Everyone knows that Canada's military is in Afghanistan, but what they don't know is how much the average Canadian is contributing to aid efforts in that country. In Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots, respected journalist Sally Armstrong revisits Afghanistan to compare women's lives pre- and post-Taliban, interviewing Afghan and Western women who are dedicated to improving health, education, culture, religion, and human rights. Armstrong connects these stories with the analysis of experts and considers the grassroots efforts of Canadians and the dedicated tax dollars being spent by the Canadian government. Bitter Roots, Tender Shoots is a moving portrayal of the lives of women and girls in Afghanistan in 2008.

Sally Armstrong is presently editor-at-large for Chatelaine and a contributing editor at Maclean's. She was editor-in-chief of Homemaker's from 1988 to 1999 and was one of the founding editors at Canadian Living. She has also produced several documentaries. She is a member of the Order of Canada and has received numerous journalism and humanitarian awards including honorary doctorates from Royal Roads University and McGill University.