Regardless of whether the author's analysis of the situation in Afghanistan is correct, I know a lot more about it after reading this book. ( )

Written by journalist Sarah Chayes, this is a story about Afghanistan that is both insightful and absorbing while managing to avoid so many cliches that are dragged up by other books written by 'insiders' about Afghanistan.

Chayes originally travelled to Afghanistan as a journalist after September 2001 and remains int he country working as an aid-worker. While sometimes bewildered by a strange culture and society, she soon gains a good understanding of how things work, to the point that she is often telling the US military and Afghan political aparatus how they should be doing their job, with varying degrees of success.

This would be a very good introductory volume for a reader who wanted to understand the development of Afghanistan since the supposed defeat of the Taliban - it touches on the important points, including the history of Afghanistan, yet never becomes too technical or esoteric. There are extensive endnotes that will point the interested reader to other sources on the subject. ( )

An excellent account of the events in Afghanistan since September of 2001, by an ex-journalist who has been on the ground in the country for virtually the whole time and has been close to many of the key players, both Afghan and American. ( )