The Wasted VigilMarcus Caldwell, and English widower and Muslim convert, lives in an old perfume factory in the shadow of the Tora Bora mountains in Afghanistan. Lara, a Russian woman, arrives at his home one day in search of her brother, a Soviet soldier who disappeared in the area many years previously, and who may have known Marcus’s daughter. In the days that follow, further people arrive there, each seeking someone or something. The stories and histories that unfold, interweaving and overlapping, span nearly a quarter of a century and tell of the terrible afflictions that have plagued Afghanistan—as well of the love that can blossom during war and conflict. |
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Afghan Afghanistan Allah alQaeda Americans arrived asked Benedikt Bihzad birds body bomb Buddhas of Bamiyan Casa Casa’s Chechnya child Christopher colour darkness David dead death demoiselle cranes djinn door Dunia eyes face father feel fire floor girl gone guerrillas Gul Rasool hand head heard Islam Islamabad Jalalabad James Palantine jihad Kabul Kalashnikov Kandahar Khan’s kill knew Koran lake land Lara Lara’s later light living looking lover madrassa Marcus Marcus’s house mosque moves Muhammad Muslim Nabi Khan night orchard painted Pakistani Pashto perfume factory Peshawar Piotr prayer Qatrina remembers says shabnama side sitting someone Soviet soldiers Soviet Union Stepan stone Street of Storytellers suddenly Taliban talk tell things thought told tree turns Usha Uzbekistan walks wall wanted watching window woman women words young Zameen