Finalist for the National Book Award in a breath-taking chronicle, acclaimed journalist Anand Gopal traces in vivid detail the lives of three Afghans caught in America's war on terror. He follows a Taliban commander, who rises from scrawny teenager to leading insurgent; a US-backed warlord, who uses the American military to gain personal wealth and power; and a village housewife trapped between the two sides, who discovers the devastating cost of neutrality.
ANAND GOPAL has served as an Afghanistan correspondent for The Wall Street Journal and The Christian Science Monitor, and has reported on the Middle East and South Asia for Harper's, The Nation, The New Republic, Foreign Policy, and other publications. He is an INCITE fellow at Columbia University.
"Gopal's book is essential reading for anyone concerned about how
America got Afghanistan so wrong. It is a devastating, well-honed
prosecution detailing how our government bungled the initial salvo
in the so-called war on terror, ignored attempts by top Taliban
leaders to surrender, trusted the wrong people and backed a
feckless and corrupt Afghan regime.... It is ultimately the most
compelling account I've read of how Afghans themselves see the
war."
--The New York Times Book Review "Astonishing stories... Such
investigative reporting is very rare in Afghanistan, where foreign
journalists have been targets since 2001. Gopal pursued his stories
into the most active centers of the insurgency. He learned Dari and
- more difficult - Pushtu. He won the trust of insurgent leaders.
But his real genius lies in binding all these sources together and
combining them with thousands of hours of interviews.... All this
allows him to bring life to figures who have hitherto been
caricatures."
--The New York Review of Books "A brilliant analysis of our
military's dysfunction and a startlingly clear account of the
consequences"
--Mother Jones "Extraordinary... Brilliantly written... Gopal's
method of going deep into the lives of several Talibs, warlords,
and ordinary Afghans - he includes an exhilarating portrait of one
Afghan woman- demonstrates how different the Americans' 'mistakes'
feel when the dead, injured, and traumatized people have been amply
humanized." --Bookforum "With a plethora of policy-oriented works
on Afghanistan having appeared in recent years, Anand Gopal wisely
chooses to tell the war's story from the personal perspective of
three characters... Gopal displays a keen understanding of the
levers of power in Afghan society and their sometimes devastating
effect on individuals trying to make their way in the world."
--Los Angeles Times "Refreshingly complex and thought-provoking...
Often reading like an adventure novel, No Good Men Among the Living
is certain to appeal to Afghan-ophiles and casual readers alike....
Gopal offers a unique perspective, an essential examination of
policy, and a rock-solid narrative that ensures this will be one of
the few books people still read years from now when they want to
understand America's war in Afghanistan."
--The Christian Science Monitor "The level of craftsmanship in this
book is often awe-inspiring.... Provides unique insights into
America's intervention in Afghanistan and makes important
contributions to our understanding of the conflict there."
--Foreign Policy "A brilliant, incisive work of storytelling and
analysis. Of all the recent books on Afghanistan, this one stands
out like a bright shining light, revealing the truth of the war
from the ground up. Breathtaking and magnificent, this is a must
read."
--Ahmed Rashid, author of Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and
Fundamentalism in Central Asia "If you read one book on Afghanistan
today, make it this one. No Good Men Among the Living is a
masterfully told narrative of how, after 9/11, the Americans
defeated the Taliban only to revive them. An admirable
achievement."
--Jon Lee Anderson, author of The Fall of Baghdad and The Lion's
Grave "Anand Gopal, known for his extraordinarily brave firsthand
accounts of the Taliban, now tells the story of the Afghan war
through stories of the Afghans themselves--whose voices have been
notably absent from almost all coverage of the conflict. With its
deep reporting and excellent writing, No Good Men Among the Living
is destined to became a classic of war reportage."
--Peter Bergen, author of Manhunt: The Ten-Year Search for Bin
Laden from 9/11 to Abbottabad
"Compelling... Gopal's chronology of how America's deadly
incompetence and the predatory graft of Afghan authorities drove
many Afghans to despair or rebellion is the product of sustained
and impressive shoe-leather reporting. This is a valuable
book."
--Maclean's "Haunting... Presents a stirring critique of American
forces who commanded overwhelming firepower, but lacked the
situational knowledge to achieve their objectives... Gopal reveals
the fragility of the tenuous connection between intention and
destiny in a war-torn land."
--Publishers Weekly "Gopal puts the present Afghanistan in
perspective... He presents his analysis of Afghanistan through
three individuals: Mullah Cable, a Taliban commander; Jan Muhammad,
a member of the U.S.-backed Afghan government; and Heela, a village
housewife. His portraits of these three and their tumultuous lives
are rich in detail, as are his descriptions of their stark and
war-ravaged land."
--Kirkus Reviews "Original and stimulating... Policymakers and
informed readers will benefit immensely from this illuminating
book"
--Library Journal
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