Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan

In this latest edition, Johnson, a professor of Afghanistan and Central Asian studies, and the late Ludwig Adamec, a scholar of Middle East and North African studies, chronicle the religious, military, political, judicial, historical, economic and cultural highlights of the book’s namesake country. Historical dictionaries, like this one, relay encyclopedia-level information with the ease of browsing a dictionary. The most-interesting section is within the appendix, which includes numerous lists, like one on Pashtun tribes and their clans. While the book has no photos or illustrations, the charts and information tables are clear and easy to reference. For any student or researcher, this makes for a solid reference source for anything Afghanistan related.

—Marina Ali