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The Great Gamble
- The Soviet War in Afghanistan
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
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The Great Gamble
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Summary
Feifer's extensive research includes fascinating interviews with participants from both sides of the conflict.
In gripping detail, he vividly depicts the invasion of a volatile country that no power has ever successfully conquered. Parallels between the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq are impossible to ignore: Both conflicts were waged amid vague ideological rhetoric about freedom. Both were roundly condemned by the outside world for trying to impose their favored forms of government on countries with very different ways of life. And both seem destined to end on uncertain terms. The Great Gamble tells an unforgettable story full of drama, action, and political intrigue whose relevance in our own time is greater than ever.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- North Yorkshire
- 19-10-20
Works well on Audible
This is a good account of the Soviet War in Afghanistan, stretching from the decision to go in (December 1978) to pretty much the present day - though mainly focusing on the main period of conflict in the 1980s. The author approaches this as much as a journalist than as a historian. By this I mean 3 particular things:
1) he doesn't attempt to produce a chronicle of everything that happened, but to convey the experiences of several individual combatants (mainly Russian, though the story of Ahmad Shah Massoud, 'the Lion of Panshir').
2) he has a journalistic sense of the key 'stories' and he the importance of following up on the long-term and continuing consequences (the final chapter shows how this war is not really 'over' in many ways).
3) he understands he has to hold the listener's attention - there is no waffle, dead text and everything is explained clearly and concisely but with good insight. There was some good back-story bits about the Russian political scene (such as it was) and the developing geopolitical contexts. Coming in at around 10hrs the book gets to the point and doesn't waste any time.
I liked the narration - it was slow and steady but I thought it managed to convey a good sense both of on-the-ground action and empathy for everyone caught up in it.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Jon lanģley
- 26-05-20
great book - full of detail
although I didn't know much about the Soviet involvement in Afghanistan before, I know a lot more now. thorough in scope and detail, covering both the political process, the characters involved, as well as the situation on the ground from the point of view of Soviet and mujahadeen combatants. narrator was good too, which is a great help.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- R. J. Selwyn
- 21-12-20
Very Very Interesting.
This was another fantastic book, very interesting with many well researched facts about the war. Sounded horrific for most who took part. Having been there a number of times I can relate to much of this story. Loved it.
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