Books on Afghanistan and the War of Terror

Ground Report | New Delhi: Books on Afghanistan; The return of the Taliban to power has brought a flood of online information, both accurate and false, about Afghanistan, its history, the Taliban, and the role of the US, Pakistan, and many other powers in what is happening today.

Here is a list of books on both the Taliban and modern Afghan history to help you understand the country and the conflict.

ALSO READ: 10 best movies on Afghanistan

Books on Afghanistan

Good Muslim, Bad Muslim

"Good Muslim, Bad Muslim is a short, readable plea for Americans to stop hearing about 'clash of civilizations' and start learning some practical political history." —The Village Voice

The Muslims Are Coming

The Muslims Are Coming, Arun Kundnani's primary focus is the 'radical thesis' that downplays the moral panic inherent in both incidents. That is, the idea that people become radicalized by exposure to 'extremist' ideologies, which may then lead them to engage in acts of terrorism.

An Enemy We Created

The book was written by Alex Strick van Linschoten and Felix Kuen, two researchers who speak the native Dari and Pashto languages of Afghanistan, as well as Arabic. The book aims to bring some knowledge on such a controversial topic: the ideological and political relationship between Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

Do Muslim Women Need Saving

Do Muslim women need savings? It is an indictment of a mindset that has justified all forms of foreign intervention, including military aggression, in the name of saving women from Islam, as well as a moving picture of women's real experiences and the contingencies that accompany them.

My Life with the Taliban 

It is the autobiography of Abdul Salam Zaeef, a senior former member of the Taliban. Abdul Zeif describes growing up in poverty in rural Kandahar province, which he fled to Pakistan after the 1979 Russian invasion. Zaeef joined the jihad in 1983, was seriously injured in several encounters, and met with several key figures of the resistance, including the current Taliban head.

Terrorism: Theirs & Ours

In 1985, President Ronald Reagan found a group of men wearing bearded turbans that looked like they came from another century. After receiving them at the White House, Reagan spoke to the press, referring to his foreign guests as "freedom fighters."

A Political And Diplomatic History of Afghanistan, 1863-1901

This comprehensive study was done by Hassan Kakar, an Afghan historian, and professor at Kabul University. This book explains the attempts to centralize the late Afghan monarchy under Sher Ali Khan and Abdur Rahman Khan in the 19th century.

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Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History

Afghanistan traces the historical conflicts and changing nature of political power in this volatile region of the world, from the Mughal Empire in the sixteenth century to the resurgence of the Taliban today.

The Dogs Are Eating Them Now: Our War in Afghanistan 

Graeme Smith spent years in Afghanistan as a journalist, a political affairs official with the United Nations, as well as an analyst for the International Crisis Group. He has won several awards for his journalism, including an Emmy for his multimedia series 'Talking to the Taliban'.

No Good Men Among the Living

The author of the book, Anand Gopal, is one of the few journalists who are associated with the Taliban. The book is a well-documented failure of American Afghan policy, which spread across several US administrations. (Books on Afghanistan)

The book describes how America's war on terrorism was damned from the very beginning with the invasion of Afghanistan, despite the fact that top Taliban leaders offered Washington a surrender.

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