Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History (Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics)

Review -Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History "Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History" by Thomas Barfield is a learned, detailed, well written book by an anthropologist, not a historian. Thus we are privileged to see the landscape, the people, and rulers, the events through different eyes. Thomas Barfield not only tells us the history of kingdoms and kings, and battles and wars, but also tells us of the nature of the people of Afghanistan. He tells us of the why and the how of the history. The sweep is broad and the story dramatic. Thomas Barfield writes with an educated tongue. I am glad I have my copy as an ebook so as to use the easy access to a dictionary. But the writing is clear and intriguing. The story is well told and fascinating. The detail is crisp and clear. The book is copyrighted 2010, as a part of the Princeton Studies in Muslim Politics. Looking through the titles in the collection, this book is in highly esteemed company. Thomas Barfield brings us right up to 2010 with many observations on the status of the politics of Afghanistan at that time. He spends time tracing the "longe duree" and how that long history impacts Afghanistan today. Thus, if you are looking for a book placing the current events in Afghanistan in their historical context, this is it. And it does it very well. Some may disagree with his conclusions. But Thomas Barfield supports his conclusions well. The book is well worth the read.

I originally began reading this book by checking it out at my local library. It was a wealth of knowledge and therefore I decided to purchase it. I appreciate the thoroughness in understanding Afghanistan’s history. It is well written and dedicated to ensuring the reader understands what is rooted in the several transformations of Afghanistan.

Thomas Barfield does an excellent job introducing readers to the complicated history of Afghanistan and its political legacies. If you are solely interested in learning about the country itself or are a historical reader, this is a great introduction but not the only book to rely on. As stated in the title, the political systems are of primary interest and Barfield connects them to important theories of political legitimacy, society formation, and international relations. Could only have wished for more details throughout the eras he covers.

Barfield brings an extremely useful combination of skills to bear on his explanation of Afghanistan. In his concise account of Afghani history over the last few centuries he draws on the ability of the social anthropologist to give us the whys of belief, behaviour and process that help us understand the whats of events. He also has the refreshing ability to draw on the whole range of sources in these explanations, including specifically Islamic analyses. One of the best things about this book is the way it avoids the convenient-thinking trap of "eternal Afghanistan": the author can draw sharp distinctions between elements of vigorous continuity in Afghani history and culture, and elements of dramatic and irreversible change. For students of Afghanistan as The Graveyard Of Imperial Ambition, I would rank this as one of the two most useful books to read, the other being Gen. Skeen's 1932 "Lessons In Imperial Rule", a cheerfully brisk booots-on-the-ground military analysis of why military invaders were inevitably bound for grief.

Afghanistan is a notoriously complex country with a notoriously complex history. Barfield has done a fantastic job of presenting a balanced overview of its history. At times, my head spun as I tried to keep the long cast of characters straight, but when I finished I felt like I had a better grasp on Afghanistan than when I started. If I had to make a light criticism, I would say that the first half of the book is a bit tougher to read because it deals in demographics and geography. It reminded me a bit of of the early sections of Louis Dupree's book, Afghanistan. The book's biggest strength is the history of Afghanistan since 1901. (I felt like it was the most relevant part to understanding the US effort there.) Since 1901, every Afghan leader has been either killed or exiled. I thought that was a striking piece of information given the US's contentious relationship with President Karzai. I give the book five starts and a must read for anyone interested in the US effort in Afghanistan. For people who follow Afghanistan very closely, some of it will be a review, but I suspect Afghan watchers of all levels of expertise will benefit from reading this book.

I found this book to be a fascinating read on the history and culture of Afghanistan. I began with very little knowledge of the nation and came out with a much deeper understanding than I thought possible. This book is well-written and wonderfully organized to present the subject in a way fitting of its rich history and intricate conflicts. After reading this, I find I understand news stories much better and am able to contextualize them. I absolutely recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Afghanistan or America's foreign policy in the region. This is not an area I was exposed to in my life in the US thus far, but an important part of world history. Afghanistan seems remote, but its long history is filled with Superpower involvement, invasion, and geopolitical significance.

A brilliant account of Afghanistan's cultural and political history from an historical and anthropological point of view Recommended for anyone interested in learning about Afghanistan

Delivery was on time & a good book to read

Semplicemente perfetto, lo consiglio .

Book in excellent shape. Seller described it right and it was sent in time and without any flaw in the handling of the purchase! Thank you!

This book has a special place in my personal library. It is an excellent socio-political study of Afghanistan. Thomas Barfield brings a great insight of the cultural background of the very complex afghan tribes. The historical study as well as the political analysis brings a great explanation for the current situation in Afghanistan. It is rare to find books covering this much Afghan history. Usually, we can only find documentation covering everything after the Soviet invasion.