Afghanistan A Cultural History /anglais

by St. John Simpson

An introduction to the cultural history, peoples, art and civilization of this ancient region - the gateway between East and West, North and South.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Travel

160 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2012

Reviews

[Frank Moore]

It was a fascinating read. When one hears of Afghanistan one thinks war and politics and a backwater until the soviets invaded the country, but this book opens up its rich history, with lots of examples of archaeological finds from the country.

[James]

Here's a key message from an Afghan to the British East India Company administrator who was sent there in 1809, "We are content with discord, we are content with alarms, we are content with blood, we will never be content with a master."

[Donna]

This is a short history, with a lot of emphasis on archeology, architecture and artifacts from the pre-historical and early historical periods. It felt a lot like going to a good museum exhibit about Afghanistan. There is much less information on the more modern time periods, ie from the 1700s onward. The photos are good quality and it is clear that Afghanistan formed from many different cultures as different invaders occupied, then settled in the country, but also because of the extensive trade because the region was part of the Silk Road. I enjoyed the emphasis on the cultural side of things, rather than just politics and wars and it gives you an appreciation for the positive side of what this culture has created.

[Hanif Salim]

Bought this as a complement to an exhibition by the British Museum in Perth Australia, it is not about the entire history of Afghanistan but rather from the cultural and archaeological perspectives - looking into the artefacts and accounts of early Afghanistan. Little did I know of the immensively rich cultural history of Afghanistan as well as its landscapes ans geographical features.