The complexity of photojournalist Rafal Gerszak’s feelings about Afghanistan is connected to his experiences there among both soldiers and Afghan civilians. A year spent imbedded with an infantry platoon showed Gerszak the Afghan war from a military perspective. He was among soldiers facing tense, sometimes life-threatening situations, whether the Humvee in which they were riding was under fire from Taliban soldiers, or the platoon was raiding houses suspected to be hiding insurgents. He saw medical personnel doing their best to help anyone in need of aide, whether soldier, Taliban, or civilian. After a brief respite, Gerszak returned to Afghanistan, wanting to spend time among the Afghan people. There he experienced the war—and the country—from a different perspective, seeing people trying to live their lives in spite of the war, or whose lives have been cruelly disrupted because of it. “In spite of everything, Afghans stay strong and hopeful. And as long as they have stories they want to tell, I’ll keep going back.” Sidebars provide additional information on elements of Afghan culture, politics, and the conflicts raging there. (Age 11 and older)

Award-winning photographer Rafal Gerszak spent a year embedded with the American military in Afghanistan, where he used his camera to document everyday life in the war-torn country. While there, he developed a deep affection for the land and its people, and he later returned on his own. Despite the dangers around him, he continued taking photos, exposing the plight of that besieged country. Framed by journal entries that relate his experiences on two levels--as a foreigner looking for a deeper connection to a country that has stirred him, and as a journalist looking for another side to the story--Beyond Bullets addresses the volatile situation in Afghanistan with sensitivity and profound insight. Through Gerszak's lens, readers can see the shattered aftermath of military attacks and dismal hospitals and refugee camps, but they can also experience the vibrant activity of life in the markets, at home and on the Muslim day of rest. Featuring more than 40 of Gerszak's photographs and at once harrowing and heartrending, Beyond Bullets is as illuminating as it is riveting.