The Afghan Campaign
- ISBN-10
- 0385610645
- ISBN-13
- 9780385610643
- Series
- The Afghan Campaign
- Category
- Afghanistan
- Pages
- 336
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2007
- Author
- Steven Pressfield
Description
Alexander the Great's campaign in the Afghan kingdoms began in the summer of 330BC. It lasted for three brutal years and proved the most difficult he and his army ever fought... The Afghan Campaignrecounts the story of this bloody and ruthless conflict from the perspective of a Macedonian recruit. The youngest of three brothers and eager to prove himself, Matthias has volunteered for Alexander's ambitious expedition into the unknown, unconquered country we now call Afghanistan. But as Matthias joins the frontline, he begins to realise that the nature of warfare for which he trained has changed. The Macedonians face a new kind of enemy - and must learn to fight a new kind of war. Experiencing fear, euphoria, horror and shame, Matthias and his comrades undergo a rite of passage as they, soldiers of a Western force whose code was secular and humanist, struggle to subjugate a fiercely proud Eastern warrior nation of deeply-held beliefs and a fervent willingness to die for their cause. Simply to survive, Alexander's men must shake off the trappings of 'civilization' as they know it and adopt the same unorthodox and barbaric tactics as their foe - but at what cost? Set against the imposing, alien implacability of the Afghan landscape, this powerfully affecting, thrillingly-told novel not only demonstrates its author's profound understanding of the hopes and fears of men in battle but also has some important things to say about the nature of wars past...and present.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2009-11-10
- 466 pages
- Paperback
- Random House
Similar books
-
The First Afghan War 1839–42: Invasion, catastrophe and retreat
By Richard Macrory Hon KCThis book goes on to trace the retribution attack on Kabul the following year, which destroyed the symbolic Mogul Bazaar before rapidly withdrawing and leaving Afghanistan in peace for nearly a generation.
-
Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan
By Frank L. HoltFrank L. Holt vividly recounts Alexander's invasion of ancient Bactria, situating in a broader historical perspective America's war in Afghanistan.
-
Afghan Campaign, the Early Printing
By Steven PressfieldIt lasted for three brutal years and proved the most difficult he and his army ever fought... The Afghan Campaign recounts the story of this bloody and ruthless conflict from the perspective of a Macedonian recruit.
-
The Campaign in Afghanistan
By John GreenwoodAn insightful and in-depth account of the author's service with the British Army in India and his part in the First Anglo-Afghan War,The Campaign in Afghanistan narrates how the author attended military academy, obtained a commission in the ...
-
Churchill's First War
By Con CoughlinNow, acclaimed author and foreign correspondent Con Coughlin tells the story of that campaign, combining colourful historical narrative, interviews with contemporary key players and the journalist's eye for both a good story and deep ...
-
From Kabul to Baghdad and Back: The U.S. at War in Afghanistan and Iraq
By John R Ballard, David W LammThe book identifies the elements that made the 2001 military operation to oust the Taliban successful, then with combat operations in Iraq as a standard of comparison, the authors analyze the remainder of the Afghan campaign and the ...
-
Afghan Lessons: Culture, Diplomacy, and Counterinsurgency
By Fernando GentiliniWhat does an international presence mean, and how can it help? Highlights from Afghan Lessons "This is a book about different worlds, different realities. The reality of everyday life in an unreal world.
-
The Panjshir Valley 1980–86: The Lion Tames the Bear in Afghanistan
By Mark GaleottiFeaturing striking colour artwork battlescenes and detailed maps of the fighting, this is a compelling study of one of the hardest fought struggles of the Soviet War in Afghanistan.
-
The Profession: A Thriller
By Steven PressfieldIn a near-future world in which governments and corporations are forced to hire cutting-edge mercenary armies to protect their wealth, the globe's largest private military launches a campaign to take over the United States, prompting a top ...
-
The Anglo-Afghan Wars 1839–1919
By Gregory Fremont-BarnesThis book reveals the history of these three Anglo-Afghan wars, the imperial power struggles that led to conflict and the torturous experiences of the men on the ground.