Afghanistan at War: From the 18th-Century Durrani Dynasty to the 21st Century

Lansford (political science, Univ. of Southern Mississippi) offers readers an understanding of the how, who, and why of military conflicts in Afghanistan, from the 18th century to present day. The book covers important figures, tribal and ethnic backgrounds that have led to social factors dividing the country, wars and battles, treaties, and weapons and technology. The alphabetically arranged articles contain "see also" references and further reading print resources. A "Guide to Related Topics" and the thorough index provide multiple points of access. The introduction gives a brief overview of the subject and highlights major players, while the chronology that follows will help readers keep track of major events; both are heavy on U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. A few black-and-white photos and maps are included. Ludwig V. Adamec's Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan tackles most of the same information, but the entries are shorter. Shaista Wahab and Barry Youngerman's Brief History of Afghanistan is more of a general overview but not as detailed. Peter Tomsen's The Wars of Afghanistan is a comprehensive look at wars from 1978 on yet offers limited points of access.