinion would change about the whole situation if they read this book - I don't think anyone was prepared for all that happened, especially those on the ground. Mitchell Zuckoff writes in such a way that you often feel you are in the middle of the fray and there were moments where I found I was gripping my chair so hard I lost feeling in my hands; intense doesn't seem to be a strong enough word. Amazing.
I am so glad I read this.
Thank you to NetGalley, Mitchell Zuckoff, and Random House Publishing Group - Random House for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2023
I loved the content and having been a part of OEF in its first decade, I wanted to learn more, however the writing style (simplistic and poor development of the main characters) left me wanting more.
June 3, 2024
This is my second non-fiction book to read for every two fiction books this summer. Regardless of your political affiliation, I strongly recommend this book. This well written book tells the courageous story of two people during the collapse of Afghanistan. This book humanizes historical events.
September 30, 2023
3.5 stars. There are probably lots of different ways to tell the story of the Afghanistan withdrawal and this is only one of them. It does a good job of describing the chaos and the panic and the overwhelming desperation.
September 17, 2023
Engaging until the very end. Heart wrenching stories of the last seeking escape from Afghanistan after the taliban’s take over and the risks taken by those who help them. The author has a way of weaving history from first accounts, in its most engaging form- a story.
August 12, 2023
Zuckoff is one of my favorite authors and he delivers a pulse-pounding account of the Afghanistan evacuation. Highly recommended.
October 16, 2023
This is an amazingly well written book about the perilous race by hundreds of people to leave Afghanistan when the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021. As the Afghan army faltered and the Taliban took over the reins of the country, most, if not all of those trying to escape, were in immediate danger of losing their lives having worked for the fallen Afghan government, supported U.S. operations, were outspoken against the Taliban, and more. The chaotic and frantic days that August played out like a fictional movie. Unfortunately and sad to say, it was chillingly very real. Among the many U.S. diplomats, special agents, military personnel, contractors, and others, who worked feverishly against time to get as many people out of Afghanistan , was Sam Aronson, an American diplomat who between assignments, volunteered to assist on the ground in Afghanistan. Among those at high risk was Homeira Qaderi, activist and author of the book: Dancing in the Mosque, which I read earlier this year. Reluctant to flee her country, she resisted the warnings of her supporters and family to leave. But pressure from her young son and family members forced her to change her mind at the last minute, dangerously close to the waning minutes where any rescue operations could be possible. This is that story, plus countless other daring rescues, that Sam Aronson (and untold others) risked their lives for. Under intense pressure and time constraints, they made judgement calls, snap decisions, and worked “outside the lines� that could have had disastrous consequences. This book portrays vividly the dangerous and chaotic situation under which hundreds were evacuated. Capturing Sam Aronson’s emotions and turmoil, determination and heroism and Homeira Qaderi’s conflicted anguish and reluctant decision to leave her homeland, this is a must-read book superbly delivered by Mitchell Zuchoff.
March 3, 2024
Although this was nonfiction, it was fast paced and exciting. It would make a great movie. The tension heightens as the climax approaches.
No one expected Kabul to fall to the Taliban as quickly as it did. Writer, outspoken critic of the Taliban, and women's rights activist, Homeira Qaderi intended to stay in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban, but her little boy was terrified and begged to leave. Homeira's family pleaded with her to leave. They knew her fame would put her high on the Taliban's list for vengeance.
Sam Aronson was on vacation when the call came to U. S. State Department personnel to assist in the efforts to get American citizens and Afghans who had assisted in the overthrow of the Taliban out. As soon as he was accepted, Sam flew out to Afghanistan and the frantic efforts to get as many people out as possible.
Zuckoff alternates perspectives until the final effort to get Homeira out. It's moving and powerful. Life is at stake and courage in evidence.
No one expected Kabul to fall to the Taliban as quickly as it did. Writer, outspoken critic of the Taliban, and women's rights activist, Homeira Qaderi intended to stay in Afghanistan to fight the Taliban, but her little boy was terrified and begged to leave. Homeira's family pleaded with her to leave. They knew her fame would put her high on the Taliban's list for vengeance.
Sam Aronson was on vacation when the call came to U. S. State Department personnel to assist in the efforts to get American citizens and Afghans who had assisted in the overthrow of the Taliban out. As soon as he was accepted, Sam flew out to Afghanistan and the frantic efforts to get as many people out as possible.
Zuckoff alternates perspectives until the final effort to get Homeira out. It's moving and powerful. Life is at stake and courage in evidence.
October 9, 2024
A riveting true story that takes place during the American withdrawal from Afghanistan and centers around two main characters - an American diplomat and an Afghani woman.
The woman (Homeira Qaderi) previously wrote a memoir (Dancing in the Mosque) that was helpful to read prior to this book as it provided insightful and interesting context about her, her family and some of the history of Afghanistan over the past four decades.
This was a hard one to put down and definitely pretty intense at times, especially knowing it all actually happened and was not historical fiction. Highly recommend.
The woman (Homeira Qaderi) previously wrote a memoir (Dancing in the Mosque) that was helpful to read prior to this book as it provided insightful and interesting context about her, her family and some of the history of Afghanistan over the past four decades.
This was a hard one to put down and definitely pretty intense at times, especially knowing it all actually happened and was not historical fiction. Highly recommend.
May 20, 2023
The incredible true story of how a young American foreign service officer, Sam Aronson, was working the final days of the 2021 Kabul evacuation and assisted in helping Afghan writer and mother, Homeira Qaderi and her 8 year old son Siawash leave the country. Gripping and dramatic, this story, I think, is the beginning of many more to come from those fateful days.
July 1, 2023
First off, I must admit I was drawn to this book by its author. I read and reviewed 13 Hours sometime back, and was simply mesmerized by it. This book belongs in the same category. The narrative is fast paced and very very convincing. The fact that it's a nonfiction book in no way diminishes the reading experience. A worthy effort!!!
June 8, 2023
I LOVED this book. Does Mitch just have compelling stories, or is he a phenomenal writer, maybe both? Sam Aronson was able to get at risk Afghans out of the country before the 8.30.21 Taliban deadline. At great risk to his safety and those he rescued, it is a true story of courage.
October 10, 2023
I liked hearing both of the perspectives of someone trying get out of Afghanistan and someone helping to get people out. You could really feel the desperation of both sides.
December 4, 2022
Thank you Random House and Netgalley for providing the ARC of Mitchell Zuckoff’s latest. This was a fascinating recap of the pullout of the US from Afghanistan last year told from the alternating points of view of a US security / diplomat and an Afghan activist woman. How their stories intersect was great, and the descriptions of the activities around the airport helped me better understand what I saw on the news. I hope the final publication contains maps, especially of the airport perimeter and where the various gates were. It was hard to visualize that area based on the description. Recommend for non-fiction and current events readers.
March 12, 2024
Full disclosure: Sam Aronson, one of the two individuals featured in this book, is my brother-in-law.
Homeira Qaderi's inner struggle regarding whether to remain in a country she desperately wished to see flourish and was ready to fight to help rebuilt - and indeed, had long been fighting to change for many years - or to flee to safety alongside the child she'd finally gained stability with following an acrimonious landmark custody battle was nothing short of moving. With advice and pleas from family members, friends, and colleagues pulling at her desire to both protect her young son, Siawash, and remain in her homeland to continue her battle against the Taliban, Homeira's decision to evacuate Afghanistan was riveting and emotional. Her hopes and wishes for better and her solemn, remorseful understanding of the realities of her country are gut-wrenching and sincere. This was a particularly painful and moving story to follow.
Sam Aronson's personality leapt off the page. Setting aside that I do, in fact, know him personally, it's very easy for the reader to feel as though they know him from the book's descriptions of his easy manner, his frustrated invectives in the face of an impossible circumstance, and his heartfelt yet simple promises to do his best for the people he is tasked to help.
I've now read this book twice, and my husband (older brother to Sam's wife, Liana) has listened to the audiobook. The story itself is incredibly well-written while providing necessary political and social context without detracting from the people at the heart of the narrative. This is a powerful story about two exceptional people who both carry immense love and responsibility for those around them.
I highly recommend reading "The Secret Gate" alongside Homeira's memoir "Dancing in the Mosque", another excellently written story about her difficulties as a woman in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, particularly her custody fight for Siawash.
Homeira Qaderi's inner struggle regarding whether to remain in a country she desperately wished to see flourish and was ready to fight to help rebuilt - and indeed, had long been fighting to change for many years - or to flee to safety alongside the child she'd finally gained stability with following an acrimonious landmark custody battle was nothing short of moving. With advice and pleas from family members, friends, and colleagues pulling at her desire to both protect her young son, Siawash, and remain in her homeland to continue her battle against the Taliban, Homeira's decision to evacuate Afghanistan was riveting and emotional. Her hopes and wishes for better and her solemn, remorseful understanding of the realities of her country are gut-wrenching and sincere. This was a particularly painful and moving story to follow.
Sam Aronson's personality leapt off the page. Setting aside that I do, in fact, know him personally, it's very easy for the reader to feel as though they know him from the book's descriptions of his easy manner, his frustrated invectives in the face of an impossible circumstance, and his heartfelt yet simple promises to do his best for the people he is tasked to help.
I've now read this book twice, and my husband (older brother to Sam's wife, Liana) has listened to the audiobook. The story itself is incredibly well-written while providing necessary political and social context without detracting from the people at the heart of the narrative. This is a powerful story about two exceptional people who both carry immense love and responsibility for those around them.
I highly recommend reading "The Secret Gate" alongside Homeira's memoir "Dancing in the Mosque", another excellently written story about her difficulties as a woman in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, particularly her custody fight for Siawash.
June 18, 2023
I can still remember the scenes on TV when the US withdrew from Afghanistan. Those pictures of people wanting to get out because of what they feared their lives or deaths would be like under Taliban rule is something I will never forget. This account of Homeira Qaderi who is an author & academic, her son & her brother's dangerous escape in the last hours of the withdrawal is simply amazing. This is 'edge of your seat' reading.
It was also really interesting to read the background stories of both Homeira Qaderi & her family as well as Sam Aronson who was so instrumental in getting so many at risk people out under such dangerous & chaotic conditions.
It was also really interesting to read the background stories of both Homeira Qaderi & her family as well as Sam Aronson who was so instrumental in getting so many at risk people out under such dangerous & chaotic conditions.
April 2, 2024
This is definitely one of the best books I have read so far this year. It is the story of State Department employee Sam Aronson and the harrowing 10 days he spent rescuing Afghanis during the fall of Kabul including his last-minute rescue of Afghan women's rights activist, Homeira Qadri. It is gritty and fast paced telling the story of the refugees as well as Aronson's own story. Aronson is a true American hero.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the US State Department, the fall of Kabul, or Afghan refugees. It shows how much difference one person can make in the lives of others.
I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the US State Department, the fall of Kabul, or Afghan refugees. It shows how much difference one person can make in the lives of others.
January 3, 2023
A race against time to complete an impossible task. We're given a look from both the reluctant evacuee and the State Department official who found ways to get as many people as he could onto planes during the Afghan withdrawal.
It's a well written book with pacing and tension that accelerated to the last chapter. Don't be surprised to see this made into a movie some day.
It's a well written book with pacing and tension that accelerated to the last chapter. Don't be surprised to see this made into a movie some day.
October 17, 2023
Well written story that ought to be more compelling than it was in this format, with unnecessary details about the characters' daily lives sort of dragging the story along. I confess that I didn't actually like either of the main characters, which colored my opinion of the [true] story, but in the end I was left feeling a bit "flat" even though the climax was pretty compelling.
November 19, 2023
A great story told from the perspective of an Afghan author / women's rights activist and an American foreign service officer during the final weeks of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. An engaging look into how the chaos on the news actually played out in the lives of two individuals on the ground and the choices they made. Definitely recommend.
July 15, 2023
I, along with millions of other people, watched with horror the chaotic evacuation and rapid drawdown from Afghanistan following the Taliban's rapid takeover last year. THE SECRET GATE attempts to answer a question that I had been thinking about since first watching those videos on CNN:
What happens to the people of a country after its leadership and that of its allies basically declare that the outcomes in a twenty year war had been lost?
THE SECRET GAME was wonderful in that tells the story of both the forest and the trees. The backdrop was the failed US and Afghanistan policies, but the heart of the story was that the desperation and chaos of human beings - Afghans, Americans, and other citizens alike - trying to do what they can to survive under the rapid collapse of a country that had been propped up for decades by its allies. THE SECRET BOOK is a work of non-fiction with real people and real events, but told in such a creative and tight dramatic narrative structure that one can't help but be on the edge of their seats throughout the entire book.
Homeira Qaderi is a writer, women's right advocate, and most importantly, an Afghan mother, sister, and daughter. Her bravery leaps off the pages, oftentimes to the detriment of her own safety. She was someone who mourned the looming loss of her country under the resurgent rule of the Taliban with outward defiance to hold strong to the republican gains her country made for the past twenty years. There were a lot of times in the book that I wanted to yell at her, just agree to get on the damn plane, already! while my next thought was empathy and admiration for her fierce desire to keep her entire (extended) family together. I mean, who gets offered two seats on the evacuation plane and then tries to negotiate for an extra one (or twelve) more seats? I say this with all due respect, though... the audacity. I could never.
But that speaks to Homeira's life, first under the oppressive regime of the Taliban pre-9/11, and then later in advocating for an expansion of women's rights post-Afghan republic. She had the audacity to not just dream a better life for herself and her entire country, but to fight for it.
Homeira's courage was matched by Sam Aronson, a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer who volunteered to assist with the evacuation attempts in Afghanistan initially for the rush and adventure. He quickly learned that he bit off way more than he can chew, though pivoted to bend the rules to approve as many people as possible to be evacuated out. My heart broke with reading how he had to reject families trying to enter the airport based on the fluid acceptance criteria of the day.
As a secret policy wonk, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the state department, especially in crisis situations. In my real life, I work with quite a few refugees, and while all are resilient and most tell me their story of their journey to the U.S., I know that what they are telling me is only the tip of the iceberg.
I could go on and on about what a great job the author and editor did with the alternate narrative structure from Sam to Homeira and with the pacing, but what stayed with me were the moral and ethical questions that lingered long after I finished this book. What happens to the people of a country after its leadership and that of its allies basically declare that the outcomes in a twenty year war had been lost? What does one do in order to survive?
This review and others can be found on my book blog:
What happens to the people of a country after its leadership and that of its allies basically declare that the outcomes in a twenty year war had been lost?
THE SECRET GAME was wonderful in that tells the story of both the forest and the trees. The backdrop was the failed US and Afghanistan policies, but the heart of the story was that the desperation and chaos of human beings - Afghans, Americans, and other citizens alike - trying to do what they can to survive under the rapid collapse of a country that had been propped up for decades by its allies. THE SECRET BOOK is a work of non-fiction with real people and real events, but told in such a creative and tight dramatic narrative structure that one can't help but be on the edge of their seats throughout the entire book.
Homeira Qaderi is a writer, women's right advocate, and most importantly, an Afghan mother, sister, and daughter. Her bravery leaps off the pages, oftentimes to the detriment of her own safety. She was someone who mourned the looming loss of her country under the resurgent rule of the Taliban with outward defiance to hold strong to the republican gains her country made for the past twenty years. There were a lot of times in the book that I wanted to yell at her, just agree to get on the damn plane, already! while my next thought was empathy and admiration for her fierce desire to keep her entire (extended) family together. I mean, who gets offered two seats on the evacuation plane and then tries to negotiate for an extra one (or twelve) more seats? I say this with all due respect, though... the audacity. I could never.
But that speaks to Homeira's life, first under the oppressive regime of the Taliban pre-9/11, and then later in advocating for an expansion of women's rights post-Afghan republic. She had the audacity to not just dream a better life for herself and her entire country, but to fight for it.
Homeira's courage was matched by Sam Aronson, a U.S. State Department Foreign Service Officer who volunteered to assist with the evacuation attempts in Afghanistan initially for the rush and adventure. He quickly learned that he bit off way more than he can chew, though pivoted to bend the rules to approve as many people as possible to be evacuated out. My heart broke with reading how he had to reject families trying to enter the airport based on the fluid acceptance criteria of the day.
As a secret policy wonk, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the inner workings of the state department, especially in crisis situations. In my real life, I work with quite a few refugees, and while all are resilient and most tell me their story of their journey to the U.S., I know that what they are telling me is only the tip of the iceberg.
I could go on and on about what a great job the author and editor did with the alternate narrative structure from Sam to Homeira and with the pacing, but what stayed with me were the moral and ethical questions that lingered long after I finished this book. What happens to the people of a country after its leadership and that of its allies basically declare that the outcomes in a twenty year war had been lost? What does one do in order to survive?
This review and others can be found on my book blog:
January 17, 2024
This is probably one of the top 3 most powerful stories I've ever read, on heroism, on the power and voice of one person (Homeira as an Afghan woman, and Sam as an American willing to do whatever he could to save lives). I am thankful that both were willing to share their stories, and for the time they spent journaling and being interviewed so that I could read this book.
I think back to where I was during this time - with a child starting senior year, probably at a volleyball game, or teaching a class, or worried about college applications, and all of this was happening across the world and I was ignorant and ambivalent. It is humbling and humiliating. I think of all that is happening across the world, and I worry about the stupidest most pointless trivialities. I don't know how to remember what I read in this book every day, so that I can be more patient, thoughtful, and compassionate.
My heart breaks for the teenage girls who don't get to go to school (in other countries), and yet my students skip class, don't want to be there, get aggressive with teachers, and skip school whenever they can. In my state, there are no proposals for plans to discourage truancy by paying students to go to school. We already pay hefty taxes. I already put my kids through private school. Now we are going to pay kids who don't want to be in free public school to go? What is wrong with our society? 1/3 of the kids in other countries don't get to go or don't have access to good education (I am sure the numbers are worse than that), and they would give anything to learn.
After reading this book, I don't know what to think. I don't know how to convince people to be thankful and complain less. It starts with me and not worrying about my "first world problems."
As for the story of Homeira, sometimes I wanted to be frustrated with her for staying so long, but when you love your country, it makes sense. And she had a voice. She had courage to use her voice - on social media, in her books, and on the news. My heart hurts for the American lives who were unnecessarily lost, and those who can't escape danger even now.
If you read the book digitally, the end chapters with the links are really powerful and helpful. I watched the video of Homeira and her son on the balcony, chanting. I went to the social media pages, and watching some of the news interviews and updates from the days things were happening. I believe seeing all of that will make the message stick longer for me.
I think back to where I was during this time - with a child starting senior year, probably at a volleyball game, or teaching a class, or worried about college applications, and all of this was happening across the world and I was ignorant and ambivalent. It is humbling and humiliating. I think of all that is happening across the world, and I worry about the stupidest most pointless trivialities. I don't know how to remember what I read in this book every day, so that I can be more patient, thoughtful, and compassionate.
My heart breaks for the teenage girls who don't get to go to school (in other countries), and yet my students skip class, don't want to be there, get aggressive with teachers, and skip school whenever they can. In my state, there are no proposals for plans to discourage truancy by paying students to go to school. We already pay hefty taxes. I already put my kids through private school. Now we are going to pay kids who don't want to be in free public school to go? What is wrong with our society? 1/3 of the kids in other countries don't get to go or don't have access to good education (I am sure the numbers are worse than that), and they would give anything to learn.
After reading this book, I don't know what to think. I don't know how to convince people to be thankful and complain less. It starts with me and not worrying about my "first world problems."
As for the story of Homeira, sometimes I wanted to be frustrated with her for staying so long, but when you love your country, it makes sense. And she had a voice. She had courage to use her voice - on social media, in her books, and on the news. My heart hurts for the American lives who were unnecessarily lost, and those who can't escape danger even now.
If you read the book digitally, the end chapters with the links are really powerful and helpful. I watched the video of Homeira and her son on the balcony, chanting. I went to the social media pages, and watching some of the news interviews and updates from the days things were happening. I believe seeing all of that will make the message stick longer for me.
July 5, 2023
I was primed to love this book: the history of Afghanistan (complex,) the destruction of a culture (ongoing,) the efforts made to help the citizens of this country (failed....so far) and more. I wasn't engaged by the author's writing style at all. It read rather leaden, even though the events he was describing were life on the edge dangerous. When a talented writer takes on a subject like this, they grab you immediately into the story line and you never want to put the book down, until it's conclusion. I had to force myself to read this, and it left me frustrated and disappointed. Again. I was prepared to love this book, from the start.
A large part of my problems with this book was the focus on one woman and her child, and the danger she would be in if left behind. Repeatedly, and I say repeatedly, she rejected every effort extended to her to get her out of Afghanistan up until the bitter end where it turns into an emergency effort--and her all the while tweeting away on social media about her choices and rallying against the Taliban. I understand the wrench of leaving a home you love and your family behind, but lets view the alternatives: your child murdered, a public stoning or beheading. People were dropping everything to protect and get this woman to safety. What does she do? Makes demands. She wanted all fourteen of her family members and their wives and children included in the departure. Even at the very end, when she is warned "do not bring a computer, do not have excessive luggage, etc." she shows up with her laptop which she refuses to give up? Honey? You could have forwarded all of that data to your publisher and had it waiting for you? She also wants her ineffective brother added to the list even though she was ordered and it was made clear "just you and your son." She seems to have a problem with authority figures. It's going to be her way or the highway, and when you are in a life or death evacuation? I don't think that's the time to quibble or break down rules. So she is freed. She gets a job at Harvard. Again, she has friends in high places that seem to value her? I would have said, during her third or fourth refusal to leave? Fine. You've made your choice. And that would have been that. There would be many, many MANY others that also needed help then. The squeaky wheel got oiled. I loathe squeaky wheels.
A large part of my problems with this book was the focus on one woman and her child, and the danger she would be in if left behind. Repeatedly, and I say repeatedly, she rejected every effort extended to her to get her out of Afghanistan up until the bitter end where it turns into an emergency effort--and her all the while tweeting away on social media about her choices and rallying against the Taliban. I understand the wrench of leaving a home you love and your family behind, but lets view the alternatives: your child murdered, a public stoning or beheading. People were dropping everything to protect and get this woman to safety. What does she do? Makes demands. She wanted all fourteen of her family members and their wives and children included in the departure. Even at the very end, when she is warned "do not bring a computer, do not have excessive luggage, etc." she shows up with her laptop which she refuses to give up? Honey? You could have forwarded all of that data to your publisher and had it waiting for you? She also wants her ineffective brother added to the list even though she was ordered and it was made clear "just you and your son." She seems to have a problem with authority figures. It's going to be her way or the highway, and when you are in a life or death evacuation? I don't think that's the time to quibble or break down rules. So she is freed. She gets a job at Harvard. Again, she has friends in high places that seem to value her? I would have said, during her third or fourth refusal to leave? Fine. You've made your choice. And that would have been that. There would be many, many MANY others that also needed help then. The squeaky wheel got oiled. I loathe squeaky wheels.
August 21, 2023
I don't read many books about wars, but this real-life story is very well written and describes all frightening movements in Kabul by the U.S., the Afghans and Taliban on those final days in August 2021. The U.S. evacuated and relocated 76,000 people from Afghanistan. We've watched this madhouse on TV, but Sam and Homeria we there and give both sides of their stories.
Sam Aronson, 31, a young State Department official in Nigeria is looking for action and a way to further his career. He volunteers to help with the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan. Homeria Qaderi, 42 is a champion of women's rights, writer and speaker, living in Kabul. She has traveled widely. She is divorced but has a close family of 12 -16 relatives plus her 8-year old son--all in the same apartment building. Her life is constantly threatened by the Taliban and now it will get worse in Kabul as the Afghans surrender to the Taliban . She doesn't want to leave, but is persuaded by her family, her agent and others.
Everyone in this family who wants to leave, has gone to the four airport gates at least 2-3 times and been turned away,usually violently by the Marines and Taliban. Sam, has saved 1000s of people, but remembers those he couldn't save when sticking to the rules. On the last day of evacuation Sam goes through a list deciding whom to save now that his has been assigned to this secret, CIA-created gate(it has multiple names). He practices on a couple of other families taking them through at night. This Glory gate also accepted buses carrying U.S. embassy Afghan staff among others. Homeria, her son and brother escape with Sam's help. That is not the end. They spend two weeks in a Syrian camp, and then on to El Paso, Texas for relocation. Homeria and son end up in Cambridge, with Homeria teaching at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She still teaches classes to young girls in Afghanistan remotely.
I don't do this book justice. The picture of Sam, Homeria, and her son, Siawash in the Epilogue speaks volumes as well. We hope that Sam still has his State Department job. 97,000 Afghans have now escaped to the U.S.
Sam Aronson, 31, a young State Department official in Nigeria is looking for action and a way to further his career. He volunteers to help with the U.S. evacuation of Afghanistan. Homeria Qaderi, 42 is a champion of women's rights, writer and speaker, living in Kabul. She has traveled widely. She is divorced but has a close family of 12 -16 relatives plus her 8-year old son--all in the same apartment building. Her life is constantly threatened by the Taliban and now it will get worse in Kabul as the Afghans surrender to the Taliban . She doesn't want to leave, but is persuaded by her family, her agent and others.
Everyone in this family who wants to leave, has gone to the four airport gates at least 2-3 times and been turned away,usually violently by the Marines and Taliban. Sam, has saved 1000s of people, but remembers those he couldn't save when sticking to the rules. On the last day of evacuation Sam goes through a list deciding whom to save now that his has been assigned to this secret, CIA-created gate(it has multiple names). He practices on a couple of other families taking them through at night. This Glory gate also accepted buses carrying U.S. embassy Afghan staff among others. Homeria, her son and brother escape with Sam's help. That is not the end. They spend two weeks in a Syrian camp, and then on to El Paso, Texas for relocation. Homeria and son end up in Cambridge, with Homeria teaching at the Harvard Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study. She still teaches classes to young girls in Afghanistan remotely.
I don't do this book justice. The picture of Sam, Homeria, and her son, Siawash in the Epilogue speaks volumes as well. We hope that Sam still has his State Department job. 97,000 Afghans have now escaped to the U.S.
April 14, 2023
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The Secret Gate: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice During the Collapse of Afghanistan by Mitchell Zuckoff is the true story of a prominent female Afghan writer, and a young American diplomat helping her evacuate. Mr. Zuckoff is a published, best-selling, author and educator.
An excellent, somewhat intimate, recount of the last two weeks, or so, of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mr. Zuckoff personalized the experience as only he can, recounting in detail two experiences of totally different people.
Homeira Qaderi, academic, author, educator, and icon of women’s liberation who got custody of her child after a divorce, finds herself in a tremendous bind. Leave behind everything she loves, or take her chance with a Taliban-controlled country.
Sam Aronson, a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey, is looking to make a diplomatic career for himself and volunteered to remain in Kabul Airport to help 100,000 Americans and Afghans. Sam rescues as many people as he can navigating through bureaucratic red tape, and using new and old connections.
At some point, of course, Ms. Qaderi’s and Mr. Aronson’s paths meet. The book even includes pictures the author refers to, which certainly helps the narrative. The author manages a fine balance of heroism and brutality of war. The impossible moral choices both protagonists and their loved ones, are faced against are heartbreaking at times.
The Secret Gate personalizes experiences that the majority of us will never know. It’s easy to seat back at home and criticize, but Michell Zuckoff manages to capture the danger, courage, and anguish of the Afghan people, as well as the Americans.
This book is informative, inspiring, and well-written. Given the huge amounts of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda surrounding the withdrawal, I actually feel as if I learned a thing or two. Us bibliophiles will appreciate the tremendous efforts the publishing community went through to ensure Ms. Qaderi’s safety.
The Secret Gate: A True Story of Courage and Sacrifice During the Collapse of Afghanistan by Mitchell Zuckoff is the true story of a prominent female Afghan writer, and a young American diplomat helping her evacuate. Mr. Zuckoff is a published, best-selling, author and educator.
An excellent, somewhat intimate, recount of the last two weeks, or so, of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan. Mr. Zuckoff personalized the experience as only he can, recounting in detail two experiences of totally different people.
Homeira Qaderi, academic, author, educator, and icon of women’s liberation who got custody of her child after a divorce, finds herself in a tremendous bind. Leave behind everything she loves, or take her chance with a Taliban-controlled country.
Sam Aronson, a nice Jewish boy from New Jersey, is looking to make a diplomatic career for himself and volunteered to remain in Kabul Airport to help 100,000 Americans and Afghans. Sam rescues as many people as he can navigating through bureaucratic red tape, and using new and old connections.
At some point, of course, Ms. Qaderi’s and Mr. Aronson’s paths meet. The book even includes pictures the author refers to, which certainly helps the narrative. The author manages a fine balance of heroism and brutality of war. The impossible moral choices both protagonists and their loved ones, are faced against are heartbreaking at times.
The Secret Gate personalizes experiences that the majority of us will never know. It’s easy to seat back at home and criticize, but Michell Zuckoff manages to capture the danger, courage, and anguish of the Afghan people, as well as the Americans.
This book is informative, inspiring, and well-written. Given the huge amounts of misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda surrounding the withdrawal, I actually feel as if I learned a thing or two. Us bibliophiles will appreciate the tremendous efforts the publishing community went through to ensure Ms. Qaderi’s safety.
August 19, 2024
The Secret Gate by Michael Zuckoff is an enthralling true story depicting a woman's internal conflict as she grapples with the decision of whether to prioritize her country's well-being over that of her and her sons' future. At the same time, a young foreign service officer is torn over whom to save amidst the chaos of a perilous evacuation. Set during the collapse of Afghanistan at the hands of the Taliban and the tumultuous days that ensued, Zuckoff's book follows the stories of Homeira, a women's rights activist and author from Afghanistan, her son Siawash, and Sam, an adventurous FSO. Zuckoff skillfully intertwines their narratives as they each struggle with life-and-death decisions. This story effectively humanizes the devastating impact of Taliban rule in Afghanistan and highlights the remarkable bravery of the American military and State Department officials who managed the mass exodus. It's important to note that this is not a narrative intended to rehash the 20-year conflict, but rather a tale that sheds light on the resilience and courage of individuals in the face of adversity.
September 7, 2023
Remember at the end of the summer of 2021, when we were all riveted by the scenes of people mobbing the airport in Kabul, desperately seeking to flee Afghanistan as the Taliban resumed control of the country? Remember the horrific attack at the airport that killed 13 US military members as they attempted to help the evacuees? This book tells the story of one woman � a writer and activist, an outspoken feminist and opponent of the Taliban � and her young son, and their harrowing story of escape. It also tells the story of the young and ambitious foreign service member who aided their 11th-hour removal during one of the most dangerous military and diplomatic evacuations in U.S. history.
It reads like a thriller, and even though you know how the story ends, the story is told in such a gripping, immediate way that it's hard to put down. I actually listened to it as an audiobook and reader Sean Pratt was fantastic and not overly dramatic -- highly recommended. Zuckoff deserves all the accolades for this one.
It reads like a thriller, and even though you know how the story ends, the story is told in such a gripping, immediate way that it's hard to put down. I actually listened to it as an audiobook and reader Sean Pratt was fantastic and not overly dramatic -- highly recommended. Zuckoff deserves all the accolades for this one.
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