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Bleeding Afghanistan: Washington, Warlords, and the Propaganda of Silence (Open Media)
Sonali Kolhatkar, James Ingalls
Seven Stories Press, 2006
Afghan suffering
The book raises important moral and ethical problems for US supporting fundamentalists in the fight against communism during the cold war, and later using the same fractions for fighting the Taliban. The authors' good knowledge on what's going on in Afghanistan shows how the civilian population has ...
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Afghan Frontier: Feuding and Fighting in Central Asia
Victoria Schofield
Tauris Parke Paperbacks, 2003
A high quality book in all respects
I think that after Sir Olaf Caroe's book "The Pathans" which is generally regarded as the magnum opus of this confounding subject, this book (though not as well known) is the second best exposition I have come across regarding Afghans (also Pashtuns or Pathans)that I can safely recommend as such.
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Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion and the Afghan Response, 1979-1982
Mohammed Kakar
University of California Press, 1997
The story of Afghan genocide at the hands of the Soviets.
+ A Clinical and Concise Read
+ Afghanistan: The Soviet Invasion and the Afghan Response, 1
A professor of history at the University of California at San Diego, Hassan Kakar's scholarly work on the dark days of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan reveals the horrors of the war for those not present to experience it first hand. Meticulously documented, the book provides a detailed ...
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Frontline Pakistan: The Struggle with Militant Islam
Zahid Hussain
Columbia University Press, 2007
Pakistan - A Social and Political Explosion Waiting to Happen
+ Informative Summary of Militant Islam in Pakistan
+ Good book for military readers
+ Great book - in touch with ground reality
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Modern Afghanistan: A History of Struggle and Survival
Amin Saikal
I. B. Tauris, 2006
Afghanistan’s history is a sad one: Soviet invasion in 1979; Pakistan-backed internal conflict in the 1980s; the Taliban regime and then the US invasion after the catastrophe of September 11th. Why does Afghanistan remain so vulnerable to domestic instability, foreign intervention and ideological extremism? Amin Saikal provides us with a sweeping new understanding of this troubled country ...
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Charlie Wilson's War: The Extraordinary Story of How the Wildest Man in Congress and a Rogue CIA Agent ...
George Crile
Grove Press, 2004
The Best Non-Fiction I've Ever Read
+ Rollicking good story, but...
+ The enemies of our enemies are not our friends...
+ Absolutely Recommended Reading
+ This Book Kept My Interests
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Buzkashi: Game and Power in Afghanistan (2nd Edition) (Symbol and Culture)
G. Whitney Azoy
Waveland Press, 2002
Powerful and Vivid
Azoy describes a fascinating relationship between Afghanistan's "national sport" and its political evolution. Witty and genuine, his firsthand accounts of traditional Afghan notions of power, status and honor give the book a unique flavour. Buzkashi is short, but informative. Easy to read and ...
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The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System, Second Edition
Barnett R. Rubin
Yale University Press, 2002
The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System
+ Fragmentation of Afganistan
+ very detailed and well researched, but a tough read
+ Solid academic political analysis
+ Solid academic political analysis
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The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban
Sarah Chayes
Penguin (Non-Classics), 2007
Great Insight
+ Pulitzer!
+ Fascinating insights
+ A gripping narrative of intrigue, assassination, personal dedication and courage
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Opium Season: A Year on the Afghan Frontier
Joel Hafvenstein
The Lyons Press, 2007
Rings true to me
+ treacherous development
+ The Opium Season: A Year on the Afghan Frontier
+ Inside the world of development contractors and the dangerous world they work in
+ Massively more exciting than my college lectures, and lots more edifying than my other pleasure reading
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Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and Bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September ...
Steve Coll
Penguin (Non-Classics), 2004
Fascinating and well-researched history
+ bordering on fraudulent
+ A Historical Tour de Force
Though Osama Bin Laden became a household name after the 9-11 attacks, few people know the background of Afghanistan and the mujahideen fighters that birthed these radical groups. This book gives a well-researched, in-depth look into the interplay of the Cold War, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, ...
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Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
Ahmed Rashid
Yale University Press, 2001
All about religion and Mullah Omar fundamentalism ...
+ Timely, but getting outdated
+ Interesting, now read "Detained Differences"
If you want to understand Afghanistan latest history, this is a great choice. The narrative is center on the Talibans of course, how this group was invented after the end of the cold war and after fighting against the Soviets in a united front known as the Mujaheddin. It is clear to all of us that ...
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The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East
Robert Fisk
Vintage, 2007
well worth the weight
+ Must Read stuff
+ Easily one of the best books I've ever read
+ Long read
+ Brilliant but lengthy treatise on how the Middle East "situation" came to be
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Karzai: The Failing American Intervention and the Struggle for Afghanistan
Nick B. Mills
Wiley, 2007
Intriguing on all levels
+ Solid Effort.
+ Informative
This book gives the reader an honest look at the levels of intrigue that exist when the U.S. tries to "promote democracy" on foreign soil. It also gives a wonderful portrait of a leader who is trying to maintain the integrity of his nation against incredible odds. This book is a must-read for ...
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The Great War for Civilisation: The Conquest of the Middle East
Robert Fisk
Vintage, 2007
well worth the weight
+ Must Read stuff
+ Easily one of the best books I've ever read
+ Long read
+ Brilliant but lengthy treatise on how the Middle East "situation" came to be
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