Edward Girardet has been a foreign correspondent covering Afghanistan since the late 1970s when the Soviets launched their abortive campaign into the region. He has worked with such news organizations as the Christian Science Monitor and US News and World Report. In this book, he describes his experience of Afghanistan ranging from walking with powerful personalities, such as Osama bin Laden and Amed Shah Massoud, to following Afghan guerillas in the mountains. He also describes how corruption among wealthy Afghan leaders has worsened under Western occupations which have shown little sense of how to empower the people. Written for a general audience, Girardet's journalistic narrative is frank though eloquent. His epilogue synthesizes his experiences and offers considerations for moving forward in the region. A comprehensive index, glossary of terms and names, and a time-line make it useful for historical research. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)