The War in Afghanistan

Children's Literature - Danielle Williams

The Middle East has been a source of conflict since recorded history began. Rich in resources and history, Afghanistan has been the focus of conflict between East and West for over a century. Religious ideology has played a major role in Afghan politics, a philosophy which has been exploited by Western governments to gain control over Afghanistan and its resources. While most people assume that the war in Afghanistan began with the terrorist attacks on September 11, the conflict had been gaining momentum since Afghanistan was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1979. Beginning with the Cold War conflict between the Soviet Union and the United States, Williams provides a detailed overview of the war in Afghanistan and the events leading up to it. Brief asides detailing the culture of Afghans, full color images of Afghanistan and its people, maps of the region, and a helpful timeline of events discussed on each page provide depth to the text, which is part of the "Timelines" series. Reviewer: Danielle Williams

VOYA - Vikki Terrile

Black Rabbit/Arcturus has added four new titles to their Timelines series, each of which examines twenty-one events for a twentieth- or twenty-first-century conflict. The Civil Rights Movement considers the Civil Rights Act of 1866 through Barack Obama's election as president in 2008, while The War in Afghanistan covers the history of conflict in Afghanistan from its independence in 1919 to today, each in just forty-eight pages. While the publishers claim the books focus on "key" events, the twenty-one-event format means that some events are included while others are left out, creating an oddly choppy chronology. Each event is allowed only a two-page spread, which includes two photos, a more detailed time line, and a sidebar with related text. Thus each event is only accorded five or six paragraphs that offer little more than a summary. Both books read like a compilation of pieces of news articles, lacking any depth, analysis, or adequate historical context. Williams's book on Afganistan in particular features stilted (and/or poorly edited) writing, and both books lack an engaging narrative. In Hynson's book on the Civil Rights Movement, several of the photographs are inconsistent with the surrounding text or are not adequately captioned to make sense of where they are placed. While the books include book, Web site, and DVD suggestions for further research, they offer no source information in support of the text. There is little in these titles that could not easily be found elsewhere in a more clear presentation and greater depth. (Timelines) Reviewer: Vikki Terrile

School Library Journal

Gr 7–10—Each book approaches its subject by tracing 21 key dates related to its history. Each date and accompanying fact is explained, illustrated, and connected to previous and future events by a chronology and notes referencing related topics. This is a useful format to help students see the relationships between single events and their causes and effects in history. Complex subjects are explained so that novices can comprehend them. An example is the excellent summary of the role WMDs played in the lead-up to the Iraq war. An occasional punctuation error or poor word choice mars an otherwise readable style; these are minor. The crisp photos are compelling, although the captions contain some errors. For instance, the photo of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X's meeting is incorrectly identified as occurring at the signing of the Voting Rights Act in 1965. Malcolm X was assassinated prior to this signing (as previously noted in the text). The apartheid title has differing dates (by one day) for Nelson Mandela's sentencing. Due to publishing lag time, the most recent information in the Iraq and Afghanistan titles is somewhat dated. Stanley McChrystal is listed as the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, but David Petraeus replaced him in June 2010. Summaries of key people are provided, along with dense glossaries, listings of further reading, and websites.—Lisa Crandall, formerly at Capital Area District Library, Holt, MI