" Most literate or non-literate Afghans, be they Persian-, Pashto-, or Turkic-speakers, consider themselves poets. Poetry, essentially a spoken, not a written, art, gives non-literates the same opportunities for expression as the literates in a society. Afghanistan, therefore is fundamentally a nation of poets."
- Louis Dupree, Afghanistan

Afghanistan is blessed with a wide and varied literature. While it is impossible to list an exhaustive bibliography, what follows is a selection of books that Kabul Caravan has found either most useful or enjoyable about Afghanistan.

Ansary, Tamim West of Kabul, East of New York (2002) Finely judged Afghan-American memoir of home and exile.
Bealby, Jonny For a Pagan Song (1998) Travelogue in the footsteps of 'The Man Who Would Be King', on the eve of the Taliban's capture of Kabul.
Borovik, Artyom The Hidden War (1992) A welcome glimpse of the Soviet experience in Afghanistan from a Russian correspondent on the frontline.
Byron, Robert The Road to Oxiana (1937) Is this greatest travel book ever written? Kabul Caravan thinks so. Witty and learned, it should be in everyone's luggage.
Coll, Steve Ghost Wars (2004) Impeccably researched history of the CIA's involvement in the Afghan jihad, and the rise of al-Qaeda.
Doubleday, Veronica Three Women of Herat (1988) A strong, personal account of the lives of three Afghan women in the 1970s.
Dupree, Louis Afghanistan (1973) Anthropological opus from the master of Afghan studies. Highly recommended for the serious student.
Dupree, Nancy An Historical Guide to Afghanistan (1977) The original Afghan guidebook, still available in Kabul and still as essential as it was when it first hit the shelves.
Dupree, Nancy An Historical Guide to Kabul (1972) Dated but still useful city guide - try following the guided tours to compare 'old' and 'new' Kabul.
Elliot, Jason An Unexpected Light (1999) Warm and sympathetic travelogue from the mid-1990s, with a keen eye on the nuances of Afghan culture and history.
Ewans, Martin Afghanistan: A Short History of its People and Politics (2001) Highly readable history of the country, from Alexander to the Taliban.
Fergusson, James Kandahar Cockney (2004) Afghanistan at home and abroad, the neatest dissection of the refugee experience currently on the shelves.
Gall, Sandy Afghanistan: Agony of a Nation (1983) Acclaimed correspondent roughing it with the mujahideen, through Nuristan and with Massoud in the Panjshir Valley.
Girardet, Edward and Walter, Jonathan Essential Field Guides: Afghanistan (2004) Vital primer to Afghanistan for NGO workers, journalists and travellers. Buy this book.
Griffin, Michael Reaping the Whirlwind (2001) The Taliban movement dissected, with a firm focus on Afghanistan's impact on the world stage.
Hodson, Peregrine Under a Sickle Moon (1988) More than just another 'journo with the Muj' book, a keen account of one corner of the war, with a Persian-speaker's ear for character.
Hopkirk, Peter The Great Game (1990) Ever popular history of Anglo-Russian rivalry in the 19th century, with Afghanistan frequently taking centre stage.
Johnson, Chris and Leslie, Jolyon Afghanistan: The Mirage of Peace (2004) Brilliant critique of state-building and reconstruction in post-Taliban Afghanistan.
Kaplan, Robert Soldiers of God (1989) With the mujahideen from the refugee camps to under fire at the front lines.
Kremmer, Christopher The Carpet Wars (2002) Foreign correspondent travels to war zones and buys rugs? So much more, a fine journalist's account of mid-90s Afghanistan.
Lamb, Christina The Sewing Circles of Herat (2002) One of the best travelogues to come out of Afghanistan in years, a journalist's account of post-Taliban hope and chaos.
Leeming, Matthew & Bijan Omrani Afghanistan: A Companion and Guide (2002) Weighty new guidebook from Odyssey with lush prose, literary extracts and gorgeous illustrations.
Levi, Peter The Light Garden of the Angel King (1972) Impeccably written and yrical account of travels with Bruce Chatwin in the 1970s
Macintyre, Ben Josiah the Great (2004) Improbable but true story of Josiah Harlan, American Great Gamer in Afghanistan in the 1830s and 40s, a cracking read.
Magus, Ralph and Naby, Eden Afghanistan: Mullah, Marx and Mujahid (1998) Scolarly but accessible analysis in the complex forces shaping Afghanistan in the 20th century.
Mayhew, Bradley et al Central Asia (2004) Lonely Planet guidebook including its first coverage of Afghanistan for 25 years, written by the author of this site.
Medley, Dominic and Barrand, Jude Kabul: The Bradt Mini Guide (2003) Excellent pocket-sized guidebook to Kabul, originally written to be sold by street kids.
Meyer, Karl and Brysac, Shareen The Tournament of Shadows (1999) Worthy companion piece and counterpoint to Hopkirk's Great Game, casting a slightly wider historical net.
Michaud, Roland and Sabrina Afghanistan: The Land That Was (2002) Gorgeous coffee table photo book of Afghanistan in the 1960s and 70s.
Newby, Eric A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush (1958) Travel literature classic of a very English misadventure, attempting mountain peaks in Nuristan.
Rall, Ted To Afghanistan and Back (2002) Graphic novel meets reportage - a cartoonist's on the ground account of the anti-Taliban campaign in 2001.
Rashid, Ahmed Taliban (2000) Essential and seminal history of the Taliban movement from a long-time observer of Afghanistan.
Seierstad, Asne The Bookseller of Kabul (2002) Controversial and contentious portrayal of an Afghan family after the fall of the Taliban.
Shah, Saira The Storyteller's Daughter (2003) Beautifully written memoir from an Anglo-Afghan journalist, one of the finest pieces of writing on Afghanistan available.
Simpson, John News From No Man's Land (2002) Veteran BBC correspondent's accounts of reporting the American-led campaign against the Taliban and his own 'liberation' of Kabul.
Stewart, Rory The Places In Between (2004) Highly contemplative and personal account of a walk through snowy central Afghanistan as the Taliban regime collapsed.