AFGHAN CARAVAN

Assembled by Safia Shah
Collected by Idries Shah

Octagon Press, London, 1990

How did this fragmented third-world country come to win three wars against the British Empire and precipitate the break-up of Russia, the super-power?

Afghan Caravan is a collection of writings that takes the reader on a spell-binding journey through Afghanistan, The Unconquerable. It contains a narrative from a Pathan princess; heroic war stories; tips on savvy carpet-buying; Mulla Nasrudin jokes from the front lines of the Mujahidin; even the Great Pilau Recipe of Khalifa Ashpaz, Master Chef of the Hindu Kush, which was reportedly once served to 4,000 guests.

More than entertaining, Afghan Caravan presents an unprecedented view of a great people, their dauntless fighting spirit and near maniacal hospitality. It is the telling of a history rich in adventure, tradition and wisdom. Revealed is a magnificent culture, hidden from our history books, contributing to the human story in ways most Westerners are never aware of.

Beyond the frowning, famed Khyber Pass, where grim-faced, loopholed forts guard the realm of the warrior Pashtun clans, lies the God-Given Kingdom of Afghanistan. The British Lion and the Russian Bear have cast envious eyes upon the keystone of Asia, blessed by Nature with haunting scenery and seventy different varieties of grapes.
-- From the Introduction by Idries Shah Afghan Caravan, © 1990 by Octagon Press