Afghanistan

"Bronstein has put together one of the richest portraits there is of modern Afghanistan—complicated, conflicted, and contradictory, but always compelling. Just try to put down this book without looking at every image, without feeling each person in your gut, in your heart. It’s impossible." ~Kim Barker, from the foreword

"I am impressed with Bronstein’s sheer determination, grit, sensitivity to her subjects on an intimate level, and ability to give insight into lives we would never know exist. The fact that an American female photojournalist has been embraced in Afghan culture is remarkable. Her images portray the gamut of emotion—an unvarnished reality of urgency, despair, compassion, understanding, and hope." ~Renée C. Byer, Pulitzer Prize–winning photojournalist and coauthor of Living on a Dollar a Day: The Lives and Faces of the World’s Poor

"A collection of photographs that whiplash from beautiful to horrific, a visual compendium of what has happened on the ground during America’s longest war . . . the book is a must-see for anyone with any interest in Afghanistan, the plight of women internationally or photography." ~Kim Barker, New York Times Lens Blog

"Bronstein's collection of photos is impressive . . . It is a feast of imagery that could not have been served at a better moment in history, the protracted conflict having dulled Afghanistan to American sensibilities . . . [She] remains committed to portraying those who might otherwise be forgotten in a seemingly endless conflict. In doing so, her images evoke emotions that are like Afghanistan itself, caught in that space between hope and fear." ~CNN

"Paula Bronstein’s photographs convey the impression that she is fond of, and touched by, the people she decided to photograph. . . . This book is not only remarkable but truly impressive and extraordinary. Paula Bronstein makes one understand because she makes one feel. She created a deeply moving testimony of life." ~F-Stop

"The most powerful portrait of Afghanistan I've come across—these are images that you will never forget." ~South China Morning Post

"Far from wrapping herself in the veil of her own consciousness, [Bronstein] unflinchingly confronts the unattractive reality before her and challenges any viewer who might not wish to acknowledge such unpalatable facts." ~Lens Culture