Afghanistan Book: A Brief History of Afghanistan: From the Stone Age to the Silk Road to Today

University Press returns with another short and captivating book – a brief history of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan is an enchanting country of vivid extremes - stunning beauty, grinding poverty, alpine glaciers, violent cruelty, copious tea, barren deserts, and warm hospitality. Living as they do along the ancient Silk Road, the Afghan people and their rich cultures have been indelibly shaped by centuries of trade, invasion, and conflict.

Afghanistan has been called “the graveyard of empires” for its uncanny ability to resist foreign occupation. Afghans have successfully seen off the invading armies of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, the British empire, the Soviet Union, and the United States. Yet Afghanistan remains one of the poorest and most violent countries in the world – and that was before the Taliban regained control of the country in 2021. But there are glimmers of progress. And there are reasons for hope.

This short book peels back the veil and provides a brief glimpse into the heart-warming, gut-wrenching, awe-inspiring history of Afghanistan – a glimpse that you can read in about an hour.