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Afghan Napoleon: The Life of Ahmad Shah Massoud
The first biography in a decade of Afghan resistance leader Ahad Shah Massoud.
When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the forces of resistance were disparate. Many groups were caught up in fighting each other and competing for Western arms. The exception were those commanded by Ahmad Shah Massoud, the military strategist and political operator who solidified the resistance and undermined the Russian occupation, leading resistance members to a series of defensive victories.
Sandy Gall followed Massoud during Soviet incursions and reported on the war in Afghanistan, and he draws on this first-hand experience in his biography of this charismatic guerrilla commander. Afghan Napoleon includes excerpts from the surviving volumes of Massoud’s prolific diaries—many translated into English for the first time—which detail crucial moments in his personal life and during his time in the resistance. Born into a liberalizing Afghanistan in the 1960s, Massoud ardently opposed communism, and he rose to prominence by coordinating the defense of the Panjshir Valley against Soviet offensives. Despite being under-equipped and outnumbered, he orchestrated a series of victories over the Russians. Massoud’s assassination in 2001, just two days before the attack on the Twin Towers, is believed to have been ordered by Osama bin Laden. Despite the ultimate frustration of Massoud’s attempts to build political consensus, he is recognized today as a national hero.
When the Soviets invaded Afghanistan in 1979, the forces of resistance were disparate. Many groups were caught up in fighting each other and competing for Western arms. The exception were those commanded by Ahmad Shah Massoud, the military strategist and political operator who solidified the resistance and undermined the Russian occupation, leading resistance members to a series of defensive victories.
Sandy Gall followed Massoud during Soviet incursions and reported on the war in Afghanistan, and he draws on this first-hand experience in his biography of this charismatic guerrilla commander. Afghan Napoleon includes excerpts from the surviving volumes of Massoud’s prolific diaries—many translated into English for the first time—which detail crucial moments in his personal life and during his time in the resistance. Born into a liberalizing Afghanistan in the 1960s, Massoud ardently opposed communism, and he rose to prominence by coordinating the defense of the Panjshir Valley against Soviet offensives. Despite being under-equipped and outnumbered, he orchestrated a series of victories over the Russians. Massoud’s assassination in 2001, just two days before the attack on the Twin Towers, is believed to have been ordered by Osama bin Laden. Despite the ultimate frustration of Massoud’s attempts to build political consensus, he is recognized today as a national hero.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published November 11, 2021
27 people are currently reading
555 people want to read
About the author
Sandy Gall
19 books9 followersHenderson Alexander Gall was a Scottish journalist, author and Independent Television News (ITN) news presenter whose career as a journalist spanned more than 50 years. He began his career in journalism as a sub-editor at the Aberdeen Press and Journal in 1952 and became a foreign correspondent for the Reuters international news agency from 1953 to 1963. Gall joined ITN as a foreign reporter and troubleshooter in 1963, and also worked as a newscaster on News at Ten between 1970 and 1991. He was the Rector of the University of Aberdeen from 1978 to 1981 and founded the Sandy Gall's Afghanistan Appeal charity with his wife in 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
October 4, 2021
A timely and evocative portrait of a man who's life is testimony that there is hope for Afghanistan, and the future does not have to be factionalism or religious tyranny.
Sandy Gall's testimony is definitely a work of original scholarship, drawing upon Massoud's personal diaries and correspondence with comrades in arms. What follows is not just a portrait of his times, but an intimate portrait of the man himself, one that is rarely glimpsed in other biographical works.
One gathers that Massoud himself was a very reflective, self-critical and modest man who always kept sight on the larger picture. Unlike many, he appears to have lacked personal ambition and kept sight on the overall focus of a free, democratic and functional Afghanistan.
It has long been the opinion of this reader that a functional Afghanistan is no pipe dream, and the account of this book presents a very compelling case that if Western powers had heeded warnings from Afghans such as Massoud himself, a very different Afghanistan could have been realized, and perhaps a very different world in the past 20 years.
Sandy Gall's work is an essential piece on modern Afghanistan, and essential to anyone concerned with international security and the post 911 world. Highly recommended.
Sandy Gall's testimony is definitely a work of original scholarship, drawing upon Massoud's personal diaries and correspondence with comrades in arms. What follows is not just a portrait of his times, but an intimate portrait of the man himself, one that is rarely glimpsed in other biographical works.
One gathers that Massoud himself was a very reflective, self-critical and modest man who always kept sight on the larger picture. Unlike many, he appears to have lacked personal ambition and kept sight on the overall focus of a free, democratic and functional Afghanistan.
It has long been the opinion of this reader that a functional Afghanistan is no pipe dream, and the account of this book presents a very compelling case that if Western powers had heeded warnings from Afghans such as Massoud himself, a very different Afghanistan could have been realized, and perhaps a very different world in the past 20 years.
Sandy Gall's work is an essential piece on modern Afghanistan, and essential to anyone concerned with international security and the post 911 world. Highly recommended.
October 18, 2022
Absolutely incredible. Massoud was a fascinating and inspiring individual, and this book is an amazing look into the life and mind of this brilliant man.
My ONLY complaints about this book involve its pacing. The years of the war with the Soviets make up the largest part of the book. While I understand that this was perhaps Massoud's most known historical activity, I think that the sections about his activities through the 1990s are paced very quickly in relation. I don't want to say "rushed," as I feel like the Soviet war chapters tend to get a little *too* detailed at times. But these issues don't warrant a dropped star on my review. Please read this book if you are at all interested in the history and political dynamics of Afghanistan through some of its most intense periods.
My ONLY complaints about this book involve its pacing. The years of the war with the Soviets make up the largest part of the book. While I understand that this was perhaps Massoud's most known historical activity, I think that the sections about his activities through the 1990s are paced very quickly in relation. I don't want to say "rushed," as I feel like the Soviet war chapters tend to get a little *too* detailed at times. But these issues don't warrant a dropped star on my review. Please read this book if you are at all interested in the history and political dynamics of Afghanistan through some of its most intense periods.
June 7, 2022
A great book about a fascinating individual. Gall's accounts of his trips to the Panjshir and interactions with Massoud along with excerpts from Massoud's diaries leave a strong impression of the time, the place, and the man. More than a brilliant military tactician and strategist, Massoud seemed like an ideal leader: deeply religious but tolerant, commanding but sensitive to the dignity and opinions of others, educated but authentic.
The only downside of the book is that you are left pondering the sad what-ifs:
- Would the war in Afghanistan have turned out differently had Massoud not been martyred by al-Qaida just days before 9/11?
- Would there have been a 9/11 had the US paid greater heed to Massoud's warnings about the Taliban and Bin Laden?
- Would there have even been a Taliban had the US backed Massoud during and after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan instead of being taken in by the Pakistani ISI?
Lots of missed chances. But after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, Massoud's son Ahmad escaped and although occupied, resistance continues in the Panjshir. Maybe we are not all out of chances. Good luck to them and God bless.
The only downside of the book is that you are left pondering the sad what-ifs:
- Would the war in Afghanistan have turned out differently had Massoud not been martyred by al-Qaida just days before 9/11?
- Would there have been a 9/11 had the US paid greater heed to Massoud's warnings about the Taliban and Bin Laden?
- Would there have even been a Taliban had the US backed Massoud during and after the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan instead of being taken in by the Pakistani ISI?
Lots of missed chances. But after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, Massoud's son Ahmad escaped and although occupied, resistance continues in the Panjshir. Maybe we are not all out of chances. Good luck to them and God bless.
August 7, 2025
what a joy & overwhelming experience to have been able to journey through panjshir while reading this.
to see the mountains,
the river,
the blue sky,
the ussr tanks,
the people,
and the lion of panjshir’s grave
reading excerpts from his personal diaries—to see his palpable love of afghanistan on the pages & his desire to unify afg + build a democratic state—was so special, raw, and intimate. i am so thankful his family gave us the honor of being able to see his thoughts in this manner.
portraiture is such a special form of research, and sandy did such a beautiful job with this portrait.
he was fearless. he has earned every part of his nickname, for there is no other way to describe him. he kept the soviet invasion at bay for almost ten years, allowing the united states to win the cold war. i felt such anger when reading about his numerous attempts to stand up to the taliban, even as the West stayed silent. anger when the united states refuses to listen to his multiple warnings of 9/11. i felt every emotion, but mainly grief—grief for the afghanistan he worked so hard to build. walking through his gravesite, and seeing all the taliban has done to take away from it proves that his legacy remains & the hope brought afghanistan is still there. but, i think what gets me the most is the loyalty from the people closest to him. his bodyguards remained by his side for almost 20 years after his death, only leaving after the taliban’s resurgence to power four years ago. could you imagine?? that unwavering loyalty is so hard to find in most places, but not afghanistan.
i have so many thoughts and feelings. there will never be enough words to describe what ahmad shah massoud means to me & my dad. i will treasure this trip & this book.
“as long as i have land in afghanistan the size of my pukul, i will stay in this country” & in afghanistan, may he remain 🇦🇫
to see the mountains,
the river,
the blue sky,
the ussr tanks,
the people,
and the lion of panjshir’s grave
reading excerpts from his personal diaries—to see his palpable love of afghanistan on the pages & his desire to unify afg + build a democratic state—was so special, raw, and intimate. i am so thankful his family gave us the honor of being able to see his thoughts in this manner.
portraiture is such a special form of research, and sandy did such a beautiful job with this portrait.
he was fearless. he has earned every part of his nickname, for there is no other way to describe him. he kept the soviet invasion at bay for almost ten years, allowing the united states to win the cold war. i felt such anger when reading about his numerous attempts to stand up to the taliban, even as the West stayed silent. anger when the united states refuses to listen to his multiple warnings of 9/11. i felt every emotion, but mainly grief—grief for the afghanistan he worked so hard to build. walking through his gravesite, and seeing all the taliban has done to take away from it proves that his legacy remains & the hope brought afghanistan is still there. but, i think what gets me the most is the loyalty from the people closest to him. his bodyguards remained by his side for almost 20 years after his death, only leaving after the taliban’s resurgence to power four years ago. could you imagine?? that unwavering loyalty is so hard to find in most places, but not afghanistan.
i have so many thoughts and feelings. there will never be enough words to describe what ahmad shah massoud means to me & my dad. i will treasure this trip & this book.
“as long as i have land in afghanistan the size of my pukul, i will stay in this country” & in afghanistan, may he remain 🇦🇫
October 22, 2023
The extraordinary story of an extraordinary man.
June 26, 2023
This was a very well written though one can see biased account of the life and times of Ahmad Shah Massoud. It is interwoven with Gall's own visits to Afghanistan and the Panjshir Valley, which give the book added authenticity and personality.
For those like me who don't know much about Massoud this book is very informative about Massoud, the history of Afghanistans from 1960s to the present day, the legacy of Massoud and what his death meant for Afghanistan. It does have to be caveated with the fact that Gall was clearly a friend of Massoud and saw him as a hero. Whilst I do believe that Massoud was a good and brave leader, like other heroic leaders I don't think he could be or was flawless.
What I loved about this book was how Gall weaved the diaries of Massoud in to the story through out so we got a sense of the different aspects of Massoud's life and personality. The family man, the lover of poetry, the importance of his Islamic faith, his military brain which meant tactically he was often one step ahead of his military opponents, his political moderation and his overwhelming belief and love in freedom.
I found the chapters on how he fought the Soviet occupation really interesting and the duplicity of some of his opponents in the Mujahadeen and his lack of support from the West, in particular the USA fascinating, as it wasn't something I knew much on, although I did know bits and pieces.
Gall also gives you an insight in to the people and tribes who made up of Afghanistan and a sense of Afghanistan's history, intermingled with the taste you get of Afghanistan's sheer beauty when it comes to its mountains. The way he uses, people, place and countryside scenery makes you feel at times you are walking through Afghanistan with him.
The concluding chapters leading up to his death, his death and its immediate aftermath are heartbreaking and read like a Shakespearean tragedy.
At times I felt like the book got overly bogged down by the military nitty gritty, but that's mainly down to my taste as I'm not a military tactician.
I do feel at times Gall's bias towards Massoud blinded him to the times he failed or bore some culpability. I think he glossed over at times Massoud's poor rule of Kabul. Also when an allied militia of his allegedly committed a massacre of Hazaras as documented by Human Rights Watch, he immediately believes and quotes verbatim from them critical of the Human Rights Watch report. Maybe they had a point, but whilst he interviewed and quoted from these people from the book, he didn't give Human Rights Watch a right to reply or others who would have defended their report. I think that showed a lack of balance, which meant the reader was denied the opportunity to hear from two points of view and make up their own mind.
This is a very good book from a high quality journalist, who despite being aged over 90s, has lost none of the skill of writing or his passion for informing people. Yes he was let down by his own bias towards Massoud at times, but this was still a book which taught me a lot about a man and the country he lived in and I would highly recommend it. I am going to balance it out with books on the subject, who were not as close to Massoud.
For those like me who don't know much about Massoud this book is very informative about Massoud, the history of Afghanistans from 1960s to the present day, the legacy of Massoud and what his death meant for Afghanistan. It does have to be caveated with the fact that Gall was clearly a friend of Massoud and saw him as a hero. Whilst I do believe that Massoud was a good and brave leader, like other heroic leaders I don't think he could be or was flawless.
What I loved about this book was how Gall weaved the diaries of Massoud in to the story through out so we got a sense of the different aspects of Massoud's life and personality. The family man, the lover of poetry, the importance of his Islamic faith, his military brain which meant tactically he was often one step ahead of his military opponents, his political moderation and his overwhelming belief and love in freedom.
I found the chapters on how he fought the Soviet occupation really interesting and the duplicity of some of his opponents in the Mujahadeen and his lack of support from the West, in particular the USA fascinating, as it wasn't something I knew much on, although I did know bits and pieces.
Gall also gives you an insight in to the people and tribes who made up of Afghanistan and a sense of Afghanistan's history, intermingled with the taste you get of Afghanistan's sheer beauty when it comes to its mountains. The way he uses, people, place and countryside scenery makes you feel at times you are walking through Afghanistan with him.
The concluding chapters leading up to his death, his death and its immediate aftermath are heartbreaking and read like a Shakespearean tragedy.
At times I felt like the book got overly bogged down by the military nitty gritty, but that's mainly down to my taste as I'm not a military tactician.
I do feel at times Gall's bias towards Massoud blinded him to the times he failed or bore some culpability. I think he glossed over at times Massoud's poor rule of Kabul. Also when an allied militia of his allegedly committed a massacre of Hazaras as documented by Human Rights Watch, he immediately believes and quotes verbatim from them critical of the Human Rights Watch report. Maybe they had a point, but whilst he interviewed and quoted from these people from the book, he didn't give Human Rights Watch a right to reply or others who would have defended their report. I think that showed a lack of balance, which meant the reader was denied the opportunity to hear from two points of view and make up their own mind.
This is a very good book from a high quality journalist, who despite being aged over 90s, has lost none of the skill of writing or his passion for informing people. Yes he was let down by his own bias towards Massoud at times, but this was still a book which taught me a lot about a man and the country he lived in and I would highly recommend it. I am going to balance it out with books on the subject, who were not as close to Massoud.
January 20, 2022
Sandy Gall’s biography of Ahmed Shah Massoud is an extraordinary treatise which gives us a very good insight in to his life. The book starts with the initial period of Ahmed Shah Massoud’s life, from school going days, to college and finally becoming a revolutionary leader against the Communist regime of Afghanistan. The writer then dedicates a major part of the book to Masood’s struggle against the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. It is on record that the Russians were never able to overrun Panjsher valley, thanks to the military genius of Masood. In fact they went back with a bloody nose each time they tried it, around nine or ten times in all. And due to the heavy losses, that they suffered they asked for a ceasefire not once but many times, until the Politburo decided to leave Afghanistan for good. The fact that Masood was only 28 at that time, speaks a lot about his abilities. He was rightly called as the “lion of Panjsher”, and at another time “the man who ended the cold war”. Gall, has covered his personal life and has quoted large portions of Masood’s daily diary which he maintained throughout his life. It is interesting to know that Masood was discovered by an MI6 agent as the man they should support, and hence called as the Afghan Napoleon. Whereas, the rest of the world including USA backed the other warlords like Hekmatyar and Rabbani etc.
The later part of the book covers Masood’s troubles with the Taliban, specially after Osama Bin Laden landed in Afghanistan, till the time he was assassinated by two Arabs posing as journalists (cameramen wanting to interview him) in a suicide bombing. Gall has termed Masood’s loss a great tragedy for Afghanistan, calling him a statesman and a politician with great insight and a brilliant administrator besides being a guerrilla commander. Massoud was a brave man, who always stood by his men, and was known to have said, “As long as I have a piece of land equal to a Pakol (the Afghan cap) I will fight.” According to him and his diaries Masood was a voracious reader and a man of principle.
Sandy Gall is a war correspondent who has extensively covered Afghanistan from the Russian invasion till present day. He traveled to Afghanistan (Panjsher) initially in 1986, and wrote “travels with the Mujahideen”. It became an instant hit. It will not be incorrect to say that Gall was much impressed by Masood and has researched extensively to write this book. Needless to say it is a beautiful read.
The later part of the book covers Masood’s troubles with the Taliban, specially after Osama Bin Laden landed in Afghanistan, till the time he was assassinated by two Arabs posing as journalists (cameramen wanting to interview him) in a suicide bombing. Gall has termed Masood’s loss a great tragedy for Afghanistan, calling him a statesman and a politician with great insight and a brilliant administrator besides being a guerrilla commander. Massoud was a brave man, who always stood by his men, and was known to have said, “As long as I have a piece of land equal to a Pakol (the Afghan cap) I will fight.” According to him and his diaries Masood was a voracious reader and a man of principle.
Sandy Gall is a war correspondent who has extensively covered Afghanistan from the Russian invasion till present day. He traveled to Afghanistan (Panjsher) initially in 1986, and wrote “travels with the Mujahideen”. It became an instant hit. It will not be incorrect to say that Gall was much impressed by Masood and has researched extensively to write this book. Needless to say it is a beautiful read.
January 11, 2024
My heart was beating and I had tears in my eyes as I closed the last page of this book. Recently I have been wary of outsider perspectives on histories and cultures which don't belong to them, preferring to seek out first-hand-accounts from the POV of locals, for example. Donald Richie's narration in the film "The Inland Sea" (based on a book of his which admittedly, I have not read) made me uncomfortable. Proclamations on who the Japanese "really are" and who they "should be" reminded me of the perhaps subconscious orientalism present in our western perspective... For this reason I have ordered Masoud Khalili's book "Whispers of War" to read as a supplement to this book. That being said, British war correspondent Sandy Gall's biography of Massoud is deeply empathetic to the problems of Afghanistan, and is considerate in its detail of tribal politics that have embroiled the region for centuries... Most of the observations and interviews were taken in Afghanistan, where he visited Massoud often, sometimes having to take perilous mountain passes on foot just for a chance to see Massoud who, after time, he would describe as a friend. The inclusion of many of Massoud's peronal diary entries, with only minimal commentary by Gall, who seemingly preferred to let Massoud speak for himself whenever he could, means that this book feels as much Afghan as anything else. The takeaway for me is that this story belongs to the world. It is the story of a man who cared deeply for his family, his people, his religion, and for his land. The story of a man who was "incorruptible" as his family would describe him. I would give this book 10 stars if I could.
"Commander Massoud always said, 'As long as I have land in Afghanistan the size of my pukul, I will stay in this country.' It's a famous expression of his [...] he meant: 'If the territory I hold is only as big as my pukul, I will stay in that land and I will defend that land."
"Commander Massoud always said, 'As long as I have land in Afghanistan the size of my pukul, I will stay in this country.' It's a famous expression of his [...] he meant: 'If the territory I hold is only as big as my pukul, I will stay in that land and I will defend that land."
January 13, 2025
Incredible autobiography. Absolutely rinsed it during my plane rides across the states. Immersive storytelling by Sandy Gall. Highlights the great character of Massoud. I dislike the title Afghan Napoleon as it seems quite patronizing. I believe that Massoud was greater than Napoleon, he did not die a coward. He was assassinated, and rarely incurred defeats. He seemed to be a religious man internally, but spread equality across his nation. He respected his countrymen by their morals and values, not by their tribe/ethnicity.
I wonder if the US had backed him after the soviets withdrew, what Afghanistan would be like today. The fact that they chose to support the ISI -> the Taliban, was a catastrophic error for the Afghan people and the US. I hope that $2trillion mistake can be changed in future foreign policy, but as we are seeing in Gaza, we see the same mistakes. He warned us about 9-11 and the dangers of Islamic Fundamentalism, but we didn't listen.
Overall, this book solidified my love for Massoud as a leader, and my distaste of the ISI. I share characteristics and worldviews similar to him. We both play chess and love football. He is an incredible strategist and takes his guerilla tactics from Mao. As he said, "Le livre de Mao ... est tres tres bon". He was an incredible revolutionary will should be remembered. If I happen to be in a leadership position in the future, i'd emulate many of his tactics and viewpoints. Like Sankara, he cared for his people, and fought for his people. Homeland or death, we will win. الله يرحمه
I wonder if the US had backed him after the soviets withdrew, what Afghanistan would be like today. The fact that they chose to support the ISI -> the Taliban, was a catastrophic error for the Afghan people and the US. I hope that $2trillion mistake can be changed in future foreign policy, but as we are seeing in Gaza, we see the same mistakes. He warned us about 9-11 and the dangers of Islamic Fundamentalism, but we didn't listen.
Overall, this book solidified my love for Massoud as a leader, and my distaste of the ISI. I share characteristics and worldviews similar to him. We both play chess and love football. He is an incredible strategist and takes his guerilla tactics from Mao. As he said, "Le livre de Mao ... est tres tres bon". He was an incredible revolutionary will should be remembered. If I happen to be in a leadership position in the future, i'd emulate many of his tactics and viewpoints. Like Sankara, he cared for his people, and fought for his people. Homeland or death, we will win. الله يرحمه
February 26, 2024
A little more war strategy than I am used to, but nonetheless a great read that is inspiring and educating. The book provides an excellent context of how the political climate of Afghanistan has been shaped, particularly with how the Taliban gained its initial power. The book also allows you to learn about a great leader that was often overlooked during his time despite his genuine want for an equal and democratic society that values human rights and Western alliances. If you are looking to dive into Middle Eastern politics and, while not the focus but a noted factor, the influence America and the West can have, this is a great read.
August 24, 2024
"Afghans themselves referred to their area variously as Kabulistan, Zabulistan, Khorasan, and Turkestan until 1990, when Amir Abdur Rahman created modern Afghanistan with a process of 'internal imperialism,' whence comes the debate. Abdur Rahman himself referred to it as Yaghistan, which translate as 'land of insolence.'" (xxiii)
"'As long as I have land in Afghanistan the size of my pukul, I will stay in this country.'" (quoting Ahmad Shah Massoud, 347)
"'As long as I have land in Afghanistan the size of my pukul, I will stay in this country.'" (quoting Ahmad Shah Massoud, 347)
October 11, 2022
What an incredible guy to fight for so long and treat everyone so well. I've read a few books about wars in Afghanistan now and I really feel bad for the people there, they've been caught in the middle of imperalism and proxy wars for more than a hundred years.
December 9, 2021
How does it open. Where is its PDF
March 13, 2023
Biography of Ahmad Shah Massoud with translation of some of the contents of personal diary, covering Afghan Era from 1979 until 2001.
September 26, 2023
Any book I read about Afghanistan is an immediate 5 stars but this one stands out, I learned about my country’s history and more about my family
January 21, 2024
A must read biography.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews