The Best Afghanistan Books

There are some absolute "must reads" Afghanistan books and some unique resources you may not have heard about.

Amazon.com shows over 300 items related to Afghanistan. So where should you start?

Highly Recommended Books on Afghanistan

Here are some books to get you started - some are old, and some are new, but these are on the list of "required reading" for "newbies" by agencies working in the country for the past 40 years.

• Afghanistan by Louis Dupree An oldie, but a classic.

• The Great Game by Peter Hopkirk

  ...and the Great Game continues today.

• Afghanistan: A Short History of Its people and Politics by Martin Ewans

• Review of Breadwinner, Parwana's Journey, Mud City
  Trilogy by Deborah Ellis.

A review by an American mom.

• Review of Real Men Keep Their Word
  A translation of Dari short stories by Arley Loewen

• Images of Afghanistan
  Introducing the new book by Arley Loewen and colleague Josette McMichael. This is an excellent source for an up-to-date account of Afghanistan culture as seen through art and literature.

A longer list is available in the Afghanistan Adventure Planning Guide.

If you have read some of these books and would like to send in a summary or review the book for the rest of us, please use the contact us form to send it in and we'll upload it to the appropriate spot.

(The only rule is polite language only, no derogatory comments of any religion or government except as it may possibly pertain to a book review or summary. The webmaster reserves the right to edit all submissions.)

Practical Books

Conversational Dari by Euegene Glassman and audio lessons to go with the book

Surviving in Dari by International Assistance Mission (IAM)

Speaking Afghan Pashto by Randall Olson and audio lessons to go with the book

Progressing Pashto by David Burns

Let’s Become Literate and associated Easy Readers(An adult Literacy Primer. Great to start learning reading and writing in Dari)

To obtain these books, check out Interlit Foundation

Google Books

Mr. Rais, the owner of Shah M. Books, has recently written Once Upon a Time There Was A Bookseller in Kabul as a response to The Bookseller of Kabul by Asne Seierstad.

Mr. Rais is also working on a partnership to make more Afghanistan books published by Shah M. Books available in the UK, so hopefully there will be a way soon for people outside of Afghanistan to purchase books being published here.

In the meantime, check out Shah's booksto learn more about some of the unique Afghan books found at this shop.