The First Anglo-Afghan Wars

"Antoinette Burton has curated a groundbreaking archive of documents related to what she poignantly calls the 'First Anglo-Afghan Wars.' Incisively introduced with a critical eye toward how these texts bear the traces of Afghan and sepoy agency and toward the roles of non-European actors in the unfolding of Afghanistan's history, this brilliant Reader delivers a counter-narrative to the totalizing pull of American exceptionalism. The significance of articulating this archive and situating its contents' relevance to the ongoing present cannot be overstated. As a classroom tool, it promises to revolutionize discussions not only about the British empire, but also about current front-page news." - Zarena Aslami, author of The Dream Life of Citizens: Late Victorian Novels and the Fantasy of the State

"As important as they were in the annals of Britain's imperial history, the first Anglo-Afghan wars were the formative crises of the Afghan state. By drawing together travel writings, newspaper and intelligence reports, diaries, and poems by contemporaries, Antoinette Burton has assembled the essential compendium on these image-fixing encounters for the student and specialist alike." - Nile Green, editor of Afghanistan in Ink: Literature between Diaspora and Nation

"The reader illustrates the importance of finding elusive local perspectives on the first Anglo–Afghan wars to achieve a nuanced understandingof the conflicts."   - Robert Eric Colvard, Itinerario

"Current Western leaders could definitely benefit from reading the essays in this volume." - Harold E. Raugh, Jr., International Journal of Military History

"Overall, Burton’s impressive collection of documents offers a great deal to students and scholars alike. It will enliven classroom debate in courses on imperialism, warfare, and South and Central Asia. The book provides a much-needed history of recent and contemporary warfare, especially in Afghanistan, South Asia, and the Middle East." - Kate Imy, H-War, H-Net Reviews