How did the horrendous situation in Afghanistan, with all its implications for recent events and the present time, come to pass? What was the role of... the CIA and Pakistani intelligence in the creation of what became the Taliban? What are the implications for the future and lessons from the past for American forces today?This highly controversial book reveals one of the greatest military, political and financial secrets of recent times. It is nothing less than the true, if fantastic, account of how Pakistan and the USA covertly controlled the largest guerrilla war of the 20th Century, dealing to the Soviet Russian presence in Afghanistan a military defeat that has come to be called 'Russia's Vietnam'.This compelling book, put together with great skill by the military author, Mark Adkin, is essential reading for anyone interested in the truth behind the Soviets' Vietnam, and the reasons why, to this day, the war in Afghanistan still drags on despite the victory that the Mujahideen were denied when the Soviets withdrew. ?

Widely portrayed as the "success of the war on terror," Afghanistan is now in crisis. Increasingly detached from the people it is meant to serve, and... unable to manage the massive amounts of aid that it has sought, the administration in Kabul struggles to govern even the diminishing areas of the country over which it has some sway. Many Afghans feel themselves to be trapped, hostage between two forces, both claiming to be their liberators. Drawing on long experience of living and working in Afghanistan, Chris Johnson and Jolyon Leslie examine what the changes of recent years have meant in terms of Afghans' sense of their own identity and hopes for the future.

Few people are more respected or better positioned to speak on the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan than M. Hassan Kakar. A professor at Kabul University... and scholar of Afghanistan affairs at the time of the 1978 coup d'état, Kakar vividly describes the events surrounding the Soviet invasion in 1979 and the encounter between the military superpower and the poorly armed Afghans. The events that followed are carefully detailed, with eyewitness accounts and authoritative documentation that provide an unparalleled view of this historical moment.Because of his prominence Kakar was at first treated with deference by the Marxist government and was not imprisoned, although he openly criticized the regime. When he was put behind bars the outcry from scholars all over the world possibly saved his life. In prison for five years, he continued collecting information, much of it from prominent Afghans of varying political persuasions who were themselves prisoners.Kakar brings firsthand knowledge and a historian's sensibility to his account of the invasion and its aftermath. This is both a personal document and a historical one--Kakar lived through the events he describes, and his concern for human rights rather than party politics infuses his writing. As Afghans and the rest of the world try to make sense of Afghanistan's recent past, Kakar's voice will be one of those most listened to.

Jim Harrison, Tom McGuane, Richard Ford, Tom Brokaw, and more, share stories of hunting with man’s best friend.This marvelous collection features... stories from some of America’s finest and most respected writers about every outdoorsman’s favorite and most loyal hunting partner: his dog. For the first time, the stories of acclaimed writers such as Richard Ford, Tom Brokaw, Howell Raines, Rick Bass, Sydney Lea, Jim Harrison, Tom McGuane, Phil Caputo, and Chris Camuto, come together in one collection. Hunters and non-hunters alike will recognize in these poignant tales the universal aspects of owning dogs: companionship, triumph, joy, forgiveness, and loss. The hunter’s outdoor spirit meets the writer’s passion for detail in these honest, fresh pieces of storytelling. Here are the days spent on the trail, shotgun in hand with Fido on point—the thrills and memories that fill the hearts of bird hunters. Here is the perfect gift for dog lovers, hunters, and bibliophiles of every makeup. This is a delightful, handsome volume that captures the wild spirit of dogs and those who love them.

For centuries writers have used participatory experience as a lens through which to better see the world at large and as a means of exploring the self.... Considering various types of participatory writing as different strains of one style—immersion writing—Robin Hemley offers new perspectives and practical advice for writers of this nonfiction genre.Immersion writing can be broken down into the broad categories of travel writing, immersion memoir, and immersion journalism. Using the work of such authors as Barbara Ehrenreich, Hunter S. Thompson, Ted Conover, A. J. Jacobs, Nellie Bly, Julio Cortazar, and James Agee, Hemley examines these three major types of immersion writing and further identifies the subcategories of the quest, the experiment, the investigation, the infiltration, and the reenactment. Included in the book are helpful exercises, models for immersion writing, and a chapter on one of the most fraught subjects for nonfiction writers—the ethics and legalities of writing about other people.A Field Guide for Immersion Writing recalibrates and redefines the way writers approach their relationship to their subjects. Suitable for beginners and advanced writers, the book provides an enlightening, provocative, and often amusing look at the ways in which nonfiction writers engage with the world around them.A Friends Fund Publication.

This is the official text for the National Association of Science Writers. In the eight years since the publication of the first edition of A Field... Guide for Science Writing, much about the world has changed. Some of the leading issues in today's political marketplace - embryonic stem cell research, global warming, health care reform, space exploration, genetic privacy, germ warfare - are informed by scientific ideas. Never has it been more crucial for the lay public to be scientifically literate. That's where science writers come in. And that's why it's time for an update to the Field Guide, already a staple of science writing graduate programs across the country.The academic community has recently recognized how important it is for writers to become more sophisticated, knowledgeable, and skeptical about what they write. More than 50 institutions now offer training in science writing. In addition mid-career fellowships for science writers are growing, giving journalists the chance to return to major universities for specialized training. We applaud these developments, and hope to be part of them with this new edition of the Field Guide.In A Field Guide for Science Writers, 2nd Edition, the editors have assembled contributions from a collections of experienced journalists who are every bit as stellar as the group that contributed to the first edition. In the end, what we have are essays written by the very best in the science writing profession. These wonderful writers have written not only about style, but about content, too. These leaders in the profession describe how they work their way through the information glut to find the gems worth writing about. We also have chapters that provide the tools every good science writer needs: how to use statistics, how to weigh the merits of conflicting studies in scientific literature, how to report about risk. And, ultimately, how to write.

The roster of books on leadership is full of high theory and grand expositions of biblical principles. But there is precious little practical advice for... regular people committed to releasing positive change within their local churches. Here one of the church's foremost theoreticians and one of its most accomplished transformational leaders combine strengths to clarify both how sound congregational transformation can be accomplished by regular folks and the very Christ-centered foundations upon which transformation must rest. With unflinching honesty and a deep, knowing sense for the joy that comes from Spirit-led change, the authors guide the reader on a quest for a future church alive with the abundant life God intended. A Field Guide for the Missional Congregation reveals seven transformational keys, using real-life case studies to illustrate each key. A reflective milestone framework, including discovery questions for each chapter, ground the book in a practical process.

Extending the principles of the famed Peterson Identification System to the man-made world, A Field Guide to Airplanes will enable you to identify... virtually any plane in North America, in the air or on the ground. This fully revised and updated third edition features more than 400 aircraft, including 75 new planes that incorporate the latest advances in general aviation, military aircraft, commercial airliners, business jets, and helicopters. Beautiful and accurate illustrations include arrows and detailed drawings to help pinpoint the differences between similar models. Clear, succinct descriptions of each plane include statistical information, history, and a list of important field marks that distinguish one plane from another. For serious enthusiasts and amateurs alike, this is the only true field guide to airplanes.

The guide that enables you to identify, and place in their historic and architectural contexts, the houses you see in your neighborhood or in your... travels across America. 17th century to the present.

This beautifully illustrated full-color guide is a collaborative effort between the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State University, and Mesa... Community College. The book provides concise information on all 141 species of amphibians and reptiles found in Arizona. Species accounts include high quality color photographs, compendious natural history information, detailed range maps, custom illustrations, line drawings, and call outs to key identification characteristics. This guide is a practical tool for both frequent wildlife watchers and the occasional visitor to the Arizona outdoors.
Paperback.
150 pages (fully illustrated).

The more than 1,000 species descriptions in this guide include information on range and habitat such as depths, bottom types, water temperatures, and... salinity. The almost 1,100 illustrations use the Peterson Identification System for quick, accurate field identification.

"Although most people are aware that bacteria are all around us, few would guess that they produce such distinctive and accessible signs. Whether you're... walking on the beach, visiting a zoo or aquarium, buying groceries, looking for fossils, drinking beer, traipsing through a swamp, or cleaning scum from beneath a dripping outdoor faucet, you're surrounded by bacterial field marks. You don't need a laboratory or fancy equipment to find out what kind of bacteria are there-this guide will tell you how."-from the IntroductionBacteria are an integral aspect of every habitat in which they occur and affect the lives of humans, other animals, and plants in many ways. Too often, we equate "bacterium" with "pathogen" and think of bacteria as things to avoid. In a fascinating guide perfect for naturalists, students, teachers, and tourists alike, Betsey Dexter Dyer lets the reader know that it is possible to observe bacteria with all the senses. Many groups of bacteria can be easily identified in the field (or in the refrigerator) without a microscope. Written for curious souls of all ages, A Field Guide to Bacteria opens our eyes-and noses and ears-to this hidden (or neglected) world around us. Useful illustrations, including 120 color photographs, accompany Dyer's lively text throughout.

A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes is a comprehensive, current, and accurate identification guide to the more than 1,000 nearshore and offshore fishes... that live in brackish and marine waters from Maine to Texas. Val Kells and Kent Carpenter bring decades of experience to this project. With Kells' detailed, vivid illustrations and Carpenter's deep knowledge of biology, taxonomy, and nomenclature, this book captures the stunning diversity of species along America’s eastern shores. Key features of the book include:• more than 1,000 full-color illustrations, set side-by-side with descriptions of each fish• details about the biology of each species• habitat, distribution, and size informationReliable and up-to-date, A Field Guide to Coastal Fishes is the most complete book ever published on East and Gulf Coast fishes—perfect for boat, home, or classroom. Its beautiful design and accessible format make it an ideal guide for fishermen, divers, students, scientists, naturalists, and fish enthusiasts alike.

One of the hallmarks of FIELD magazine has always been its attention to what poets have to say about poetry. Essays on contemporary poetry and poetics... by working poets have appeared since the first issue, and many have become widely celebrated. This revised and expanded edition of A FIELD Guide to Contemporary Poetry and Poetics provides a rich and stimulating perspective on the state of contemporary poetry, as seen through the eyes of the poets themselves. Contributors include Margaret Atwood, Robert Bly, Russell Edson, Donald Hall, Miroslav Holub, Galway Kinnell, Denise Levertov, Sandra McPherson, Adrienne Rich, Charles Simic, Gary Snyder, William Stafford, Charles Wright, and James Wright, among many others.

With more than 500 species described and more than 400 illustrations, this guide provides quick and easy visual identification of fishes, mollusks,... sponges, shrimps, lobsters, crabs, and much more of the fauna found on the coral reefs of the Caribbean and Florida.