Pakistan: Eye of the Storm Book

Having willfully ignored Pakistan for years, I finally sat down to read Owen Bennett Jones' book ... and discovered I couldn't put it down. And by so doing, I filled an important hole I'd been ignoring in my overview and understanding of Asia.

Pakistan's history is short but turbulent. This excellent, well-researched, beautifully written book covers its history, personalities, politics, and issues in chapters that first present an overview of Pakistan's history then proceed to address each major issue the nation (nations, after east and west separate and Bangladesh emerges) topic by topic -- the role of language, the tribal states, Kashmir, Bangladesh, the Army, the leaders, democracy, nationalism, the jihadists, the atomic bomb -- by weaving back and forth between chapters, recalling events and names into they merge into a comprehensible whole. The details are many and captivating--while often horrific. Betrayals, lies, greed and subterfuge cross with idealism, hope, and at times incredible bravery in the face of overwhelming odds, rubbing against people so abused by their leaders that while some live in rich feudal sanctuaries, others live in unthinkable poverty.

The author is a BBC correspondent who obviously has done extensive and thorough research on his topic, and this edition is a new one that updates the original edition from 2003 to roughly 2010.