Adventures in Afghanistan [Paperback]

Louis Palmer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1990

Soviet troops had "officially" withdrawn, but the country was still in the ravages of war when Louis Palmer ventured into Afghanistan, pursuing legends of a secret knowledge. His story is a fascinating interweave of political and spiritual intrigue.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Unputdownable ... full of excitement ... for those interested in Sufi work and ideas, the book is full of essential information." -- The Independent

From the Publisher

Not unlike "Journeys with a Sufi Master" by Bashir M. Dervish, this enthralling book falls into the category described by Idries Shah in "The Commanding Self" as "designed to produce a certain preparatory climate in the mind of the reader or to inform those who are not able to understand the total implications of a person's function. These books have a value which is not immediately obvious, but which is useful in many ways...Those who are prepared to see the 'wave as an aspect of the sea' can learn that the book, a part of its content, is a stepping-stone to something else."

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Product Details

• Paperback: 239 pages
• Publisher: Octagon Pr; 1ST edition (June 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863040578
• ISBN-13: 978-0863040573
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,542,806 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A nice allegory, December 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Adventures in Afghanistan (Paperback)

I have read this book both before and after Sept. 11... It is well written and moves along at a good clip, but it really does not seem to present a true or valid picture of the Mujahadeen or the situation in Afghanistan, even at the time it was written.

Assuming Palmer actually was in Afghanistan and actually met some of the people he talks about, all the book can be viewed as is a well meaning fairy tail about the brave and chivalrous fighters against the Soviets. One doubts that any of the incidents in the book really took place, or if they did, that they were described acurately.

Reading other books about the war in Afghanistan makes it pretty clear that the anti-soviet fighters were formidable, but hardly chivalrous or even civilized in any sense that we in the west would understand.

If read as a Sufi allegory, it is quite valuable and illuminating, hence the 5 stars. But anyone wanting a true view of the fighting in Afghanistan would be better served with any of a number of books written by authors such as Larry P. Goodson, Jason Elliot, Eric Newby, Artem Borovik or a host of others.

5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible read., March 10, 2009

By 

Gary B. Jones "pvesolar" (Seattle WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Adventures in Afghanistan (Paperback)

Great read. I met this guy. He re-invents his life about every five years.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn about Afghanistan from the inside, September 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Adventures in Afghanistan (Paperback)

A must-read for anyone who seeks exposure to deep insights into the culture, as well as aspects that go beyond culture. Another, related, book that comes to mind is Kara Kush by Idries Shah.