Afghan Caravan [Hardcover]

Safia Shah (Author), Idries Shah (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1990

How did this fragmented third-world country come to win three wars against the British Empire and precipitate the break-up of Russia, the super-power? "Afghan Caravan" is a collection of writings that takes the reader on a spell-binding journey through Afghanistan, The Unconquerable. It contains a narrative from a Pathan princess; heroic war stories; tips on savvy carpet-buying; Mulla Nasrudin jokes from the front lines of the Mujahidin; even the Great Pilau Recipe of Khalifa Ashpaz, Master Chef of the Hindu Kush, which was reportedly once served to 4,000 guests. More than entertaining, "Afghan Caravan" presents an unprecedented view of a great people, their dauntless fighting spirit and near maniacal hospitality. It is the telling of a history rich in adventure, tradition and wisdom. Revealed is a magnificent culture, hidden from our history books, contributing to the human story in ways most Westerners are never aware of.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A great deal of fascinating material... It is a book to be dipped into, excellent bedside reading..." -- Literary Review

Chosen by Doris Lessing as "Book of the Year" -- Daily Telegraph

About the Author

Safia Shah was born in 1966 into a noble Afghan Family. She was educated at Bryanston School, the Sorbonne and the University of Grenoble. She has been an editor and research assistant with the Institute for Cultural Research, and has worked with Afghan refugees in the North-West Frontier area, as well as reporting on social issues there. She is currently a freelance writer, and edits for the Institute of health sciences.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Octagon Pr; 1st ed edition (June 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0863040543
• ISBN-13: 978-0863040542
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,164,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent !, November 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Afghan Caravan (Paperback)

I found this book full of interesting, motivating, inspiring stories, that had me laughing one moment, and shedding tears the next. Being an Afghan in America and so caught up with daily distractions, this book reminds us all of what we should be so proud of, our beautiful country, which we might be far away from now, but is always close to our hearts. I finished the last page of the book and quickly turned back to the first page to reread the whole book again. I have probabaly read the book through 10 times and read one short story daily now.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Afghan Caravan, June 3, 2002

By 

M. Homayun (NZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Afghan Caravan (Paperback)

This book is a collection of all aspects of Afghan life. It includes travel stories, mythology and history, cooking, wisdom, jokes.... everything!

Idries Shah is a brilliant writer, Afghanistan's most well known. But the collection also includes many works by his equally esteemed family members. I congratulate the work and effort that he and his family have done in keeping Afghanistan's culture and literature alive through this time of distress.

5.0 out of 5 stars An AWAIR Pick, April 18, 2011

By 

AWAIR Reviews (Berkeley, US) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Afghan Caravan (Paperback)

How did this developing country come to win three wars against the British Empire and precipitate the breakup of the Soviet Union? Here is a collection of writings that takes the reader on a spellbinding journey through narratives, heroic stories, Mulla Nasrudin (Joha in the Arab World) jokes, recipes and more. Revealed is a magnificent culture, not even hinted at in our history books, and certainly not seen in today's media.

Teachers/Librarians: This is an invaluable tool for incorporating the culture of the new wave of immigrants - our Afghan students and their families! Very suitable for 7th-12th grades social studies curriculum.