Afghanistan: A Modern History

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.

A fascinating, informative and at times a heart rending experience

As expected both content delivery quality

It was a present for a friend so I don't know, sorry

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.

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.