To Live or to Perish Forever: Two Tumultuous Years in Pakistan

This is both an informative look at many of the socio-political currents transforming Pakistani society today, as well as a cracking good read. Nicholas Schmidle was in Pakistan for two of the most important years in its reccent history, a time when a long-simmering nationist insurgency flared in Baluchistan, a secular dictator was brought down by popular democratic forces, sectarian strife stewed in flashpoints across the country, ethnic violence gripped Karachi and of course various militant Islamic groups launched full-fledged war against the state. Schmidle writes about all these trends and more, relating his personal encounters with many of the key people involved (including some of the Taliban commanders in Swat). Finally he runs show more afoul of the intelligence agencies and is first deported and then hounded out during a second visit a few months later. show less

Schmidle was a mere twenty-nine years old when he and his wife, Rikki, fled Pakistan. His story, To Live or to Perish Forever opens with their rushed evacuation out of the country.
There is a stereotype surrounding reporters. Everyone knows reporters are brazen. Reporters are hungry to scoop the competition. Reporters will stop at nothing to get a good story. Schmidle alludes to this when describing interviews with outlawed Islamic militant groups or his relationship with pro-Taliban leaders. Schmidle implies this when he writes about Daniel Pearl, a reporter murdered just four year prior to Schmidle's own story. He hints of it when he is allowed back into Pakistan just eight short months after his exile from the country.
I cannot imagine show more why anyone would want to put themselves willingly in an area dangerous enough to require a guard; especially an Islamabad town where you know the phones are being tapped and people are being kidnapped and murdered almost every single day. The idea that if you do not like you current political leader, you can just oust him by taking to the streets in violent protest. Schmidle's courage to tell a terroristic story is to be commended. show less

The author is sent to Pakistan on an assignment as a rookie journalist, having lost the chance to make it to Iran and having to settle for it's troubled neighbor. Over the course of two years, he meets leaders of the Taliban, politicians, NGOs, businessmen and the average john doe. He also has frequent brushes with the police and the dreaded ISI and it is due to their hounding that he is forced to leave the country after spending two tumultuous years. He does not say it in so many words but he predicts that it is heading towards the fate of a failed state if it is not one already.

I specially liked the way the book presents the different vignettes ordered according to geography, hence introducing the country in a manageable way, instead of being strictly chronological.

The author is sent to Pakistan on an assignment as a rookie journalist, having lost the chance to make it to Iran and having to settle for it's troubled neighbor. Over the course of two years, he meets leaders of the Taliban, politicians, NGOs, businessmen and the average john doe. He also has frequent brushes with the police and the dreaded ISI and it is due to their hounding that he is forced to leave the country after spending two tumultuous years. He does not say it in so many words but he predicts that it is heading towards the fate of a failed state if it is not one already.

Author's immersion in and travels across Pakistan provide a broad and valuable look at the country's life and politics. Full review here.