Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding travel writing
Review: "An Unexpected Light" is one of the best pieces of travel writing I have read in a long time. Frankly, before reading this book, I knew little more about Afghanistan than what I had seen recently on CNN. Jason Elliot introduced me to a brave and generous people and an astonishly beautiful if dangerous land. He writes with a deft pen, mixing apt similes with a wry (and often self-deprecating) humor. He is sufficiently erudite to feed his reader slices of useful history, and sufficiently wise to keep such tidbits to just the right size. His brief asides on Sufiism, architecture and the like similarly enhance the narrative. One comes away from the book not only with an appreciation for Afghanistan and its people, but for Mr. Elliot himself -- as open-hearted and open-minded a man as you would ever want to travel with.
Rating: 
Summary: Tedious, Boring
Review: A valiant effort, but this book has to be one of the worst travelogues I have ever read. Elliot seems to want to place himself among the ranks of the Thesigers, Starks, et al, and fails miserably. To give him some credit, there were several passages that were really worth reading. But overall, it really was NOT worth the effort! I got about halfway through, and gave up. Thank heaven I had saved the receipt, and that the bookstore took it back! Never again!...
Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding
Review: Afghanistan's current inaccessibility to Westerners presents a paradox of sorts: on the one hand, travelogues have a long tradition of providing armchair portraits of countries and people not easy visited, and on the other hand, in extreme cases such as contemporary Afghanistan, the difficulties in moving into and around such a country make such travelogues all the rarer. We should be therefore be grateful for this book, in which Jason Elliot recounts his travels and impressions from a trip made in 1979 as a teenager, and a trip 20 years later when he had learned Persian. It's a very traditional and endearing piece of travel literature, full of evocative descriptions of the sights and sounds, and most importantly, the people. While the book has plenty of the other usual travelogue elements-detailed descriptions of perilous trips in overstuffed decrepit vehicles, beautiful descriptions of obscure but astonishing ancient ruins, digestible tidbits of history, and asides of longing for unattainable women-the book's greatest value comes from Elliot's sensitive treatment of the Afghans he meets and befriends. Far from being the religious totalitarianists commonly associated with the country, virtually everyone he meets-almost every one of whom is male-is unstintingly curious, tough, enduring, and most of all, warmly hospitable. When he does encounter the Taliban, he notes how other Afghans warily regard them as powerful outsiders, with no constituency save themselves. Indeed, Elliot, writing in 1999, seems to scoff at the notion of them ever controlling the entire country, as their brand of Islam is so at odds with the forms widely practiced in Afghanistan over history. Elliot spends a fair amount of time and effort in trying to get to various Sufi shrines, and he does a good job of trying to explain the mystical nature of Sufism.The book does suffer a little bit from Elliot's going back and forth between his two visits, and occasionally one loses track as to which visit an anecdote dates from, but the perspective he gains from having traveled in the country twenty years apart more than makes up for it. Elliot vividly conveys the troubles the Soviet forces had in the war, as well as the classic guerilla tactics used by the Afghans. He takes great pains to point out that the Afghan resistance was not a religiously based one, despite the connotation the word "mujaheddin" has taken in the West, but another struggle in a long succession of resisting incursions by more powerful states. What also emerges from almost every Afghan mouth is a sentiment of having been "abandoned" by America following the Soviet withdrawal. He makes no direct judgment on the matter himself, but like any good reporter, lets the people speak for themselves. In the end, one is left lamenting the destruction of Afghanistan during its tenure as proxy Cold War battleground, and the resultant forces that have allowed the Taliban to impose their will-a least for the moment. If only one thing is totally clear from their history, it is that the Afghan people will only live so long under the yoke of oppressors.
Rating:
Summary: Like Newby, Murphy, Asher, Thesiger? Then here's your man!
Review: An extraordinary book that transcends the bounds of travelogue and gives us deep and personal insight into one of the most the world's most inaccessible regions. Elliot's Afghan friends and travel companions convey, in the midst of the grief and difficulty of war, an enviable warmth and humor that has made the country a favorite of travelers for decades before the Soviet invasion. There are many hair raising trips in overloaded trucks over vertiginous mountain passes, lavish descriptions of ruins seldom seen by westerners, and intriguing historical facts from this crossroads of peoples for the traveler, adventurer and historian. Elliot writes from the heart and out of love for the Afghan people and land and this shines through on every page more than any such book I've read since Thesiger's Arabian Sands (and upon inspection, even Thesiger's motives begin to seem cloudy compared with Elliott's affection and respect for his subjects). You will put this book down with a profound respect for the Afghan people and immense desire to visit this land... I cannot recommend this book highly enough - if you read it you will soon find yourself searching through old travel guides and looking for a way to travel the roads of Afghanistan first hand.
Rating:
Summary: Unexpectedly Pleasant
Review: As you come to the end of Mr. Elliot's book you feel like you have been with him traveling to what may as well have been the moon. After having ventured out to Afghanistan shortly after leaving school at the age of 19 back in the early 80's Jason found himself joining the Afghan resistance in an assult against a Russian position in Kubul.Mr. Elliot describes his journey back to Afghanistan almost 10 years after.This is his first book. He is very informative on America's roll with the Taleban, Afghan culture, and the way the country runs it's self dispite poverty and guns everywhere. I didn't think he used good logic comparing Christians and Muslems, but it was a great read.
Rating:
Summary: Terrible
Review: Beautifully written, its an account of a curious westerner's travels through afghanistan. It is at sometimes humorous and sometimes sad, and gives us an insight in to the soul of the afghan peoples. A book that I will read over and again.
Rating:
Summary: Shining a Light on a Land in the Shadows
Review: Elliot provides an open-window to the joy of unplanned, uninhibited, exploratory travel. His traveling savvy is only matched by his ability to express his excitement and knowledge of this land in the shadows. He manages to incorporate history, current events, geography, sociology, politics, and religion into an entertaining prose that inspires the reader to look for other such books, so that the reader can expand his knowledge of this crossroads of the world. Even though Elliot shows an amorous relationship with the Northern Alliance, this book does not directly engage the current situation in Afghanistan. This bias toward one ethic group, in a country of multiple ethnicities, can be overlooked, since it seems to stem from his genuine concern and appreciation of the people he encountered and assisted him on his journey. This book is an engaging read for those of us with nomadic tendencies who like to travel, sleep and eat with the indigenous people.
Rating:
Summary: Valuable insight into current events
Review: For anyone monitoring current events in Afghanistan, "An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan" will provide very instructive insights into the history and culture of the country. Eloquently written in the style of travel literature the author gives his time-certain perspectives and reactions to the people he encounters and events he witnesses. I was most fascinated by the glimpses into the nature and history of certain tribes and ethnic groups, the historical factionalization of the Afghan people, and everyday life in the 80's during the Soviet invasion and the 90's when the Taliban first appeared on the scene in the southern provinces around Kandahar. Information on the flow of weapons and money from the US, Middle East, Europe and China and the CIA involvement is informative but presented in such a way that it does not hinder the flow of the narration. Elliot jumps back in forth in time rather than presenting a straight timeline narrative which keeps the reader's interest but means you have to pay attention and sometimes refer back to passages already covered. Finally, in conclusion, the book reminds you that no matter how much things change, they remain the same. The conflicts between ethnic groups we are seeing right now have their nexus in a long history of civil conflict. You will also get perspective on many of the warlords whose names are in the headlines today, as well as first-hand accounts of their somewhat treacherous exploits. Overall a great read, well-written, insightful, and you'll actually learn something in the process that is relevant and current.
Rating:
Summary: Next best thing to being there and no dust
Review: Having just returned from what one of my colleagues jokingly but fairly accurately describes as Sopranostan - the land of loveable killers- I started reading Jason Elliot's book with a bit of nostalgia and prejudice. The prejudice against a tourist travel book faded about page three and the nostalgia heightened with every succeeding page. The Afghans are truly lovable people. They just want a chance to live in peace but killing is a big business there and warlords and terrorist leaders, not to mention narco-traffickers continue to pay to have people killed. Things are much more peaceful now than they were while Jason was in country but rockets still fly at night over Kabul and mines still kill people every day in the rural areas. Jason captures the spirit of the land and its people without giving in to academic aloofness or polemics. It is a great book and easy reading.
Rating:
Summary: Worth doing twice
Review: I borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much that I had to own a copy. I read a lot of travel books but this one is a rare gem. The author doesn't describe his experiences. He shares them. Before I read "An Unexpected Light" I read Eric Newby's book and didn't feel anything for the land or the people Newby encountered. This book really touched me. I've done a bit of travel around the world but I'm not brave enough to do the sort of travel Mr. Elliot does. He makes me wish I was.
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