No Good Men Among the Living (Afghanistan)

[Dune Panther]

No Good Men Among the Living* by Anand Gopal is a book about the war in Afghanistan as seen through Afghan eyes. Published in 2014, developments since then which include the Taliban retaking the country are outside the scope of this book. However, it remains a unique and devastating historical account. Among those interviewed were members and former members of the Taliban, then-Afghan government officials, warlords, civilians and many others.

 

Because the focus is on the Afghans themselves, it seemed that the WMF was perhaps a more appropriate place for this book review than the US Militaria Forum. The author, a talented observer and chronicler of events, had access across Afghan society rarely afforded to an outsider and across a period of years. The result is a series of accounts (including firsthand) weaved together into an astonishing mosaic that also includes the history of the country, particularly from the 1979 Soviet invasion onward. 

 

This book is also an excellent source of what life was really like for those living in small villages (including women, children and families), what it was like in Kabul after the puppet Soviet-backed Afghan government fell, and much more. Very highly recommended for anyone interested in these subjects.

 

* Taken from the Afghan proverb: "There are no good men among the living and no bad men among the dead."