The author has left Afghanistan with his family as a child. He has lived in Paris, and then in California, where he lives to this day.
He wasn't in Afghanistan when the Taliban came. He wasn't there when Taliban fought Soviets. He wasn't there when Soviets withdrew. He heard about all this from TV and newspapers, just like the rest of us.
That he doesn't know much about Afghanistan is is obvious when you read the book. 95% of the story is indoors and main characters talk to a handful of people, probably so that the author can avoid having to talk about Afghan people, their interactions, and especially their cities, landmarks, customs, etc.
The only Afghan monument discussed in the whole book are the two Buddha statues blown up by the Taliban that everyone else in the world knows about. The books/authors it references are Western Classics like Pinocchio, Old Man and the Sea, etc.
It's a book written in English, by a guy who is Afghan only by heritage, and for the Western audience.