Review 'Well-written, succinct, accessible, analytical, objective and balanced - this is one of the best introductions to the history of modern Afghanistan available to the general public.' --Baqer Moin, Head of the Persian Service, BBC'This is a magisterial study of the troubled nation, from the accession of the Iron Amir in 1889 up to the Taliban, the war of the winter of 2001-02, and search for a new state structure thereafter.' --History Today'Excellent - a veritable textbook, and a reference source for anyone interested in Afghanistan' --Dr. Thomas Withington, Jane's Intelligence Review and King's College, London Synopsis Afghanistan dominates the news today, as it often did during the Soviet occupation two decades ago. But even in the 19th and early 20th centuries at the height of the Great Game, Afghanistan was the focal point of East-West relations. Squeezed between Russia, China, India and Persia, its tortured history provides an extraordinary glimpse into the patterns of world politics. Today, Afghanistan sits at the pivot of a region where a new Great Game is taking shape, pitched between America, its rivals and the peoples of Central Asia. See all Product description
C**R
Excellent Book
I haven't completed the book yet, but I am enjoying it and finding it very informative. Chapters 1 and 2 were a complete slog to get through. It felt as though the author was expecting the reader to have a good general understanding of the regional history from the dawn of time, which I do not have. Because I didn't have a frame of reference many of the events (probably all of of them) the author referred to were a complete mystery to me so I just felt completely lost.Chapter 3 on out is all good; however, if you want to get the most out of the book you will probably need to read it once then start again once you buy yourself a mountain of post-it notes, drawing pins and string, and dedicate a blank wall in your home to map out all the relationships. Afghanistan is one complex place!My only major gripe is the author's downplaying of U.S. involvement in destabilising the region via Pakistan and up playing the “communist coup”. How it was a coup when the Soviets were invited in by the regional government is beyond me. If you want more on U.S. Involvement see for example Killing Hope by William Blum and/or The Politics of Heroin by Alfred W. McCoy.Anyway, setting those two points aside the book clearly lays out the regional changes from the 1500s to 2001, which I for one am finding very interesting.
R**D
Five Stars
A fascinating, informative and at times a heart rending experience
M**I
Five Stars
As expected both content delivery quality
A**R
Five Stars
It was a present for a friend so I don't know, sorry
J**I
A fascinating book, well researched and documented
A. Rasanayagam's book, although a work of considerable scholarship, reads like a novel. It is packed with the kind of relevant detail that gives coherence to the events and episodes described by putting them in context.As an example, the rivalries and fears of two expanding empires,Russia and Britain, resulted in the creation of Afghanistan as a buffer state in Central Asia. Another insight is given in the chapter on the prelude to the Soviet invasion, based on transcripts of the Soviet Politburo, casting doubts on the widely accepted idea that this act was just another blatant manifestation of Soviet expansionist aims.The book is well-written and well organized, with a chronologically-arranged narrative structure that makes it an easy read.Each chapter is practically free-standing so the reader does not have to refer back to earlier chapters.This book gives invaluable insights on a country very much on the headlines to any reader interested in world affairs, as much of what is described is of great contemporary relevance.
D**V
Well-written and balanced
This is a book on Afghanistan's modern history, rightly starting with the 'Iron Amir' Abdurrahman Khan who was the first to introduce - on a very modest scale, naturally - some modern institutions in Afghanistan. You should not expect any particular insgihts or discoveries in this book; it's main advantage is a clear style and a balanced approach. The author managed to describe the 'communist' period (1978-1993) without ideological stereotypes and labels, telling not only about the negative but also positive developments at that time. Interestingly, as the time passes, the Karzai government seems to be borrowing more and more from Najibullah's (the last communist President's) political arsenal, the latest example being establisgment of local self-defense forces at the village-district level. In a nutshell, if you want to get a balanced idea of the past 100 years plus of Afghan history written in an accessible and clear language - this is your book.
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