Nov 18, 2018 the return of a king is both the definitive analysis of the first afghan war and a work of stunning topicality. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 ebook written by william dalrymple. The battle for afghanistan 20 is a study of britains first war in afghanistan. The king of the book s title shah shuja was a british appointment and gratifyingly. Jun 26, 20 darkness begins to envelop the sullen and lifeless landscape, a metaphor for the ominous british ending to its first afghanistan excursion. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The whole country was and is now controlled by tribes who are constantly at war with each other i guess it comes down to the whole chestnut sunni v shia. Discover the best afghan war military history in best sellers. A final chapter deals with the return of the relief force, the ruthlessly violent and destructive army of retribution, an army which, dalrymple notes, committed what today would be classified as war crimes.
The book is an accessible, engaging, serious work of history, and it features a cautionary narrative from the past about a. Afghanistan has never been an easy place for foreign invaders to occupy or govern as one invader after another has discovered. Jan 01, 20 in the spring of 1839 british forces invaded afghanistan for the first time, reestablishing shah shuja on the throne and ushering in a period of conflict over the territory still unresolved today. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 by william dalrymple ny. Return of a king is the definitive analysis of the first afghan war, told through the lives of unforgettable characters on all sides and using for the first time contemporary afghan accounts of the conflict. First western war in afghanistan was an imperial disaster. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Of dalrymples recent works, return of a king is perhaps the most directly relevant to the present day. May 26, 20 the story of the british invasion of afghanistan in 183942 what was later called the first afghan war can be briefly told. I had been told he was researching a book about the first afghan war, as it has become known, three years. The story of the british invasion of afghanistan in 183942 what was later. Informed by the authors decadeslong firsthand knowledge of afghanistan, and superbly shaped by his hallmark gifts as a narrative historian and his singular eye for the evocation of place and culture, the return of a king is both the definitive analysis of the first angloafghan war and a work of stunning topicality. He expanded afghanistans diplomatic relations with many countries, including with both cold war sides.
This latest book in the saga, the return of a king, captures the british at the cusp of a new era. Feb 04, 20 shortlisted for the samuel johnson prize 20, return of a king is the definitive analysis of the first afghan war, told through the lives of unforgettable characters on all sides and using for the first time contemporary afghan accounts of the conflict. In his masterly account of a war begun for no wise purpose, dalrymple regrets that the failure of the calamitous 18391842 invasion of afghanistan did nothing to prevent the second anglo. The battle for afghanistan is a nonfiction book by william dalyrmple, author of critically acclaimed books like xanadu, city of djinns, white mughals and the last mughal. The battle for afghanistan by william dalrymple in 1843, british army chaplain the reverend gr gleig, one of the fortunate survivors of the first. Mar 27, 20 william dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan. Jun 20, 2016 due to its wealth of contemporary sources, return of a king provides the reader with a lot of insights of daytoday life in the region at the time. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 by william dalrymple.
Jan 26, 2019 i just finished reading return of a king by william dalrymple and i thought i should share my impression of the book here. Against this backdrop, the eminent british historian william dalrymple turns to that war in the return of a king, a wellresearched and lucidly written account of the period. William dalrymple s top 10 books on afghanistan books. The return of a king is both the definitive analysis of the first angloafghan war and a work of. The story of the british invasion of afghanistan in 183942 what was later called the first afghan war can be briefly told. Mehrab khan, 1839, page 145 that country drains us of a million a year or more and we. In 1839, great britain and russia were playing the world map like a chessboard and for no reason other than geography, afghanistan got caught in the middle. Return of a king is a catalogue of military incompetence, stupidity and treachery on a monumental scale, and the story is told in.
But the most brilliant stroke of the book is to bring shah shuja back to the. A british army entered the country in april 1839, captured kabul and. Here, he speaks to rob attar about how it may change our view of the conflict, and what parallels can be drawn with the fighting in recent years. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 isas departmental. The battle for afghanistan by dalrymple, william isbn. In the spring of 1839, nearly 20,000 british and east india company troops poured into afghanistan, in a massive invasion for its time. This is the story of one of britains greatest military defeats,the first angloafghan war of the nineteenth century. First western war in afghanistan was an imperial disaster 07. May 18, 20 if your answer did not include the british east india company eic invasion of afghanistan in the 19 th century, you should read william dalrymples new book return of a king. The author spent time in both afghanistan and pakistan during its research and elaborates on. Led by lancers in scarlet cloaks and plumed shakos, nearly 20,000 british and east india company troops poured through the passes and reestablished on the throne shah shuja ulmulk. The battle for afghanistan, written by the scottish historian william dalrymple and published in 2012, is an account of the first angloafghan war from 1839 to 1842.
Prizewinning and bestselling historian william dalrymples masterful retelling of britain. The battle for afghanistan by william dalrymple isbn. William dalrymples top 10 books on afghanistan books the. William dalrymple analyses the first afghan war, 18391842. This book would be compulsive reading even if it were not a uniquely valuable history. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 dalrymple, william on. Return of a king is an account of britains invasion and occupation of afghanistan in 183942, known as the first angloafghan war, which was fought between british east india company and afghanistan. Jan 26, 20 of dalrymples recent works, return of a king is perhaps the most directly relevant to the present day. Apr 25, 20 in 1839, great britain and russia were playing the world map like a chessboard and for no reason other than geography, afghanistan got caught in the middle. I bought this book as a history about the first afghan war of 18391842, a conflict most people are not aware of. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 by william dalrymple online at alibris. The battle for afghanistan from the worlds largest community of readers. The conflict resulted in the near complete destruction of an entire british army, with deaths of 4,500 british and indian soldiers, plus 12,000 of their camp followers. I thought his book was an amazing read about afghanistan and the events that have lead up to what is happening there today.
Led by lancers in scarlet cloaks and plumed shakos, nearly 20,000 british and east india company troops poured through the high mountain passes and reestablished on the throne shah shuja ulmulk. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. One of the great pleasures of writing my new book, return of a king. From firsthand accounts, the afghan people initially. Dalrymple provides detailed accounts of the complexity of afghanistans tribal rivalries, their influence on politics, and how they ensnared both the british of the 19th century and nato forces.
In the spring of 1839, the british invaded afghanistan for the first time. In the spring of 1839 british forces invaded afghanistan for the. And as the latest occupying force in afghanistan negotiates its exit, this chronicle seems all too relevant now. Dec 02, 2014 on november 2014, british historian and writer william dalrymple discussed his book, return of a king. The battle for afghanistan 183842, in a dean of facultyrectors tea talk at yalenus. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading return of a king. The battle for afghanistan, 183942 kindle edition by dalrymple, william. It was an excellent read and very informative as it. The economist in return of a king, dalrymple has done again what he did magnificently for two other telling episodes of british imperial history in white mughals 2002 and the last mughal 2006. The battle for afghanistan, written by the scottish historian william dalrymple. A fghanistan is said to be a graveyard of many empires but a divine gift to.
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