Some time ago, I read "The Bookseller of Kabul" by Scandinavian author: Asne Seierstad. Not quite as compelling as "Kiterunner", IMO, but worthwhile.

This may be too far back in history for what you are looking for, but has anyone read Steven Pressfield's The Afghan Campaign which covers Alexander the Great's campaigns in that region? I've been curious about that one.

If I remember correctly, I think Kipling's The Man Who Would Be King takes place in Afghanistan or thereabouts.

Probably the best I have read: Unexpected Light by Jason Elliot. He is an English journalist who fought with the Mujadin against the Russions 20 years ago. He returns after the fall of the Taliban. His discussions of culture before and after the civil strife, the history, the architecture, gives an excellent picture of this complex country that has been in between others for so long. Its very readable.

I'd second the Kipling one; yes, it was Afganistan

Did not care at all for Bookseller - felt that her made up conversations really put me off, esp when she put thoughts in there heads. Its one thing to write a novel with fictional characters, and another to fictionalize real characters esp when they are giving you their hospitality for a year (tho the head of the household was a jerk, hands down) However, other people loved it, so your mileage may vary.

I thought a much better book was SToryteller's Daughter by Shaira Shah. She is another Brit journalist, of Afghani background. Her parents left the country when the civil war started. They were very wealthy and told her much about the country they remembered. She goes back to find it. Probably more accesible than the Elliot one, looking more at social issues.

I really wanted to like that book, and was also very disappointed with it. It was about him, and his journey, not about the country at all. I think you'll find the Jason Elliot much better.

cindydavid - Was it The Places in Between that disappointed you? -- Kathy T

There is the delightful and funny Short Walk in the Hindu Kush, by Eric Newby, if you would enjoy an account of a journey of some foreigners through Afghanistan. It is not about modern Afghanistan, but you get to know quite a bit about some of the people.

Here is a link that might be useful: Review of the book on PaperBackSwap.com

Kathy, sorry I wasn't clear - yes it was Places in Between that I didn't care for

And duh - Newby is a wonderful travel writer, and Hindu Kush is probably one of his best.

cindydavid - Thanks for the clarification. I wanted to make sure you meant The Places in Between before I expressed my complete agreement. Too much about the author is right! I got very tired of hearing about his diarrhea, for example. (Perhaps he wanted to make sure no one would attempt to duplicate his feat.) I can't help but wonder why it got such good reviews. If I recall correctly, it was the New York Times review that inspired me to read it. The book's great cover photo also influenced me. (I'm a sucker for appealing covers.)

Ann Jones' Kabul in Winter will tear your heart out about the status of women in Afgahnistan.

I was going to suggest the Newbery Honor book Shabanu, Daughter of the Wind by Suzanne Fisher Staples. It is a young adult book, but quite well written. However I believe it actually takes place in Pakistan. My impression looking back is that the tribal people it depicts don't really pay much attention to borders. Their affiliation is to family and tribe, and they live in that vast area where Pakistan and Afganistan run into each other, ignoring the political boundaries that the larger world finds so important. I quite liked it.

Rosefolly

All this brings back memories from my very short stay in Pakistan and Afghanistan almost 40 years ago. It is quite true that the border areas merge into each other, women wear burkhas and men wear Kalashnikov guns on both sides. My husband and I went by train from Rawalpindi to Peshawar and from there by bus to Kabul. The compartment was quite full, men only, among them an important man with a large following of men with guns and cartridge belts. He occupied one bench himself, lying down for the whole journey. He had a pillow with the English words "Sweet dreams" stitched in blue. My husband was allowed to sit upright opposite him with some of the retainers. The rest of us sat on the floor. I didn't mention that I had paid full fare, you don't argue with so many guns. It was a stiff night but I felt more comfortable in my corner, mostly hidden under a piece of material. But the big man was quite friendly and kept giving me pieces of orange by way of my husband every time I woke up.

mariannese - Your mini Aghanistan memoir is already more interesting than The Places in Between! One thing mentioned in that book was how infrequently the author saw any women. He would visit a village, dine with the native men, sleep among the native men and often be escorted out of town by a native man - and never see a woman at all. Was your presence regarded as quite unusual? -- Kathy T

Yes, I am sure my presence was unique. Some Indian trains had separate compartments for women, and Pakistani trains may also have had them but if so nobody told us when we bought our tickets. I think I was generally treated more like a man than a woman, an unimportant young man. My husband and I were 23 and looking younger as western people do. We were badly dressed, coming from 5 months of voluntary work in India, in primitive conditions, so there was no reason to respect us much. When I was noticed as a woman nobody looked at me at all. This was probably polite behaviour but I didn't understand this at first and was offended that fellow passengers spoke to me through my husband. The most ridiculous instance was on the train from Quetta to Lahore in Pakistan on the first trip. We shared a small compartment with a student who was interested in Swedish schools. I had worked as a teacher for the whole previous year while my husband knew nothing about the then new school system in Sweden. The man looked steadily into my husbands eyes while I was doing all the talking, louder and louder, leaning forward. I am sure I misbehaved badly without knowing. Indian attitudes are different but we met many nice people also in the Moslem countries, who were quite relaxed in private contexts.

mariannese - That's so interesting. Did you keep a journal of your travels? -- Kathy T

No journal but I wrote very many long letters to my parents and have kept them.

I reread the comments above on the books about Afghanistan and must add that I didn't have one day's illness these 5 months in Asia. I was badly bitten by fleas in Turkey and Iran and by mosquitos in Sri Lanka and suffered a lot but that doesn't count as illness. It think it helped that we traveled in winter and drank only hot tea for the first month and adjusted slowly to local germs. We drank tap water and even well water later with no ill effects. It took us exactly one month to reach New Delhi from Stockholm traveling overland. We flew home from Kabul.

Oh to be young and fearless again, heh?