Rating: 
Summary: The real thing
Review: An amazingly concise and chillingly realistic account of a crazy situation brought on paper in a powerful way.
What words and photos don't always express, Rall transfer in cartoons. You'll feel like freezing on the outskirts of Mazar E-Sharif and chased by bandits ...
If you think "Maus : A Survivor's Tale : My Father Bleeds History and Here My Troubles Began by Art Spiegelman, is well done, rush for that one too.
If you didn't read any of them - go for both. Even faster !
Rating:
Summary: You Can Handle The Truth
Review: Apart from being the most insightful and expressive editorial cartoonist in the country, Ted Rall proves himself to be a fearless journalist willing and able to disect truth from the rubble of US carpet bombs in Afghanistan. "To Afghanistan and Back" is a one-of-a-kind book that combines photos, editorial cartoons, war reports from the front lines of Afghanistan during the US bombing missions last fall, with a graphic novel that entertainingly documents Rall's time spent there. It's a very accessible book that provides some of the hardest hitting journalism on the Afghanistan situation avaiable anywhere. Ted Rall specialized much his career on Central Asia long before 9/11 and predicted years in advance the hotbed of Muslim aggrivation meeting violently with oil-hungry capitalist greed. The book is a must-read social document. -30-
Rating:
Summary: He lived there
Review: First-hand reporting on the feelings of the various combatants in Afghanistan. Thoroughly enjoyable. Not for those who believe the U.S. is always saintly in foreign policy.
Rating:
Summary: He lived there
Review: First-hand reporting on the feelings of the various combatants in Afghanistan. Thoroughly enjoyable. Not for those who believe the U.S. is always saintly in foreign policy.
Rating: 
Summary: Great book that could have been better
Review: I liked this book alot. But, the truth is that Ted could have made this book much much better, simply by organizing it better. First things first, while it possibly looked interesting to the editors, I found it disjointing how the book was a little bit book, then a little bit comic then a little bit book again.
Creative? yes, Functional? No. I'd stick the whole editorial "book" as a second chapter or as an Appendix. They're interesting on their own, but not when I'm in the middle of a quick moving comic. Besides which, the "book" part went over the same events in the comic.
Also, I had to kick myself when I found that 20 pages into the comic, the comic finishes. Oh man, I needed at least 60 pages to get some satisfaction...what are you going to do, the dude came home.
Lastly, some of his "facts" weren't facts, or I'm an idiot reading all the wrong sources. I dont think Ted does it on purpose, but he does state stuff that I haven't found true....ie. "French reporter gang raped by the Taliban"
All in all, I enjoyed it, definatly worth the time he put into it.
Rating:
Summary: Great book that could have been better
Review: I liked this book alot. But, the truth is that Ted could have made this book much much better simply by organizing it better. First things first, while it possibly looked interesting to the editors, I found it disjointing how the book was a little bit book, then a little bit comic then a little bit book again. Creative? yes, Functional? No. I'd stick the whole editorial "book" as a second chapter or as an Appendix. They're interesting on their own, but not when I'm in the middle of a quick moving comic. Besides which, the "book" part went over the same events in the comic. Also, I had to kick myself when I found that 20 pages into the comic, the comic finishes. Oh man, I needed at least 60 pages to get some satisfaction...what are you going to do, the dude came home. Lastly, some of his "facts" weren't facts, or I'm an idiot reading all the wrong sources. I dont think Ted does it on purpose, but he does state stuff that I haven't found true....ie. "French reporter gang raped by the Taliban" All in all, I enjoyed it, definatly worth the time he put into it.
Rating: 
Summary: Original and critical or just ranting and political?
Review: I'm going to have to go with the second choice, really. Though it is impressive that Rall actually went to Afghanistan, the book makes it quite clear that he had already made up his mind before going over there, and he only writes about what he sees that confirms his own views, drawing illogical conclusions from sporadic facts.
If you are looking for left-wing, critical literature, there is a lot better stuff to find. If you are looking for humor, there is likewise better things out there, and the same goes if you are looking for a travel account.
Possibly this book could interest you if you are looking for an extremely biased rant against the current administration's policies, lacking for self-criticism. Although, if you want that, why not just buy something by Michael Moore?
Rating:
Summary: Worth the trip
Review: I've become a fan of Rall's pointed political cartoons, and this book on the so-called "war" in Afghanistan brings much needed new perspective to the situation. The fact that Rall is an outsider among the Afghanis is in many ways the perfect asset for this book, since he sees things -- and draws things -- as they actually are. "To Afghanistan and Back" is right up there with Joe Sacco's recent "Palestine" in putting the news in an interesting "comic" format. It may open the eyes of a whole new audience of readers. Dare I say it even gives "Maus" a run for it's money, elevating the graphic novel from historical memoir to true reportage.
Rating:
Summary: a must-read
Review: In little more than a hundred pages, Rall dissects and analyzes the recent war on terrorism in Afghanistan and shows why it may never be won. Eye-opening, frightening, and dispiriting. I do have some minor quibbles with it, though-- there is some repetition between the graphic novel and the written portion, and his characterization of the Afghanis themselves is sometomes contradictory. Still, this is essential reading. I've always hated the phrase, "If you read only one book this year, make it this one," but in this case, it holds true.
Rating:
Summary: a must-read
Review: In little more than a hundred pages, Rall dissects and analyzes the recent war on terrorism in Afghanistan and shows why it may never be won. Eye-opening, frightening, and dispiriting. I do have some minor quibbles with it, though-- there is some repetition between the graphic novel and the written portion, and his characterization of the Afghanis themselves is sometomes contradictory. Still, this is essential reading. I've always hated the phrase, "If you read only one book this year, make it this one," but in this case, it holds true.
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