Books: January 2024

Return of a King: The Battle for Afghanistan — William Dalrymple

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Super readable, impressive use of primary sources and poems. Interesting how much domestic political dynamics drive British decision to invade Afghanistan. One concern is that the author over-reads the present into the past and exaggerates connections. Even with that caveat, the chapter on the British evacuation is brutally sad.