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Afghanistan: A Cultural And Political History (2010)

by Thomas Barfield(Favorite Author)

3.97 of 5 Votes: 1

ISBN

0691145687 (ISBN13: 9780691145686)

languge

English

genre

History & Biography

publisher

Princeton University Press

review 1: Barfield covers a lot of material in this book on the politics and history of Afghanistan, and the majority of it is well-researched, well-argued, and well-written. Definitely an academic read, this book harkened me back to my college days of late-night essay-writing. Sometimes I miss those days... Anyway, this book is a good resource for anyone interested in a broad historical overview of the land of the Afghans.
review 2: Barfield's Cultural and Political History of Afghanistan acts as a solid introduction to those who haven't a clue as to the country's past before the headlines of the 21st century. Though such a rich tapestry of history, culture, politics, and sociology is hardly done justice in the less than 400 pages of this book. After reading Hopkirk's "... moreThe Great Game," which was written predominantly from a western storytelling viewpoint, Barfield attempts to make his prejudices more apparent and at least attempt to better portray and explain cultural and societal norms of different Afghan peoples. Unfortunately, due to the brevity of this book, he too falls back into stereotypes in order to fit complex sociological issues from a long and complicated history into this short introduction. Regardless, this book is a worthwhile read for anyone looking to better understand Afghanistan and its place in history, the present, and the global future. less

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