Love Fate and Afghanistan Tony Thomson 9781452870328 Books
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Love Fate and Afghanistan is a memoir of driving from London to India and back in 1971. In the course of the trip I fell in love and married my passenger, Alyson. In addition I revisited Afghanistan as a tourist in October 2009 and offer some comments on what is going on there, with a strong recommendation that the US exit asap.
Love Fate and Afghanistan Tony Thomson 9781452870328 Books
“Afghanistan is not a country in our sense : It is an attitude, a collection of ethnic groups with powerful shared customs and a feeling of being Afghan in some general way but with no willingness to sacrifice local or ethnic interests to higher national goals”This is the best quote from the book written by Tony Thomson, majorly a travelogue than a book by itself. His passion in 1971 to travel from London to India and re-discover himself from an aimless life and career, made him journey through Austria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and finally India. And this entire journey in a pre-used Volkswagon Van alongwith a couple of female counterparts who share the same passion. During the journey he experienced different lands with equally different people, cultures, historic monuments, landscapes, food habits, dressing, climatic conditions and ofcourse living patterns. Primarily, the author seemed to have taken more interest and love towards Afghanistan more than any other country he visited. Reason behind which he visited the country again in 2009 nearly after 38 years of his first visit. He seems to have been spell bound by the way this country, popularly known as ‘Graveyard of Empires’ withstood the onslaught of many invasions and widespread looting but never succumbed to any of the World’s greatest invaders, even Alexander the Great. I loved the way the transformation of Afghanistan from way back in 1971 to 2009 was clearly elicited explaining each and every aspect about the country’s culture, politics and economy.
Pros : A fine travelogue for a passionate traveler who loves to travel long distances, enduring the hardships of tiresome journey by road. One can find some astonishing facts recorded from ground zero about the historical aspects across Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan. Getting to know the minutest details about every place one visits in his/her journey and recording them for future generations is one of the best and most important quality of a good travel writer. Loved the way some humor was included inbetween to lighten the mood of the reader. The author could also sync his love story and marriage inbetween this travelogue which added flavor to the reading. The title well suits the book wherein Love and Afghanistan is the main course and rest are starters with desserts !
Cons: The hard facts of criticism when it came to India and its lifestyle was a little objectionable as I don’t think India was so bad as it was described here. The author’s knowledge about the Indian subcontinent and its rich heritage dating back to Indus Valley Civilization seems to be limited and it reflects only on the few places he visited in a hurry. The author’s sudden return back to Cleveland for his cousin’s marriage during his first visit could have blocked his further insights into the better parts of the sub-continent’s historic glory.
My rating is 2.5 out of 5
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Love Fate and Afghanistan Tony Thomson 9781452870328 Books Reviews
some parts of this book are very funny. the squid ink syringes in particular. by the time I was old enough to see the world, this trip was impossible. truly enjoyed taking the trip with Tony and Alyson.
This is a memoir of coming of age in 1971 during a trip through London, Turkey,Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and ending in London. He is running from Cleveland, Ohio, and all that it represents. An English girl slows him down by planting an emotional seed, which he carries away from her with him. His travels are Spartan and his views are historically driven and informative, if you only know what American news media reports.Tony's anger subsides as the trip continues and almost disappears when the English girl joins him on the trip. They then marry. Twenty-eight years later he returns to Afghanistan alone, but he is still married to the English girl and a grandfather. His volatility is no longer evident. Having known the author at summer camp, Deerfield Academy, and Yale, I remember his brilliant but volatile nature {e.g.scaring a fellow student at Yale with a fire ax and then joining the Army[US] for a decent interval]. He then graduates from Yale. If you read this book you will learn his opinion of the war. Tony is bright and interesting. Read this book.
I enjoyed reading Tony's book "Love, Fate and Afghanistan", was pensive at times and realised that I had learned much about the Middle East both in 1971 and in 2008.
I also laughed out loud on at least four occasions.
The author was prescient in buying journals to use as diaries during his trip in 1971, and they have given an excellent thread to the book as some memories must have dimmed with the mists of time and effects of hallucinogenic substances.
His style is reminiscent of PJ O'Rourke, using his own style of acerbic wit to put situations in perspective. The ever-present concerns about food, safety and obstructive officials, as well as the amazing ruggedness of his VW Kombi, add reality to the text.
His conclusions about the past, present and future of Afghanistan are cogent, and should be taken on board by politicians and planners. The political and social history of the country predict no chance of a "political" solution to the situation, and there is no excuse to continue the sacrifice of Western lives.
PS I declare bias as I am mentioned in the book.
Love, Fate and Afghanistan is a wonderfully witty and insightful overview of two very different collisions between unstable Western values and the timeless rules and patterns of Afghanistan the first being an overland trip on the Hippy Trail at the very end of the Sixties taken by a group of priviledged young Westerners and the second a return visit 30 odd years later by one of them to view the current mess NATO is making of nation building in that benighted country. Overlaying these stories is a touching description of a 40-year love affair between the protagonist and his then girlfriend, now wife. The author, Tony Thomson, has a great facility with words and the book is full of pithy and amusing descriptions, made more so by his jaundiced view of human motivation and behaviour. The Sixties section in particular is worlds away from a soppy elegy of Peace-and-Love nostalgia. In particular Thomson knows his history and puts both visits into the broader context of the countries through which he and his companions travel. For anyone looking to understand a bit better how we in the West have changed over the past half-century and where we now find ourselves in relation to the poorest inhabitants of the world we have created, I cannot recommend this book too highly - and you will laugh out loud while reading it.
“Afghanistan is not a country in our sense It is an attitude, a collection of ethnic groups with powerful shared customs and a feeling of being Afghan in some general way but with no willingness to sacrifice local or ethnic interests to higher national goals”
This is the best quote from the book written by Tony Thomson, majorly a travelogue than a book by itself. His passion in 1971 to travel from London to India and re-discover himself from an aimless life and career, made him journey through Austria, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan and finally India. And this entire journey in a pre-used Volkswagon Van alongwith a couple of female counterparts who share the same passion. During the journey he experienced different lands with equally different people, cultures, historic monuments, landscapes, food habits, dressing, climatic conditions and ofcourse living patterns. Primarily, the author seemed to have taken more interest and love towards Afghanistan more than any other country he visited. Reason behind which he visited the country again in 2009 nearly after 38 years of his first visit. He seems to have been spell bound by the way this country, popularly known as ‘Graveyard of Empires’ withstood the onslaught of many invasions and widespread looting but never succumbed to any of the World’s greatest invaders, even Alexander the Great. I loved the way the transformation of Afghanistan from way back in 1971 to 2009 was clearly elicited explaining each and every aspect about the country’s culture, politics and economy.
Pros A fine travelogue for a passionate traveler who loves to travel long distances, enduring the hardships of tiresome journey by road. One can find some astonishing facts recorded from ground zero about the historical aspects across Turkey, Iran, and Afghanistan. Getting to know the minutest details about every place one visits in his/her journey and recording them for future generations is one of the best and most important quality of a good travel writer. Loved the way some humor was included inbetween to lighten the mood of the reader. The author could also sync his love story and marriage inbetween this travelogue which added flavor to the reading. The title well suits the book wherein Love and Afghanistan is the main course and rest are starters with desserts !
Cons The hard facts of criticism when it came to India and its lifestyle was a little objectionable as I don’t think India was so bad as it was described here. The author’s knowledge about the Indian subcontinent and its rich heritage dating back to Indus Valley Civilization seems to be limited and it reflects only on the few places he visited in a hurry. The author’s sudden return back to Cleveland for his cousin’s marriage during his first visit could have blocked his further insights into the better parts of the sub-continent’s historic glory.
My rating is 2.5 out of 5
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