Customer Reviews

Land of the High Flags: Afghanistan When the Going Was Good

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I found this book in the base PX in Kabul and it taught me far more about Afghanistan history and sociology than any of the Army briefings we are required to attend. If you are going to have any face-to-face with Afghans, or have curiosity about the country this is a MUST read. In addition to writing insightful first hand accounts of her close relationships with Afghans, Rosanne Klass traces the ancient and more recent pre-Russian Occupation history of Afghanistan and describes its customs. It also contains photographs that are excellent. I gave this book to one of my translators, and he actually wept when he read some of it. People don't realize that Afghans have lost their own history. The books and photographs in Afghanistan were burned by the Taliban, over 90% of its peoples are illiterate, and the average lifespan is 45 years. Thus, without books like this, the history would be either forgotten or re-written by those in power.

Why would a soldier, marine, or other service member care? Because we are there to fix problems - some of which involve guns, but many of which can be solved with words. Reading this book will help you to understand the people, which will make you a better and more effective soldier. As an Army Officer, I strongly recommend this, and Descent into Chaos: The United States and the Failure of Nation Building in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia as preparation for deployment. High Flags will teach you what you can accomplish if you understand the Afghans. Descent will teach you what happens if you don't understand them.

I have been fascinated by Central Asia for most of my life. I came across this wonderful memoir about 15 years ago and it left me wishing I could build a time machine and visit Afghanistan before the coup d'etat and subsequent Soviet invasion.

Rosanne Klass takes us inside the strange and titillating experience of being a western woman in a simultaneously hospitable and unknowable (to an outsider, especially a woman) culture.

Well-written and captivating.

I lived in Afghanistan twice, for a year in 1963 and then in Kabul for 5 years from 1968 until 1973 and knew Dr. Kayeum and Joan, his wife. This book brought back so many memories. I can hardly believe what has happened there since then.