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The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan After the Taliban

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Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
List Price: $25.95
Our Price: $19.99
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As a former star reporter for NPR, Sarah Chayes developed a devoted listenership for her on-site reports on conflicts around the world. In The Punishment of Virtue, she reveals the misguided U.S. policy in Afghanistan in the wake of the defeat of the Taliban, which has severely undermined the effort to build democracy and allowed corrupt tribal warlords back into positions of power and the Taliban to re-infiltrate the country. This is an eyeopening chronicle that highlights the often infuriating realities of a vital front in the war on terror, exposing deeper, fundamental problems with current U.S. strategy.


DESCRIPTION:

Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 958.1047
Format: Bargain Price
Label: Penguin Press HC, The
Manufacturer: Penguin Press HC, The
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 400
Publication Date: 2006-08-17
Publisher: Penguin Press HC, The
Studio: Penguin Press HC, The


SIMILAR ITEMS:

• Descent into Chaos: The U.S. and the Disaster in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Central Asia
• Afghanistan: A Short History of Its People and Politics
• Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil and Fundamentalism in Central Asia
• The Places In Between
• Afghanistan: A Military History from Alexander the Great to the War against the Taliban


CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

Customer Rating:
Summary: The Punishment of Virtue
Comment: In a book that is equal parts travel diary, and contemporary political analysis, Sarah Chayes has provided one of the most in-depth looks at Afghanistan after the U.S.-led war of 2001. Beginning the book as an NPR correspondent, Chayes undergoes a transformation as she leaves her job as a journalist behind to dive headfirst into Afghan politics as a member of an NGO and then (amazingly) as a semi-independent political figure herself.

The Punishment of Virtue is the story of Afghanistan immediately before and after the 2001 war, but in many ways the reader gets more than just an overview of what happened in the country during this period. Chayes does a remarkable job at tying her personal experiences to the larger narrative of Afghan history and explaining to the reader why certain things matter.

One of the books only flaws though lies in the story of who is clearly her protagonist, Akrem the police chief. Throughout the book as Chayes gets to know and work with the burly police chief, she bemoans the level of corruption at every level of the Afghan government she encounters. Akrem though, seems above this in the author's mind. She spends so much of the book talking about the nature of Afghan politics and that people will say and do anything to get ahead, yet it seems like she may have had the wool pulled over her eyes by this figure. This may seem like a weird point to make, but the direction the book takes in the second half is influenced by her opinions of this figure. It could be that he was a genuinely good person, but it seems odd that she never seems to hold him to the same scrutiny as others.

Although at times it seems like you're only getting a very narrow look at Afghanistan by reading this book, the insights provided and the insights gained by the author's experience with the American military and the role of Pakistan in the country make this book a valuable read. I would go so far as to say that if you're curious as to why the U.S. has made such negligible progress in Afghanistan almost 8 years into the war, this book would be a fantastic place to start.


Customer Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Comment: If you have any interest in learning more about Afghanistan, READ THIS BOOK. You will benefit from Sarah's own journey to understand what was going on around her. You'll appreciate the sacrifice that some good people have made, despite the overwhelming ignorance and injustice that was or is going on in Afghanistan. This is the best book, I have read to date on this issue.

Customer Rating:
Summary: A must read
Comment: This book presents a view of post 9/11 Afghanistan that few Americans understand. Through long term first hand interactions with a broad cast of characters, Chayes offers experiences and insights that could not be gained in any other way. While her periodic sojourns to long past historical periods can get a little lengthy, she always brings these investigations back to her major theme of seeking a deep cultural understanding.

Chayes is forthright in presenting her own biases and generally follows a chronological format that allows the reader to continually rethink her situation in the manner that she lived it. This book should be required reading for international personnel involved with any aspect of the future of Afghanistan.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Required Reading for All
Comment: THE PUNISHMENT OF VIRTUE should be required reading for all American policy makers dealing with the "Afghanistan Problem". It should also be required of all Americans whether or not they support our military efforts. The author, who happens to be a very good writer, blends her own experience and observations with a thorough research of the history of the country to tell her compelling narrative about the death of a virtuous man in Afghanistan.

The history of Afghanistan reminds us of how old this civiliation is and how much warfare it has seen through the centuries. The history tells us a great deal about the character of the Afghan people whose country has been used as a battle ground by Pakistan, India, Russia, Iran and the United States in their own eternal power struggles.

Most importantly this book demonstrates the fundamental problems of dealing with an entire people who are suffering from Post Tramatic Stress Syndrome. Some kind of fighting has been going on non stop since 1978 - and sporatically before that. Alliances shift. Loyalty, faith and trust are luxuries most Afghans can not afford.

For those who know nothing about Afghanistan, you will learn a great deal. For those who know a lot about Afghanistan, you will still learn something new.

The book is highly readable with a compelling narrative. It reads like a good novel that has been given a frightening authority in each word because this is not fiction. It is truth.

Customer Rating:
Summary: Insights, perspective & analysis of the Afghanistan slide back into chaos
Comment: The author shares her insights into the problems that are cascading Afghanistan back into the arms of the Taliban and their allies. She has a unique perspective by virtue of her experience as a foreign correspondent and from living and working on the ground at the grassroots level with Afghan people.

This book is "must" reading for those leaders and workers who will soon be determining US policy and practices in formulating and implementing assistance to Afghanistan and its diverse peoples.

Sarah Chayes' is clearly an advocate, not a critic. Yet she is adamant and very specific in identifying the factors contributing to the growing resurgence of the Taliban and what is critically important to do to change that.

I highly recommend this book to every American who is concerned about helping Afghans and understanding why things have gone awry.

JW Barbee
Senior Advisor
Civil Society, Democracy & Development

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