Review of Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires
Posted: 18 Dec 2021, 09:48
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires" by John A. Tyler.]
For as long as we can remember, Afghanistan has been a territory of conflicts and chaos. The country has had much more than its fair share of trouble, and in 2021, the sudden retreat of the USA from its grounds led to the events that shook the entire world to its core. While all of us have a general idea of the events that transpired, only a few know the full picture.
Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires by John A. Tyler attempts to clear the fog surrounding the situation of this turbulent country. To explain the present, the author dives into the events in the distant past and highlights the parallels that are both enlightening and saddening. Tyler begins the narrative of Afghanistan from the prehistoric era, stretching it to the empires of Alexander the Great in the West and the Mauryas in the Indian subcontinent, and eventually comes around to the advent of Islam and the British invasion.
While telling the story of the kings that ruled this land to the tribes that call it home, the author makes use of easy and approachable language. He tries to tell the reader as much as possible without going into too many technicalities. This approach makes the book more accessible to common readers rather than limiting it to academics. The chapters are short, allowing the reader to take breaks and helping them to have a better grasp of the matter. By taking it one step at a time, the author also makes sure to never throw an information dump on the reader.
The act of digging up the past leads to a contextual understanding of the present situation of the country. All the bloodshed that has happened in the region throughout history leads to a sentimental empathy in the reader. Some facts are quite shocking, while some things make the reader wonder what it could have been like had things happened differently at a critical point. The curiosity to know more about Afghanistan increases with every chapter, and the author succeeds in fanning the flames with well-placed details and intelligent foreshadowing. The lack of grammatical errors also adds another feather in its cap. I found a total of three errors in it, but they were too minor to be considered a flaw.
My rating for Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires is 4 out of 4 stars. It’s an informative book with a significantly relevant subject matter. I advise everyone to go for it. If you don't generally read non-fiction, you can still give it a go. You might end up developing a taste for the genre.
******
Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
For as long as we can remember, Afghanistan has been a territory of conflicts and chaos. The country has had much more than its fair share of trouble, and in 2021, the sudden retreat of the USA from its grounds led to the events that shook the entire world to its core. While all of us have a general idea of the events that transpired, only a few know the full picture.
Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires by John A. Tyler attempts to clear the fog surrounding the situation of this turbulent country. To explain the present, the author dives into the events in the distant past and highlights the parallels that are both enlightening and saddening. Tyler begins the narrative of Afghanistan from the prehistoric era, stretching it to the empires of Alexander the Great in the West and the Mauryas in the Indian subcontinent, and eventually comes around to the advent of Islam and the British invasion.
While telling the story of the kings that ruled this land to the tribes that call it home, the author makes use of easy and approachable language. He tries to tell the reader as much as possible without going into too many technicalities. This approach makes the book more accessible to common readers rather than limiting it to academics. The chapters are short, allowing the reader to take breaks and helping them to have a better grasp of the matter. By taking it one step at a time, the author also makes sure to never throw an information dump on the reader.
The act of digging up the past leads to a contextual understanding of the present situation of the country. All the bloodshed that has happened in the region throughout history leads to a sentimental empathy in the reader. Some facts are quite shocking, while some things make the reader wonder what it could have been like had things happened differently at a critical point. The curiosity to know more about Afghanistan increases with every chapter, and the author succeeds in fanning the flames with well-placed details and intelligent foreshadowing. The lack of grammatical errors also adds another feather in its cap. I found a total of three errors in it, but they were too minor to be considered a flaw.
My rating for Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires is 4 out of 4 stars. It’s an informative book with a significantly relevant subject matter. I advise everyone to go for it. If you don't generally read non-fiction, you can still give it a go. You might end up developing a taste for the genre.
******
Afghanistan Graveyard of Empires
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon