My Dear Kabul is a deeply moving collection that captures the voices of Afghan people whose stories might otherwise go unheard. Published by Untold Narratives CIC, a community interest company dedicated to amplifying marginalised voices, the book gathers personal testimonies, letters, and reflections centred on Kabul — a city that holds profound emotional and historical significance for millions of Afghans around the world.

What makes this collection particularly compelling is its intimacy. The contributors write to Kabul as though to a beloved friend or family member, lending the book a tender, epistolary quality that transforms political displacement into something deeply human. The range of voices — spanning generations, genders, and geographies — ensures that no single narrative dominates, and the result is a rich, multifaceted portrait of longing, loss, resilience, and hope.

The editorial approach is restrained and respectful, allowing each contributor’s voice to breathe without over-processing or homogenising the prose. This is particularly admirable given the sensitivity of the subject matter, which touches on exile, the Taliban’s return to power, and the enduring love Afghans carry for their homeland.

My Dear Kabul is an important book — not only as a literary document but as an act of witness. It invites readers who may feel distant from Afghanistan’s realities to listen carefully, and to sit with the weight of what has been lost and what endures.