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The Man Who Would Be King: The First American in Afghanistan
The Riveting Account of the American Who Inspired Kipling's Classic Tale and the John Huston Movie
In the year 1838, a young adventurer, surrounded by his native troops and mounted on an elephant, raised the American flag on the summit of the Hindu Kush in the mountainous wilds of Afghanistan. He declared himself Prince of Ghor, Lord of the Hazarahs, spiritual and military heir to Alexander the Great.
The true story of Josiah Harlan, a Pennsylvania Quaker and the first American ever to enter Afghanistan, has never been told before, yet the life and writings of this extraordinary man echo down the centuries, as America finds itself embroiled once more in the land he first explored and described 180 years ago.
Soldier, spy, doctor, naturalist, traveler, and writer, Josiah Harlan wanted to be a king, with all the imperialist hubris of his times. In an extraordinary twenty-year journey around Central Asia, he was variously employed as surgeon to the Maharaja of Punjab, revolutionary agent for the exiled Afghan king, and then commander in chief of the Afghan armies. In 1838, he set off in the footsteps of Alexander the Great across the Hindu Kush and forged his own kingdom, only to be ejected from Afghanistan a few months later by the invading British.
Using a trove of newly discovered documents and Harlan's own unpublished journals, Ben Macintyre tells the astonishing true story of the man who would be the first and last American king.
In the year 1838, a young adventurer, surrounded by his native troops and mounted on an elephant, raised the American flag on the summit of the Hindu Kush in the mountainous wilds of Afghanistan. He declared himself Prince of Ghor, Lord of the Hazarahs, spiritual and military heir to Alexander the Great.
The true story of Josiah Harlan, a Pennsylvania Quaker and the first American ever to enter Afghanistan, has never been told before, yet the life and writings of this extraordinary man echo down the centuries, as America finds itself embroiled once more in the land he first explored and described 180 years ago.
Soldier, spy, doctor, naturalist, traveler, and writer, Josiah Harlan wanted to be a king, with all the imperialist hubris of his times. In an extraordinary twenty-year journey around Central Asia, he was variously employed as surgeon to the Maharaja of Punjab, revolutionary agent for the exiled Afghan king, and then commander in chief of the Afghan armies. In 1838, he set off in the footsteps of Alexander the Great across the Hindu Kush and forged his own kingdom, only to be ejected from Afghanistan a few months later by the invading British.
Using a trove of newly discovered documents and Harlan's own unpublished journals, Ben Macintyre tells the astonishing true story of the man who would be the first and last American king.
351 pages, Hardcover
First published April 4, 2004
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About the author
Ben Macintyre
38 books4,257 followersBen Macintyre is a writer-at-large for The Times (U.K.) and the bestselling author of The Spy and the Traitor, A Spy Among Friends, Double Cross, Operation Mincemeat, Agent Zigzag, and Rogue Heroes, among other books. Macintyre has also written and presented BBC documentaries of his work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
February 16, 2016
(Originally read December 2008. Rereading February 2016, a "The Second Time Around" book)
Original review, December 12, 2008
Who knew that Kipling's famous tale was loosely based on the exploits of an American adventurer? I sure didn't, but was fascinated by this literary predecessor. MacIntyre's colorful biography traces the rise of one Josiah Harlan, a lapsed Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania, whose nominally harebrained schemes to pursue glory in remote regions beyond the Indian frontier eventually led to his becoming a key adviser to the ruler of Afghanistan and commander of his army. His crowning achievement was being proclaimed the "Prince of Ghoree" in the remote mountains of Hazarajat, a short-lived triumph before his ultimate flight from Afghanistan a few months later in the wake of a British-led invasion.
As MacIntyre makes clear, Harlan in many ways was an eccentric figure, at times bordering on ridiculous, but he was at the same time brave, determined, wily, and intelligent. He had a peculiar capacity to reconcile drastically different philosophies, most notably American ideas of freedom and justice and a romanticized view of benevolent monarchy. Harlan's initial impetus for traveling to Afghanistan, too, was romantic: jilted by his fiancee, he joins the British Army in India in the capacity of (self-taught) surgeon. After meeting the exiled Afghan king Shujah al-Mulk in a northern frontier town, Harlan, who habitually "made no small plans" concocted a scheme to travel to Kabul and restore the king to his throne.
From that point on, Harlan seems less buffoonish, as he masters languages and customs with ease, gaining insight into the convoluted shifting Afghan tribal alliances not to mention the "Great Game" unfolding in some of the remotest places on earth. Reading of Harlan's encounters with Afghan chieftains and his many near-brushes (and occasional outright) disasters shed no little light on how, in some ways, the region still operates today. MacIntyre used Harlan's own voluminous writings as well as those of other travelers to the region to flesh out a fascinating world, and it's easy to understand why Harlan, who initially felt disdain for the "primitive" people of the region, ultimately became assimilated and ultimately switched alliances altogether - standing with the king he once set out to depose and against the British-backed one he initially wanted to restore.
In the end, I found my initial appraisal of this somewhat quixotic figure had turned to admiration. Harlan, who continually imagined himself following in the footsteps of Alexander, had something of that legendary conqueror's daring and no small measure of his ability to lead men. MacIntyre's quest in writing the book, too, seems to have been an undertaking of no little scope: intrigued by scattered references he ran across about Harlan, he managed to track down his papers in a forgotten Chester County archive. Yet MacIntyre refrains from using the story of his quest as a major theme, which I found admirable as I've been bored on more than one occasion by writers so puffed up with their own research feats that they can't help but insert themselves into the tale. Here instead MacIntyre merely sets the book into motion with his initial fascination, while the atmosphere throughout is testimony to his extensive travels in pursuit of the elusive Harlan.
Original review, December 12, 2008
Who knew that Kipling's famous tale was loosely based on the exploits of an American adventurer? I sure didn't, but was fascinated by this literary predecessor. MacIntyre's colorful biography traces the rise of one Josiah Harlan, a lapsed Quaker from Chester County, Pennsylvania, whose nominally harebrained schemes to pursue glory in remote regions beyond the Indian frontier eventually led to his becoming a key adviser to the ruler of Afghanistan and commander of his army. His crowning achievement was being proclaimed the "Prince of Ghoree" in the remote mountains of Hazarajat, a short-lived triumph before his ultimate flight from Afghanistan a few months later in the wake of a British-led invasion.
As MacIntyre makes clear, Harlan in many ways was an eccentric figure, at times bordering on ridiculous, but he was at the same time brave, determined, wily, and intelligent. He had a peculiar capacity to reconcile drastically different philosophies, most notably American ideas of freedom and justice and a romanticized view of benevolent monarchy. Harlan's initial impetus for traveling to Afghanistan, too, was romantic: jilted by his fiancee, he joins the British Army in India in the capacity of (self-taught) surgeon. After meeting the exiled Afghan king Shujah al-Mulk in a northern frontier town, Harlan, who habitually "made no small plans" concocted a scheme to travel to Kabul and restore the king to his throne.
From that point on, Harlan seems less buffoonish, as he masters languages and customs with ease, gaining insight into the convoluted shifting Afghan tribal alliances not to mention the "Great Game" unfolding in some of the remotest places on earth. Reading of Harlan's encounters with Afghan chieftains and his many near-brushes (and occasional outright) disasters shed no little light on how, in some ways, the region still operates today. MacIntyre used Harlan's own voluminous writings as well as those of other travelers to the region to flesh out a fascinating world, and it's easy to understand why Harlan, who initially felt disdain for the "primitive" people of the region, ultimately became assimilated and ultimately switched alliances altogether - standing with the king he once set out to depose and against the British-backed one he initially wanted to restore.
In the end, I found my initial appraisal of this somewhat quixotic figure had turned to admiration. Harlan, who continually imagined himself following in the footsteps of Alexander, had something of that legendary conqueror's daring and no small measure of his ability to lead men. MacIntyre's quest in writing the book, too, seems to have been an undertaking of no little scope: intrigued by scattered references he ran across about Harlan, he managed to track down his papers in a forgotten Chester County archive. Yet MacIntyre refrains from using the story of his quest as a major theme, which I found admirable as I've been bored on more than one occasion by writers so puffed up with their own research feats that they can't help but insert themselves into the tale. Here instead MacIntyre merely sets the book into motion with his initial fascination, while the atmosphere throughout is testimony to his extensive travels in pursuit of the elusive Harlan.
July 23, 2022
In 1838 Josiah Harlan became the first American to find his way to Afghanistan. Harlan was certainly an opportunist and adventurer. Harlan was a self-studied doctor, soldier, naturalist, writer and all around jack of all trades. He led the Afghan armies for a time, and became a 'prince'. Most likely Harlan was the real-life basis for Rudyard Kipling's 'The Man Who Would Be King'. Later back in America Harlan was briefly an officer in the Union Army during the Civil War, and eventually died a pauper in San Francisco despite the wealth he had generated on his foreign travels.
Ben Macintyre was a foreign correspondent assigned to Afghanistan covering the ending days of the Soviet war against the Afghani Mujahideen. In the book's prologue Macintyre describes Kipling's writings as being almost required reading among the western expatriates in-country. Later when Macintyre was back in London, covering Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in 2001, he discovered references about Harlan while doing research at the British Library. This chance footnote in history led Macintyre to research more into Harlan's life, and eventually led to the discovery of some of Harlan's own writings and chronicles of his exploits in present day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. This research of course became this book.
Harlan's exploits among the differing tribes of these areas almost seem fictional. The rich cultural diversity and exotic locales seem so mystical. Some seem incredibly inviting, while others are harsh beyond the extreme. Macintyre had the unenviable job of basically fact-checking Harlan's writings against what is historically known of the times and key people. By the end I think I was just simply tired of Harlan, hence the three-star rating.
My favorite parts of the book, are Macintyre's prologue on how the book became a project, and his epilogue written in Kabul in 2002. My own conclusion is that the tribal factions in that part of the world have been competing for power since before the times of Alexander the Great, continued through Harlan's experiences, and still continue through today. What our culture sees as brutality, is common place in some of these cultures, and will always be so. Democracy is not only a foreign concept for most, it is undesirable by those seeking and trying to keep power. Even today's Taliban leadership will have a hard time keeping control. The book is a deep dive into Afghanistan history. If you want a more overall view, there are more comprehensive books. If you think Harlan sounds intriguing this read might be worth your time. Harlan did lead an extraordinary life in a foreign land, sad that his time in his home country was a disappointment to him.
Ben Macintyre was a foreign correspondent assigned to Afghanistan covering the ending days of the Soviet war against the Afghani Mujahideen. In the book's prologue Macintyre describes Kipling's writings as being almost required reading among the western expatriates in-country. Later when Macintyre was back in London, covering Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks in 2001, he discovered references about Harlan while doing research at the British Library. This chance footnote in history led Macintyre to research more into Harlan's life, and eventually led to the discovery of some of Harlan's own writings and chronicles of his exploits in present day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. This research of course became this book.
Harlan's exploits among the differing tribes of these areas almost seem fictional. The rich cultural diversity and exotic locales seem so mystical. Some seem incredibly inviting, while others are harsh beyond the extreme. Macintyre had the unenviable job of basically fact-checking Harlan's writings against what is historically known of the times and key people. By the end I think I was just simply tired of Harlan, hence the three-star rating.
My favorite parts of the book, are Macintyre's prologue on how the book became a project, and his epilogue written in Kabul in 2002. My own conclusion is that the tribal factions in that part of the world have been competing for power since before the times of Alexander the Great, continued through Harlan's experiences, and still continue through today. What our culture sees as brutality, is common place in some of these cultures, and will always be so. Democracy is not only a foreign concept for most, it is undesirable by those seeking and trying to keep power. Even today's Taliban leadership will have a hard time keeping control. The book is a deep dive into Afghanistan history. If you want a more overall view, there are more comprehensive books. If you think Harlan sounds intriguing this read might be worth your time. Harlan did lead an extraordinary life in a foreign land, sad that his time in his home country was a disappointment to him.
September 28, 2010
The True Story of The Man who would be King, says the subtitle to my edition; the qualification is important, for without it the reader might regard this as a wonderful piece of picaresque fiction.
Josiah Harland is seen as the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's Kim, though with a back story that might have been found in Mark Twain. Having set out from Pennsylvania in November 1827 to visit the dark areas of central Asia, Josiah learns he has been dumped by his fiancée and decides to stay on. Twenty years and a series of extraordinary escapades later - including the acquisition of his own kingdom - he returns to the United States more or less broke but undaunted. His proposal to develop camel transport as preferable to the burgeoning railway is unsurprisingly unsuccessful; his treatise proposing the importation of the grape-vine from Cabul to central USA actually reached Congress in 1862 but fell upon unfertile ground.
A soldier with no military credentials who created himself Colonel before promoting himself to General, a doctor with no medical training who performed cataract operations on Afghan women, a spy who changed sides more often than his clothes, a dedicated botanist and indefatigable author, Josiah Harlan was a larger-than-life character who lives vividly on in the pages of Ben Macintyre's marvellous book
Josiah Harland is seen as the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's Kim, though with a back story that might have been found in Mark Twain. Having set out from Pennsylvania in November 1827 to visit the dark areas of central Asia, Josiah learns he has been dumped by his fiancée and decides to stay on. Twenty years and a series of extraordinary escapades later - including the acquisition of his own kingdom - he returns to the United States more or less broke but undaunted. His proposal to develop camel transport as preferable to the burgeoning railway is unsurprisingly unsuccessful; his treatise proposing the importation of the grape-vine from Cabul to central USA actually reached Congress in 1862 but fell upon unfertile ground.
A soldier with no military credentials who created himself Colonel before promoting himself to General, a doctor with no medical training who performed cataract operations on Afghan women, a spy who changed sides more often than his clothes, a dedicated botanist and indefatigable author, Josiah Harlan was a larger-than-life character who lives vividly on in the pages of Ben Macintyre's marvellous book
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August 3, 2011I was not very impressed with the writing style of the author, but Josiah Harlan was absolutely amazing!
June 14, 2021
Fascinating book about an American Quaker in Afghanistan playing in the Great Game of European Imperialism. Extraordinary tale.
February 9, 2012
I loved the Michael Caine and Sean Connery movie, The Man Who Would Be King, that came out when I was in high school. The John Huston film was nominated for four Academy Awards. Christopher Plummer played the role of a young journalist by the name of Rudyard Kipling - and the film was based on the Kipling's short story by the same name.
But who knew that Kipling's literary bon mot was inspired by a true story - and that truth truly is stranger than fiction?
In 1989, Ben Macintyre was sent to Afghanistan to cover the final stages of the 10 year war between the Soviets and the CIA-backed Mujahideen guerrillas. While there he read Kipling's tale of Daniel Dravot (written in 1888 but looking back to the middle of the Victorian Age, the 1820s and 30s), who made it to the heart of Afghanistan disguised as a Muslim holy man to become king of a fierce tribal empire. It was several years later, while combing through stacks of books in the British Library that Macintyre first discovered the name of a man who "reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story, 'The Man Who Would Be King.'"
So began Macintyre's search for an elusive footnote in history - all his papers were assumed to have been destroyed in a house fire in 1929 - that culminated in The Man Who Would Be King, a fascinating slice of history that is relevant to today's most pressing geopolitical hotspot. Following clues that led him from Britain's war archives to the Punjab, San Francisco, and Pennsylvania, Macintyre was finally able to find a box hidden away in the basement of the archives in a tiny U.S. museum of this mysterious man's birthplace. At the bottom of the box was a "document, written in Persian and stamped with an intricately beautiful oval seal: a treaty, 170 years old, forged between an Afghan prince and the man who would be king."
The first American in Afghanistan had many titles: Prince of Ghor, Paramount Chief of the Hazarajat, Lord of Kurram, personal surgeon to Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Five Rivers, King of Afghanistan ... and many others. His highness Halan Sahib - who in 1839, enthroned on a bull elephant, raised his standard and made claim to the Hindu Kush - was known back home in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as Josiah Harlan. The man who followed Alexander the Great's winding mountain path 21 centuries later and led an army made up of Afghan Pathans, Persian Qizilibash, Hindus, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Hazaras who were descendents of the Mongolian Hordes, a pacifist Quaker of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
If you like history, biographies, and tales that seem too fanciful to be true, you'll love The Man Would Be King.
But who knew that Kipling's literary bon mot was inspired by a true story - and that truth truly is stranger than fiction?
In 1989, Ben Macintyre was sent to Afghanistan to cover the final stages of the 10 year war between the Soviets and the CIA-backed Mujahideen guerrillas. While there he read Kipling's tale of Daniel Dravot (written in 1888 but looking back to the middle of the Victorian Age, the 1820s and 30s), who made it to the heart of Afghanistan disguised as a Muslim holy man to become king of a fierce tribal empire. It was several years later, while combing through stacks of books in the British Library that Macintyre first discovered the name of a man who "reputedly inspired Rudyard Kipling's story, 'The Man Who Would Be King.'"
So began Macintyre's search for an elusive footnote in history - all his papers were assumed to have been destroyed in a house fire in 1929 - that culminated in The Man Who Would Be King, a fascinating slice of history that is relevant to today's most pressing geopolitical hotspot. Following clues that led him from Britain's war archives to the Punjab, San Francisco, and Pennsylvania, Macintyre was finally able to find a box hidden away in the basement of the archives in a tiny U.S. museum of this mysterious man's birthplace. At the bottom of the box was a "document, written in Persian and stamped with an intricately beautiful oval seal: a treaty, 170 years old, forged between an Afghan prince and the man who would be king."
The first American in Afghanistan had many titles: Prince of Ghor, Paramount Chief of the Hazarajat, Lord of Kurram, personal surgeon to Maharaja Ranjit Singh of the Five Rivers, King of Afghanistan ... and many others. His highness Halan Sahib - who in 1839, enthroned on a bull elephant, raised his standard and made claim to the Hindu Kush - was known back home in Chester County, Pennsylvania, as Josiah Harlan. The man who followed Alexander the Great's winding mountain path 21 centuries later and led an army made up of Afghan Pathans, Persian Qizilibash, Hindus, Uzbeks, Tajiks, and Hazaras who were descendents of the Mongolian Hordes, a pacifist Quaker of Chester County, Pennsylvania.
If you like history, biographies, and tales that seem too fanciful to be true, you'll love The Man Would Be King.
December 27, 2011
One of Macintyre's earlier books, his writing is not as polished as later efforts like Agent Zig-Zag or Operation Mincemeat, but this is still a compelling tale of the first American "campaign" in Afghanistan, an audacious journey taken by one of history's great footnotes, Josiah Harlan. In the mid-nineteenth century, Harlan, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, made his way first to British India, thence to Afghanistan, in search of adventure. Without formal training or legal qualifications of any kind, Harlan declared himself by turns a doctor, a general, and--most incredibly--a prince. This is the true story behind Rudyard Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King and it makes an enjoyable read. Macintyre proves his worth as a historical journalist with painstaking research and objective yet sympathetic narration. Harlan, in turn, emerges as a true eccentric but a man whose willingness to enter fully into the culture of the Afghans with whom he chose to live, contrasts sharply with the British who, in a vain attempt to subjugate these hearty and violently independent people, would oust Harlan from that nation within a few years of his arrival. In fact, in what would prove shockingly prescient, Harlan argued at the time that any nation wishing to enter Afghanistan would do well to work within the culture rather than try to establish their own. One wishes modern foreign policy-makers would take a page from this incredible character who came to love the differences he found in this untamed land and untame-able people almost two hundred years before the latest efforts by outsiders to control Afghanistan.
November 15, 2024
Josiah Harlan was an American Quaker who traveled to Afghanistan in the 1830's to fulfill his dreams of adventure. He went on to become the inspiration for Rudyard Kipling's story "The Man Who Would be King." It is an amazing tale that could not be replicated today, for many reasons.
Ben Macintyre presents this story both as Harlan wrote it (his autobiography was never published) and as a modern observer of the ripple effects. The story absolutely predicts Russian and American failures in Afghanistan in recent history. Fascinating.
Ben Macintyre presents this story both as Harlan wrote it (his autobiography was never published) and as a modern observer of the ripple effects. The story absolutely predicts Russian and American failures in Afghanistan in recent history. Fascinating.
September 26, 2014
Whilst I've heard of the Kipling short story, The Man Who Would Be King, and the film based on it, I've never read or seen either. And to be honest, now I've read the history of the man who inspired the story, I'm not sure I want to - why would I read fiction when a true-life version is just as incredible?
Josiah Harlan lived a truly extraordinary life, and perhaps the most extraordinary thing was that he had the audacity to attempt any of it. After leaving the United States with a broken heart and swearing never to return, he served as a surgeon in the British Army in India despite having no medical training. He then joined the service of an exiled Afghan monarch and slipped into Afghanistan disguised as a holy man to foment rebellion on his behalf. He then served in the court of the Sikh occupier of much of Afghanistan, eventually leaving in disgrace and lucky to keep his head attached to his shoulders. He subsequently headed the armed forces of the Afghan monarch he had originally been trying to depose, fighting against his previous Sikh master! Along the way he self-consciously modelled his path on that of Alexander the Great, crossing mountains and borders, collecting titles and honours, including the deed to a princely kingdom he visited but once.
It all sounds too much to believe - even in Kipling's story you'd think it was far-fetched. Whilst Harlan himself comes across as a bit too self-important and self-deluded to be an entirely sympathetic character, this tale of his life is thoroughly enjoyable. I found the evocation of Afghanistan before the modern era especially interesting, a quite poignant depiction of a way of life torn between empires and now lost forever. A definite thumbs-up for this one.
Josiah Harlan lived a truly extraordinary life, and perhaps the most extraordinary thing was that he had the audacity to attempt any of it. After leaving the United States with a broken heart and swearing never to return, he served as a surgeon in the British Army in India despite having no medical training. He then joined the service of an exiled Afghan monarch and slipped into Afghanistan disguised as a holy man to foment rebellion on his behalf. He then served in the court of the Sikh occupier of much of Afghanistan, eventually leaving in disgrace and lucky to keep his head attached to his shoulders. He subsequently headed the armed forces of the Afghan monarch he had originally been trying to depose, fighting against his previous Sikh master! Along the way he self-consciously modelled his path on that of Alexander the Great, crossing mountains and borders, collecting titles and honours, including the deed to a princely kingdom he visited but once.
It all sounds too much to believe - even in Kipling's story you'd think it was far-fetched. Whilst Harlan himself comes across as a bit too self-important and self-deluded to be an entirely sympathetic character, this tale of his life is thoroughly enjoyable. I found the evocation of Afghanistan before the modern era especially interesting, a quite poignant depiction of a way of life torn between empires and now lost forever. A definite thumbs-up for this one.
December 21, 2015
A fascinating bit of imperial history, The Man Who Would Be King traces the true story of Josiah Harlan, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, who in the 1820s journeyed to British India to make his fortune as a military surgeon. Harlan decided he wanted more, and became a self-made player in the Great Game, using his natural talents and self-taught skills in medicine, diplomacy, and warfare, to serve the last great Oriental potentates (Shah Shujah al-Moolk, Amir Dost Mohammed Khan, Maharaja Ranjit Singh) and make his fortune.
Harlan is a fascinating character: a man of great energy and ambition who climbs to power remarkably quickly, in an environment where making a mistake in your choice of friends or words can lead to painful death. Macintyre also does a great job depicting the richness of the Afghan courts and their colorful life, as contrasted against the harsh lives of the peasants. In a period when Europe and the US are spinning up an industrial revolution and basics of the modern state, the Afghans as consumed in politics and feuds from an early time; an empire collapsed into warring microstates. Harlan does become King, for barely a few weeks, climbing the ladder of Oriental nobility to rule a small valley on a putative expedition against Uzbek slavers. In the end, Harlan returned to the US, wrote a poorly received book on the British, and died in relative obscurity, but he lived a life that was heroic.
There are parts that I wish were a little clearer, on the geography and politics of the era, but overall this is a fun and colorful examination of strange and forgotten era.
Harlan is a fascinating character: a man of great energy and ambition who climbs to power remarkably quickly, in an environment where making a mistake in your choice of friends or words can lead to painful death. Macintyre also does a great job depicting the richness of the Afghan courts and their colorful life, as contrasted against the harsh lives of the peasants. In a period when Europe and the US are spinning up an industrial revolution and basics of the modern state, the Afghans as consumed in politics and feuds from an early time; an empire collapsed into warring microstates. Harlan does become King, for barely a few weeks, climbing the ladder of Oriental nobility to rule a small valley on a putative expedition against Uzbek slavers. In the end, Harlan returned to the US, wrote a poorly received book on the British, and died in relative obscurity, but he lived a life that was heroic.
There are parts that I wish were a little clearer, on the geography and politics of the era, but overall this is a fun and colorful examination of strange and forgotten era.
March 1, 2014
An American goes to Afghanistan with little knowledge of the local people and their customs looking to establish a political empire and bring the fruits of western civilisation. Stop me if you think you've heard this one before, but I doubt you've heard it quite like this!
A fascinating read about a virtually unknown Josiah Harlan and what is, by all accounts, a life that contained enough action for at least five others. From Pennsylvania Quakers to Afghani tribes, Imperial geopolitics and the American Civil War - the erstwhile Prince of Ghor was somehow involved in it all.
Macintyre's prose makes the pages turn over quickly and he has some very wonderfully witty turns of phrase sprinkled throughout ('the straw that broke the camel dealer's back'). I'm looking forward to hearing him speak about his latest work, on Ken Philby, later this week down in London.
A fascinating read about a virtually unknown Josiah Harlan and what is, by all accounts, a life that contained enough action for at least five others. From Pennsylvania Quakers to Afghani tribes, Imperial geopolitics and the American Civil War - the erstwhile Prince of Ghor was somehow involved in it all.
Macintyre's prose makes the pages turn over quickly and he has some very wonderfully witty turns of phrase sprinkled throughout ('the straw that broke the camel dealer's back'). I'm looking forward to hearing him speak about his latest work, on Ken Philby, later this week down in London.
September 4, 2013
Really interesting story of All-American kook Josiah Harlan, a Pennsylvania Quaker who took a romantic jilting so bad he went to Afghanistan, where he meddled in local politics and almost got his keister handed to him on several occasions.
I guess they jilted more ferociously in the 1820s or whenever it was. Today the girl would just inform Josiah via Facebook.
Anyhoo, the story gets a little tedious at times. Hard to keep track of which guy named Mohammed is plotting against the other Mohammeds.
The depressing thing is the realization that nothing much has changed in that part of the world — and we're still meddling.
I guess they jilted more ferociously in the 1820s or whenever it was. Today the girl would just inform Josiah via Facebook.
Anyhoo, the story gets a little tedious at times. Hard to keep track of which guy named Mohammed is plotting against the other Mohammeds.
The depressing thing is the realization that nothing much has changed in that part of the world — and we're still meddling.
January 4, 2018
An intriguing bio on a man whose name should have be more recognized and revered as an explorer, adventurer in an unknown part of the world at that time.
April 4, 2024
It is interesting to learn that there was an American in Afghanistan during those years. And that Rudyard Kipling's story turned out to have a basis.
The book provides an account of the first American in Afghanistan. The author captures the intrigue and adventure of this extraordinary tale, offering readers a captivating glimpse into a pivotal moment in history.
The book provides an account of the first American in Afghanistan. The author captures the intrigue and adventure of this extraordinary tale, offering readers a captivating glimpse into a pivotal moment in history.
October 24, 2023
Everything I read by Ben Mcintyre is truly great. Most of what I've read from him is about WWII with a specific focus on the secret war, the code breaking, misdirection, and espionage.
This is quite a departure. It's likely the tale that inspired Rudyard Kipling's yarn about the two Brits who set out to establish themselves as leaders in the area around the Hindu Kush. This is the true story of Josiah Harlan, an adventurous young man from Chester, PA who, in the first half of the 19th century, becomes the first American to enter Afghanistan. He fancies himself as walking in the shoes of Alexander the Great. With no military training becomes an adviser and military leader for Maharajahs and other local leaders, ultimately earning a lifetime appointment as the King of Gor. It would be an unbelievable story if it weren't true.
This little overview can't do justice to the story. As usual, Mcintyre goes into great detail and full immersion. Not to be missed.
This is quite a departure. It's likely the tale that inspired Rudyard Kipling's yarn about the two Brits who set out to establish themselves as leaders in the area around the Hindu Kush. This is the true story of Josiah Harlan, an adventurous young man from Chester, PA who, in the first half of the 19th century, becomes the first American to enter Afghanistan. He fancies himself as walking in the shoes of Alexander the Great. With no military training becomes an adviser and military leader for Maharajahs and other local leaders, ultimately earning a lifetime appointment as the King of Gor. It would be an unbelievable story if it weren't true.
This little overview can't do justice to the story. As usual, Mcintyre goes into great detail and full immersion. Not to be missed.
January 19, 2025
The Man who Would Be King by Ben Macintyre tells the story of Josiah Harland who was the first American to go through India to the Kingdom of Afghanistan in 1838. He would become a prince, a general and switch sides throughout the conflict becoming embroiled in “the great game” for the control of the region between Great Britain and Russia. Pieced together form unpublished journals and manuscripts the author weaves together the details of Hardland’s life from Pennsyvania Quaker to leading charges in Afghanistan. We are taken deep into the various kingdoms and the tribal politics that govern the region. MacIntrye’s writing style always reads like fiction and while this is an early work of his you can see the beginnings of what has become his definitive style. A great addition to the books on the Great Game especially if you are looking for any American connection.
July 31, 2017
This is one of those books where you learn that history can be more interesting than fiction. This book feels like it should be made into a film (although I suppose it has in a way, since Kipling used Harlan's story for inspiration for The Man Who Would Be King.)
A random American guy, a Quaker from Pennsylvania managed to make his way to Afghanistan and become enmeshed with the politics, becoming a prince along the way. It's an unbelievable story, but it did happen.
It's thoroughly researched and well written by Macintyre, it reads like a narrative novel, not dry at all. If you have any interest about the country that the US and so many others got into a quagmire in, some of the roots of that can be found in this book.
A random American guy, a Quaker from Pennsylvania managed to make his way to Afghanistan and become enmeshed with the politics, becoming a prince along the way. It's an unbelievable story, but it did happen.
It's thoroughly researched and well written by Macintyre, it reads like a narrative novel, not dry at all. If you have any interest about the country that the US and so many others got into a quagmire in, some of the roots of that can be found in this book.
January 2, 2026
One of Ben Macintyre’s early ones, with less research to go on than he usually has, but he manages to pull it off, because the story he can tell is such a marvelous one. An American Quaker, jilted by his girlfriend in Philadelphia, goes to Afghanistan to escape his feelings, or assuage them, and ends up becoming king of a part of that country that he never rules or sees again, after his brief investiture. It’s the stuff of Kipling stories and John Huston movies. Don’t skip this real-life version because it’s even more amazing than the fictional versions.
August 18, 2019
I did originally give this one only one star but changed my mind and upgraded it to three as I appreciate the research and hard work that went into it. But I also cheated and went to the end when I had only read about half as the subject lost me. I just couldn't relate to it, even though I assume that the murderous behavior of so many Afghanistan people started in the era covered by this book. You might ask, why did you choose to read it and my answer is that I have read many books by Ben Macintyre and have liked all his other books, but sorry Ben, this one misses for me.
July 6, 2021
As the last British troops leave Afghanistan this month, it’s rather fitting to read of a tale that shines a light on British Imperialism in that part Asia from two hundred years ago; the story of the remarkable American, Josiah Harlan. While his name may have drifted into obscurity, his story forms the kernel for Kipling’s The man who would be king… as well as his life before and after becoming an Afghani prince, and as ever, fact is so much stranger than fiction…
January 23, 2022
Josiah Harlan was an amazing American who, amongst other adventures, played a role in The Great Game. I was so happy to find that Ben Macintyre had written a biography of him. Not sure how this story stands on its own, but it was fun to read following Dalyrmple and Hopkirk. Maybe not as much as those two authors, but Macintyre also draws some parallels between the tragedy of The Great Game and current affairs.
January 3, 2025
What a story! How could anyone be as intrepid as Josiah Harlan? He should have died many times - his brazenness in a country of such brutality should have at least resulted in his losing his nose or an ear or two. What I loved, though, was that even though he spent decades traipsing across Afghanistan, becoming the kind of Ghor in perpetuity, he never stopped hauling the stars and stripes wherever he went.
March 2, 2018
Ben Macintyre reveals a nugget of history forgotten by time. Josiah Harlan lived the life of an adventurer with boldness. This Quaker by birth would ironically become a General of an army and named a prince of Afghanistan. Macintyre weaves an exciting tale of life in uncharted territory, dangerous bandits and amazing people.
July 25, 2021
Not a literary triumph, but fascinating nonetheless. I mourn the beautiful country spoiled forever by colonial wars, and the people now quickly being subjugated by religio-fascists. As the American forces retreat, I’m wondering how many would have signed on for the tragedies of this latest misadventure had they read this book beforehand.
May 2, 2025
Ben Macintyre is awesome
I’ve enjoyed reading several of Ben Macintyre’s writings. The humor, details and even handed descriptions make his work approachable and relatable.
‘The Man Who Would Be King’ is a unique story about a complex man is a dizzyingly complex environment. It’s engaging and fun.
I’ve enjoyed reading several of Ben Macintyre’s writings. The humor, details and even handed descriptions make his work approachable and relatable.
‘The Man Who Would Be King’ is a unique story about a complex man is a dizzyingly complex environment. It’s engaging and fun.
May 16, 2020
I have generally enjoyed books by this author. This one however I really struggled to finish. There were interesting aspects to the story but it generally felt very dry.
The book is going on the charity pile rather than the bookcase.
The book is going on the charity pile rather than the bookcase.
June 10, 2023
Very disappointed. I’ve read almost everything else MacIntyre has written and loved it. This book is very different. I read 25% of it and gave it up as a waste of my time. I’m sorry to write such a poor review but just being honest.
January 22, 2019
This book is well worth reading. A true tale covering an incredible story of an astonishing man. It certainly improved my knowledge of the history of the time.
March 13, 2019
Yes, quite a story, a boy's own adventure and all that. But for all that introduced me to an aspect of history that I knew nothing about before.
September 30, 2019
Another excellent book by this author
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