The first major cookbook on Pakistani food, featuring breathtaking photography and over 100 delicious, achievable recipes. Pakistan is a groundbreaking cookbook that explores the country’s many regional cuisines, making Pakistani food more accessible than ever to cook and enjoy at home. Thanks to shared borders with Afghanistan, China, India, and Ira, as well as a rich history of migration and trad, Pakistani cuisine draws upon a marvelous array of flavors and ingredients, making food one of the country’s finest qualities. With recipes for sauces, chutneys, aromatic curries, and subtly spiced vegetables, Pakistan is the perfect introduction for readers new to the cuisine and a welcome reminder of beloved favorites for those already familiar. A showstopping cookbook to be read, savored, and cooked from every night. A few of the recipes that await: Spiced Chicken Dumplings, Lentil Fritters in Yogurt, Tangy Potato Curry, Slow-Cooked Lamb, Saffron-Infused Flatbread, and Parsi Wedding Custard. Read more

Winner of the 2018 National Book Critics Circle Award for Nonfiction Longlisted for the 2018 National Book Award for NonfictionFrom the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Ghost Wars, the epic and enthralling story of America's intelligence, military, and diplomatic efforts to defeat Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan since 9/11.Prior to 9/11, the United States had been carrying out small-scale covert operations in Afghanistan, ostensibly in cooperation, although often in direct opposition, with I.S.I., the Pakistani intelligence agency. While the US was trying to quell extremists, a highly secretive and compartmentalized wing of I.S.I., known as "Directorate S", was covertly training, arming, and seeking to legitimize the Taliban, in order to enlarge Pakistan's sphere of influence. After 9/11, when 59 countries, led by the US, deployed troops or provided aid to Afghanistan in an effort to flush out the Taliban and Al Qaeda, the US was set on an invisible slow-motion collision course with Pakistan. Today, we know that the war in Afghanistan would falter badly because of military hubris at the highest levels of the Pentagon, the drain on resources and provocation in the Muslim world caused by the US-led invasion of Iraq, and corruption. But, more than anything, as Coll makes painfully clear, the war in Afghanistan was doomed because of the failure of the United States to apprehend the motivations and intentions of I.S.I.'s "Directorate S". This was a swirling and shadowy struggle of historic proportions, which endured over a decade and across both the Bush and Obama administrations, involving multiple secret intelligence agencies, a litany of incongruous strategies and tactics, and dozens of players, including some of the most prominent military and political figures. A sprawling American tragedy, the war was an open clash of arms but also a covert melee of ideas, secrets, and subterranean violence. Coll excavates this grand battle, which took place away from the gaze of the American public. With unsurpassed expertise, original research, and attention to detail, he brings to life a narrative at once vast and intricate, local and global, propulsive and painstaking. This is the definitive explanation of how America came to be so badly ensnared in an elaborate, factional, and seemingly interminable conflict in South Asia. Nothing less than a forensic examination of the personal and political forces that shape world history, Directorate S is a complete masterpiece of both investigative and narrative journalism. Read more

Forged during the tumultuous aftermath of Partition in 1947, the Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI) has grown to become the preeminent intelligence service in Pakistan. Its capabilities are comprehensive, its remit covers both foreign and domestic intelligence, and it is one of the most feared and respected agencies of the Global South.Pakistan's ISI provides an up-to-date and detailed introduction to the ISI and its historical evolution. The narrative is rooted in a deep and wide-ranging contextualization of the state of Pakistan and its security environment. The story is one of an agency that grew from humble beginnings into an extremely capable and robust force at the heart of power in the state. The ISI utilizes broad human intelligence networks and employs covert action and support for militants, particularly in its rivalry with India. As a crucial intelligence partner for the West during the Cold War and into the contemporary era, the ISI has been both an essential ally and problematic partner. The shadow of this agency continues to loom over Pakistan's democratic institutions.This book will appeal to students, scholars, and general listeners interested in intelligence and the politics and history of South Asia. Read more

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Now a Major Motion Picture titled Whiskey Tango Foxtrot starring Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman, Alfred Molina, and Billy Bob Thornton. From tea with warlords in the countryside to parties with drunken foreign correspondents in the "dry" city of Kabul, journalist Kim Barker captures the humor and heartbreak of life in post-9/11 Afghanistan and Pakistan in this profound and darkly comic memoir. As Barker grows from awkward newbie to seasoned reporter, she offers an insider’s account of the region’s "forgotten war" at a time when all eyes were turned to Iraq. Candid, self-deprecating, and laugh-out-loud funny, Barker shares both her affection for the absurdities of these two hapless countries and her fear for their future stability. Read more

Fully revised with forty thousand new words that take the reader up to present-day India, John Keay’s India: A History spans five millennia in a sweeping narrative that tells the story of the peoples of the subcontinent, from their ancient beginnings in the valley of the Indus to the events in the region today.In charting the evolution of the rich tapestry of cultures, religions, and peoples that comprise the modern nations of Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh, Keay weaves together insights from a variety of scholarly fields to create a rich historical narrative. Wide-ranging and authoritative, India: A History is a compelling epic portrait of one of the world’s oldest and most richly diverse civilizations. Read more

A reappraisal of the tumultuous Partition and how it ignited long-standing animosities between India and Pakistan"Eloquently discusses the making of India and Pakistan after British rule on the subcontinent was dismantled in 1947. . . . A new look at this still important subject."—Library Journal This new edition of Yasmin Khan’s reappraisal of the tumultuous India-Pakistan Partition features an introduction reflecting on the latest research and on ways in which commemoration of the Partition has changed, and considers the Partition in light of the current refugee crisis.   Reviews of the first edition:   “A riveting book on this terrible story.”—Economist   “Unsparing. . . . Provocative and painful.”—Times (London)   “Many histories of Partition focus solely on the elite policy makers. Yasmin Khan’s empathetic account gives a great insight into the hopes, dreams, and fears of the millions affected by it.”—Owen Bennett Jones, BBC Read more

Churchill's First War by Con Coughlin is a fascinating account of Winston Churchill's early military career fighting in the 1890 Afghan campaign, offering fresh and revealing parallels into today's war in AfghanistanJust over a century ago British troops were fighting a vicious frontier war against Pashtun tribeman on the North West Frontier—the great-great-grandfathers of the Taliban and tribal insurgents in modern-day Afghanistan. Winston Churchill, then a young cavalry lieutenant, wrote a vivid account of what he saw during his first major campaign. The Story of the Malakand Field Force, published in 1898, was Churchill's first book and, a hundred years later, is required reading for military commanders on the ground, both British and American.In Churchill's First War, acclaimed author and foreign correspondent, Con Coughlin tells the story of that campaign, a story of high adventure and imperial success, which contains many lessons and warnings for today. Combining historical narrative, interviews with contemporary key players, and the journalist's eye for great color and analysis, Churchill's First War affords us a rare insight into both the nineteenth-century "Great Game" and the twenty-first-century conflict that has raged longer than World War II. Read more

An NPR Book of the YearA Seattle Times Book of the YearWilliam E. Colby Award Winner“A beautifully written, deeply intelligent book about [a] crucial moment.” — Fareed Zakaria, CNN Nobody expected the liberation of India and birth of Pakistan to be so violent—it was supposed to be an answer to the dreams of Muslims and Hindus who had been ruled by the British for more than a century. But as the summer of 1947 approached, Muslims, Hindus, and Sikhs were heavily armed and on edge after a year of riots and gang fighting, and the British rushed to leave. Hell broke loose. Trains carried Muslims west and Hindus east to their slaughter. Some of the most brutal and widespread ethnic cleansing in modern history erupted on both sides of the new border, searing a divide between India and Pakistan that remains a root cause of many of today’s most menacing security threats, from jihadi terrorism to nuclear proliferation. Based on major new sources, Nisid Hajari’s revelatory Midnight’s Furies lays out the searing truth about one of the world’s most momentous and least understood tragedies.  “Fast-moving and highly readable . . . The story of what happens when a composite society comes apart.” — New York Times Book Review “Makes the complex and tragic story of the great divide into a page-turner.” — Guardian  “Engaging and incisive . . . Hajari writes with grace, precision, and an unerring eye for detail. Midnight’s Furies is the best of recent offerings.” — Wall Street Journal Read more

Kashmir is one of the most protracted and bloody occupations in the world—and one of the most ignored. Under an Indian military rule that, at half a million strong, exceeds the total number of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, freedom of speech is non-existent, and human- rights abuses and atrocities are routinely visited on its Muslim-majority population. In the last two decades alone, over seventy thousand people have died. Ignored by its own corrupt politicians, abandoned by Pakistan and the West, which refuses to bring pressure to bear on its regional ally, India, the Kashmiri people’s ongoing quest for justice and self- determination continues to be brutally suppressed. Exploring the causes and consequences of the occupation, Kashmir: The Case for Freedom is a passionate call for the end of occupation, and for the right of self- determination for the Kashmiri people. Read more

A decade after the 1971 wars in South Asia, the principal decisionmakers were still uncertain why wars so clearly unwanted had occurred. The authors reconstruct the complex decisionmaking process attending the break-up of Pakistan and the subsequent war between India and Pakistan. Much of their data derive from interviews conducted with principal players in each of the countries immediately involved-Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh-including Indira Gandhi and leaders of the Awami League in Bangladesh. Read more

"To understand the mess we're getting into in Pakistan's lawless tribal areas, there's no better book out there." -Robert Baer, bestselling author of See No Evil The tribal region bordering Afghanistan, known as FATA (Federally Administered Tribal Area), has always been only loosely under government control. But since 2001 it has become a hornet's nest of violent extremists, many of whom have turned against their own state. In this groundbreaking book based on accounts by high-level Pakistani intelligence and military operatives and extensive firsthand reporting in villages where no American would be safe, award-winning reporter and broadcaster Imtiaz Gul chronicles his country's alarming slide into militancy. The United States is mired at great expense in Afghanistan, but Pakistan poses a far greater threat to American interests and to global security. Read more

Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General NonfictionWinner of the Council on Foreign Relations' Arthur Ross Book AwardWinner of the Lionel Gelber Prize for Best Foreign Affairs BookWinner of the Asia Society's Bernard Schwartz Book AwardWinner of the Cundill Prize for Historical LiteratureWinner of the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations' Robert H. Ferrell Book PrizeWinner of the Ramnath Goenka AwardOne of the Best Books of the Year at • The Economist • Financial Times • The New Republic • The Washington Post • Kirkus Reviews •A New York Times Notable Book This magnificent history provides the first full account of Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger’s secret support for Pakistan in 1971 as it committed shocking atrocities in Bangladesh—which led to war between India and Pakistan, shaped the fate of Asia, and left major strategic consequences for the world today.Drawing on previously unheard White House tapes, recently declassified documents, and his own extensive investigative reporting, Gary Bass uncovers an astonishing unknown story of superpower brinkmanship, war, scandal, and conscience. Revelatory, authoritative, and compulsively readable, The Blood Telegram is a thrilling chronicle of a pivotal chapter in American foreign policy. Read more

Spanning thousands of years, a wide-ranging history of Pakistan from the Bronze Age to partition and beyond.   This book takes us on a sweeping journey through the ebbs and flows of Pakistan’s history, from the ancient Indus Valley Civilization to contemporary times. Chequered Past, Uncertain Future uncovers influences from Turkey, Persia, Arabia, and Britain that have shaped Pakistan, as well as showcases the region’s diverse and rich tapestry of peoples, and its pluralistic, multicultural society. The book also describes the post-1947 shift—following the partition of India and the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan—as the country became more religiously conservative and autocratic, intensifying sectarian and ethnic divisions. For most of their history, the people of Pakistan have found themselves under the control of military dictators who suppress civil liberties and freedom of speech and action—a trend that persists today. Read more

Explore the partition saga of 1947 and get to know about one of the biggest events of the 20th century. Are you a student of history or history-lover? Do you want to read about the British Raj/rule? Or perhaps keen to know about British India, Indian Subcontinent or South Asia? Maybe you want to increase your knowledge regarding the topic? In 1947, the British transferred powers to two Dominions, Muslim majority ‘Pakistan’ and Hindu majority ‘India’. The erstwhile one British India had been partitioned into two halves now with its two major provinces, Punjab & Bengal, being sliced up into two. What caused that partition? Was it inevitable? What were the key factors involved? What was the demand of Pakistan propounded by Muslim League's leader Muhammad Ali Jinnah? What were Mahatama Gandhi, Jawaharalal Nehru and Congress doing? This book explores the partition saga in such a way so to find the answers to these questions. Moreover, the price is just 0.99$ which is quite cheap as compared to the other books available on this topic. With just 0.99$, you would get to know a lot about this chapter of history which resulted in the formation of modern nation-states of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Read more

LONGLISTED FOR THE CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCEAN AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION NOTABLE BOOK IN NONFICTION"[A] tremendous new book." —The Boston Globe"Carney and Miklian write vividly in the fashion of a cinematic disaster flick." —The Washington PostThe deadliest storm in modern history ripped Pakistan in two and led the world to the brink of nuclear war when American and Soviet forces converged in the Bay of BengalIn November 1970, a storm set a collision course with the most densely populated coastline on Earth. Over the course of just a few hours, the Great Bhola Cyclone would kill 500,000 people and begin a chain reaction of turmoil, genocide, and war. The Vortex is the dramatic story of how that storm sparked a country to revolution.Bhola made landfall during a fragile time, when Pakistan was on the brink of a historic election. The fallout ignited a conflagration of political intrigue, corruption, violence, idealism, and bravery that played out in the lives of tens of millions of Bangladeshis. Authors Scott Carney and Jason Miklian take us deep into the story of the cyclone and its aftermath, told through the eyes of the men and women who lived through it, including the infamous president of Pakistan, General Yahya Khan, and his close friend Richard Nixon; American expats Jon and Candy Rhode; soccer star-turned-soldier Hafiz Uddin Ahmad; and a young Bengali revolutionary, Mohammed Hai.Thrillingly paced and written with incredible detail, The Vortex is not just a story about the painful birth of a new nation but also a universal tale of resilience and liberation in the face of climate emergency that affects every single person on the planet. Read more

At midnight on 14 August 1947, Britain's 350-year-old Indian Empire was broken into three pieces. The greatest mass migration in history began, as Muslims fled north and Hindus fled south, and Britain's role as an imperial power came to an end. Patrick French's vivid and surprising account of the chaotic final years of colonial rule in India has been acclaimed as the definitive book on this subject. Journeying across India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, he brings to life a cast of characters including spies, idealists, freedom fighters and politicians from Churchill to Gandhi. Read more

Since 1989, when the separatist movement exploded in Kashmir, more than 70,000 people have been killed in the battle between India and Pakistan over Kashmir. Born and raised in the war-torn region, Basharat Peer brings this little-known part of the world to life in haunting, vivid detail..Peer reveals stories from his youth as well as gut-wrenching accounts of the many Kashmiris he met years later, as a reporter. He chronicles a young man’s initiation into a Pakistani training camp; a mother who watches as her son is forced to hold an exploding bomb; a poet who finds religion when his entire family is killed. He writes about politicians living in refurbished torture chambers, idyllic villages rigged with landmines, and ancient Sufi shrines decimated in bomb blasts..Curfewed Night is a tale of a man’s love for his land, the pain of leaving home, and the joy of return—as well as a fiercely brave piece of literary reporting.. Read more

In 1999, less than one year after both countries tested nuclear weapons, India and Pakistan found themselves locked in another armed conflict.In spite of a ray of hope for peace in February 1999, when the Indian Prime Minister, A.B. Vajpayee, visited Pakistan and signed the Lahore declaration, by April 1999, the two countries were effectively at war. From the prospect of improved relations and a chance for a peaceful resolution of differences, within one month the subcontinent was plunged into another war.In a brilliant tactical plan, Pakistan launched Operation Badr which saw a brigade sized force of Pakistan Army troops and Islamist militants infiltrate into Indian controlled territory. Supported by Pakistani artillery and well provided with small arms, mortars, and anti-aircraft weapons, these infiltrators were able to entrench along ridgelines with commanding positions over Indian lines of supply and communications.Once realizing the seriousness of the situation, the Indian government ordered its armed forces into a ponderous, but ultimately successful effort to evict the invaders. Facing treacherous terrain, and a well-supplied and entrenched enemy, the Indian Army troops supported by artillery and air force clawed their way up mountain heights to capture fortified enemy positions.Kargil 1999 is the first ever military history of this conflict in the English language. It examines the political and strategic situation in the run-up to the conflict, the precarious position of the Indian government, and the disconnect between the Pakistani civilian government and its armed forces. Moreover, it provides a detailed review of the state of the Indian and Pakistani armed forces as of 1998-1999, with particular attention to their organization, orders of battle, their air forces and air defense networks. Because the Kargil War of 1999 was the first conflict during which both India and Pakistan were in possession of nuclear weapons, this account provides a detailed review of their related potentials – including stocks of fissile materials, and delivery systems (manned aircraft and the burgeoning indigenous ballistic missile programs of increasing sophistication).Finally, Kargil 1999 provides a detailed account of ground combat, which culminated in the Indian infantry storming the heights occupied by the Pakistani infantry, while supported by artillery and air force.Illustrated by more than 100 photographs, maps, and authentic colour artworks, Kargil 1999 offers a military perspective of the first confrontation of the two declared nuclear powers of South Asia – a conflict that tested their political, military, diplomatic, and nuclear resolve. Read more

In this finely wrought memoir of life in postcolonial Pakistan, Suleri intertwines the violent history of Pakistan's independence with her own most intimate memories—of her Welsh mother; of her Pakistani father, prominent political journalist Z.A. Suleri; of her tenacious grandmother Dadi and five siblings; and of her own passage to the West. "Nine autobiographical tales that move easily back and forth among Pakistan, Britain, and the United States. . . . She forays lightly into Pakistani history, and deeply into the history of her family and friends. . . . The Suleri women at home in Pakistan make this book sing."—Daniel Wolfe, New York Times Book Review "A jewel of insight and beauty. . . . Suleri's voice has the same authority when she speaks about Pakistani politics as it does in her literary interludes."—Rone Tempest, Los Angeles Times Book Review "The author has a gift for rendering her family with a few, deft strokes, turning them out as whole and complete as eggs."—Anita Desai, Washington Post Book World "Meatless Days takes the reader through a Third World that will surprise and confound him even as it records the author's similar perplexities while coming to terms with the West. Those voyages Suleri narrates in great strings of words and images so rich that they left this reader . . . hungering for more."—Ron Grossman, Chicago Tribune "Dazzling. . . . Suleri is a postcolonial Proust to Rushdie's phantasmagorical Pynchon."—Henry Louise Gates, Jr., Voice Literary Supplement Read more