Summary

Praise for the previous edition:
"...a clear, concise history..."—Reference & Research Book News

"...very thorough...This work is a good choice for those wanting to familiarize themselves with the roots of the current conflict, and a handy reference for basic information on Afghanistan. Recommended."—Choice

"...reasonably priced and accessible...Recommended..."—Library Journal

Afghanistan has long been considered a remote and uninviting country to all but its closest neighbors. This lightly populated agricultural and pastoral nation has guarded its independence in the age of European imperialism thanks in large part to its limited perceived value. Political isolation—reinforced by a conservative tribal culture—kept most of the cultural and economic changes of the modern world at bay. Slowly, however, modern ways and values began to penetrate into the capital city of Kabul.

A Brief History of Afghanistan, Second Edition examines this country's isolation and how it found itself involved in 30 years of war and anarchy. This updated resource provides extensive background information so readers can understand the issues and make informed judgments of their own. Offering a clear, concise account of this country's historical and cultural heritage, from 3000 BCE to the present, this insightful book explores the culture and politics of the Pashtun tribes whose homeland extends across much of Afghanistan and northern Pakistan, as well as the Taliban insurgency and the relationship between local leaders and the central government in Kabul.

Coverage includes:

• The rise of Islam to the establishment of the Afghan state
• The birth of modern Afghanistan
• The 20th-century monarchy
• Two revolutions
• Soviet Afghanistan
• Afghanistan in rebellion
• Mujahideen rule
• The Taliban era
• Afghanistan under Karzai
• The Taliban resurgence.

Specifications

Black-and-white photographs and illustrations. Maps and charts. Index. Bibliography. Suggested reading. Chronology. Basic facts. Sidebars.

About the Author(s)

Shaista Wahab is in charge of the Arthur Paul Afghanistan Collection at the University Library in the University of Nebraska at Omaha, which holds the largest collection of Afghan materials in the United States. Wahab is also a specialist in Afghan oral history. She has led the Afghan Oral History Project at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and has taught oral history to Afghan women journalists who created the documentary film Afghanistan Unveiled in Kabul. She has lectured widely on Afghan history and culture and is a professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Barry Youngerman has been a nonfiction writer, editor, and translator for more than 25 years.