We bring you 5 books to read and know more about the Afghan conflict, the Taliban, the role of the US, and the reasons for the never-ending chaos and bloodshed in Afghanistan.
No Good Men Among the Living:Â America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes by Anand Gopal ****
Acclaimed Journalist Anand Gopal tells the lives of three Afghans and the story of how the US triumphed in sight in Afghanistan just to bring back the Taliban from the dead.
He follows the story of a Taliban commander, a US-baked warlord, and a village housewife all of who discovers the devastating cost of the war. In the story, he tells how the Taliban tried to surrender but the Americans were unwilling to turn around. Instead, they drove false intelligence from their allies to yield and press conflicts.
Gopal lays reports on America’s longest war and tries to uphold his truths of its prolonged agony. The book challenges the usual perceptions of the Afghan conflict, its victims, and its supposed winners.
The Lightless Sky: My Journey to Safety as a Child Refugee by Gulwali Passarlay *****
Gulwali Passarlay was born in Afghan. He fled from the political conflicts of his country that claimed his father’s life when he was a young boy. The book tells his story of how he endured a terrifying journey at the hands of smugglers.
The book is a powerful read, with deep horrifying accounts of the sufferings that asylum seekers have to endure. The Lightless Sky is an inspirational read that will surely move your heart.
Descent into Chaos: The United States & the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan & Central Asia by Ahmed Rashid *****
Ahmed Rashid is one of the bravest Pakistani reporters who has become a voice of reason amid the chaos of central Asia today. In the book, Rashid gives vivid and devastating accounts of the Afghanistan War post 9/11 and the invasion of Iraq. It is a chronicle of the failure of the war-torn regions and the knowledge of the political players involved. This book is a must-read to understand the ongoing conflicts.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini *****
Khaled Hosseini’s breathtaking story tells the story of two women, set against the volatile events of the last three decades of Afghanistan. The story is a deeply moving account of family and friendship, love and sacrifice, courage and hope. It is one of the most striking heart-wrenching novels I have come across.
A Thousand Splendid sun dwells into the reign of the Taliban and shows how terrifying life was for women. Although fiction, the story paints the horror of the Afghan women both of the past and the future to come.
Green on Blue by Elliot Ackerman ****
Green on Blue is another fictional tale that depicts modern-day Afghanistan. It is told through the eyes of Aziz, a young boy who joins the Special Lashkar, a US-funded militia.
Aziz and his brother were born in a remote village in Southeastern Afghanistan. When their parents were killed in a raid, the two brothers traveled to the city of Orgun to make a living. Soon the U.S forces invaded Afghanistan leaving Aziz’s brother deeply injured from a bomb blast.
It is a morally complex debuted novel that dwells into the notions of loyalty, revenge, and the brutalities of war.
