For some reason, I embarked on reading Caravans under the misapprehension that it was about Iran. However, to my surprise, the setting is Afghanistan. I imagine that some who read it might think Michener was spot-on with his speculation in 1963 regarding the country's future. He is indeed accurate about the forces at work within the country and its aversion to outsiders of any kind.

But Michener, being the Cold War Democratic liberal that he was, couldn't help but envision that modernization was on the horizon for both Afghanistan and Iran, and the future for both seemed wonderful. He suggests that electricity and books will bring about positive changes. At least, that's what one is left to assume after the countless conversations between the protagonist, Mark Miller, a junior US diplomat assigned to Afghanistan, and the wayward young American woman, Ellen Jaspar, who finally makes her appearance three-fifths of the way through the book.

After listening to her, one might wish that nobody had managed to rescue her from the nomad caravan where she has ensconced herself. Had this book been written just a few years later, in the late 1960s, readers and Michener could have classified her as a hippie on the "Hippie Trail" that extended from Europe, through Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and ended in Bangkok. As it stands, Ellen appears to be some sort of proto-hippie, hell-bent on saving the past, while each of the men she "marries" are determined modernizers.

Frankly, Ellen's "thoughts" are almost enough to kill the interest in the novel. Which would have been a pity because otherwise, it's a nice piece of work. Michener captures the essence of Central Asia and has clearly delved deeply into the intricacies of its history. That reason alone, along with seeing it beside Michener's better efforts, is sufficient to justify spending a couple of days reading through it.

An interesting book is set in Afghanistan right after World War II. It focuses on the efforts of some of the more modern (educated, forward-thinking) Afghans to bring their country into the twentieth century. The story is told from the perspective of an American embassy worker. This worker travels around the country. First, he is looking for an American girl who married an Afghan and then disappeared. Later, he has to determine whether the Russians were sneaking into Afghanistan to try to take over.

The author included a note at the end of the book. It tells the reader how things had changed in the 17 years since the story was set (about 1963). It was a very hopeful note. However, two years later, a Marxist party emerged in Afghanistan. Then, 13 years after that, the Soviets officially began to deploy troops in the country. They remained there for 11 years. Five years after that, the Taliban started to exercise influence in the country. They even destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiam (mentioned in CARAVANS) in March of 2001. And in less than a month after 9/11, the US became involved in a war there.

I can't help but wonder what Michener would have thought of all that has happened since his note was added to the book. It's quite a contrast to the hopeful picture he painted in the note.

Michener is truly my guilty pleasure when it comes to reading. I'm well aware that his works may not be considered great literature in the traditional sense. However, there's always something to be learned from them, and he has this remarkable ability to make me yearn to explore the very places he writes about. In this particular case, it's Afghanistan, and that's quite an accomplishment!

This isn't the typical Michener multi-generational epic. Instead, it's a standard, concise story. Set in post-WWII Afghanistan, as the Russians and Americans are establishing their presence in anticipation of future struggles, it was written in 1962 but feels completely relevant today.

Against this backdrop, the story revolves around a US Foreign Serviceman who is assigned the task of locating a spoiled college girl from Pennsylvania who has deliberately gotten herself lost in an alien culture. It's a good, quick read that really made me think. It offers a fascinating glimpse into a different time and place, and the challenges that come with it.

I've read this book twice, and on both occasions, I absolutely adored it.

This particular copy is a well-used mass media paperback. It shows the signs of having been picked up and flipped through numerous times. The pages are slightly dog-eared, and there are a few creases here and there. But despite its worn appearance, it still holds the power to transport me into the world created by the author.

Each time I open this book, it's like embarking on a new adventure. The story is engaging, the characters are vivid, and the writing is captivating. It's one of those books that you can't put down once you start reading.

Even though it's a mass media paperback, it has a charm of its own. It's a testament to the popularity of the book that it has been produced in such a format, making it accessible to a wide audience.

I'm sure I'll read this book many more times in the future, and it will continue to be one of my favorites.

The story initially sets itself up as a thrilling account of a missing person, which immediately piques the reader's interest. However, as the narrative progresses, it gradually transforms into a detailed travelogue of Afghanistan.

The descriptions of the landscapes, cultures, and people of Afghanistan are truly fascinating. The author takes the reader on a journey through the country's diverse regions, painting a vivid picture of its beauty and complexity.

Unfortunately, the plot that was supposed to drive the story fizzles out halfway through. What started as a mystery loses its momentum, and the reader is left feeling somewhat disappointed.

Despite this flaw, the travelogue aspect of the article is still engaging and informative. It offers a unique perspective on a country that is often in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Overall, while the story fails to deliver on its initial promise, it still manages to provide an interesting and enjoyable read for those interested in travel and culture.

I truly relished this book. It is filled with numerous quotable quotes, and one can really sense that the author had a profound understanding of the Afghan temperament. At the very least, he traveled and resided in the country for several months before undertaking this literary endeavor.

Others have provided an excellent synopsis and critique of the book. I simply wish to emphasize that, in my view, the value of this book truly lies in the narrative centered around the central feminine character, Ellen Jasper. Although we don't encounter her until approximately 100+ pages into the book, she is discussed and analyzed at some length prior to that. The reason being, she is a young American woman from an influential family who marries an Afghan engineer, returns to his homeland, and then disappears without a trace. Her concerned parents exert pressure back home - the senator pressures the American consulate in Kabul - and a young American seconded to that office is assigned the task of locating the young woman.

The plot might indeed be a bit flimsy, but the character of Ellen Jasper most certainly isn't. She is a beautiful, worldly, intelligent, and high-spirited girl who is liked and loved by almost everyone she encounters, both men and women alike. As it turns out, she leaves her engineer for a group of nomadic Kochis and takes young Mark, the diplomat, along with her. A great deal of thought-provoking dialogue ensues as they venture inland through some magnificent scenery.

Ellen Jasper personifies the restless energy of youth and its disillusionment with the status quo. She claims to have married her Afghan engineer simply to spite her father and to deride his 'petty scale of judgement', yet one senses that there is more to her than just rebellion. Michener's portrayal of her is quite perceptive. In many ways, her character foreshadowed the sandal-wearing hippies, third-world groupies, and volunteers of the latter half of the 20th century who have abandoned the comforts and certainties of their working-class lives for the adventure and altruism of traveling, living, and working in the so-called developing world.

One other thing that is just as worthy of contemplation today as it was yesterday, in the words of the leading male character of the book:

"He's right," I [Mark Miller] told Moheb. "You'd both better get used to Ellen Jasper," I warned. "Because once you let your women out of the chaderi, Afghanistan's going to have a lot of girls like her."

I first read this book during my college years, from 1965 to 1969. And now, I am rereading it. I almost never read a book. However, as the US got involved in Afghanistan, it shaped the way I thought about the country. Just like all of Michener's excellent novels, this one is a combination of a story, a travelogue, social and political commentary, and history.

To be honest, the story is rather weak. It is good enough to keep you reading, but by no means enthralling. On the other hand, the travelogue is magnificent. It provides vivid word pictures of a dusty and dirty part of the world, a primitive place where a pack of wolves roam the streets of Kabul, hot and dry deserts so arid that they suck the moisture from you, and if you are in it for a couple of days without relief, it will mummify your body, and the high green valleys of the Hindu Kush.

I think his understanding of the political environment was almost prescient. He commented on the ultra-conservative Mullahs challenging the government and almost predicted the Russian incursion. But he also showed that the country was a collection of tribes and areas that were not under the rule of the government in Kabul. The history is mostly passing references to Alexander, the Mongols, Tamerlane, and the British. If you like to acquire knowledge in an easy-to-read manner, I highly recommend this book.

James Michener, the extraordinary historical fiction writer, utilized a romance novel to depict life in Afghanistan immediately following WWII. This approach enabled readers to engage with an interesting story while also learning about this complex nation. Through reading this book, one gains a wealth of knowledge about Afghanistan. Sadly, much has remained unchanged in the past eight decades, especially after the American withdrawal. The book extensively discusses the requirement for women to wear the chadri, a practice still enforced by the current government. It's a pity that Afghanistan, once a land of "high culture," has faced such challenges.

The story's premise revolves around a senior senator from Pennsylvania seeking details about a college girl from his state, Ellen Jaspar. She married an Afghan royal who already had a wife, and then she stopped corresponding with her parents. The author describes how public servants sent to work at the embassy in the US were treated well, with expense accounts, expensive cars, and fancy apartments. However, when they returned home, their salaries were meager, and any woman they brought back had to adapt to Afghan life. A young embassy staffer embarks on a troubled journey to learn more about the whereabouts of the young American and discovers much about the complicated country and its people.

Michener wrote that in 1946, Afghanistan was "just emerging from the bronze age," a land with an incredibly ancient past. The embassy claimed that Kabul today "shows what Palestine was like in the time of Jesus." Western embassy staffs socialized together as there were few places for entertainment. Women in the country were mostly hidden away and couldn't obtain the same jobs as women in other countries. The book contains rich dialogue comparing the two cultures, particularly regarding the treatment of women. As the characters travel through the country, readers experience its rugged terrain, including huge potholes, mountain ranges, and the bazaar in Kabul with its impressive array of foreign goods.

The author uses the storyline to raise thought-provoking ideas, such as the origin of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism in the desert. There is also a discussion about the destruction caused by Genghis Khan and the bombing of Kabul by America and Russia, followed by rebuilding. The young embassy staffer learns about Ellen Jaspar's affliction and the challenges she faced. The book also mentions the progress made by women in Afghanistan in the years before its publication, with the end of the requirement to wear the chadri in public and the discontinuation of harsh punishments. This fascinating book provides valuable insights into a country that has cost America many lives and a significant amount of treasury. It makes sense to learn more about Afghanistan, and I will definitely look for more books on this topic in the future.

I liked this more than I had initially expected.

It is an easy read, and although we must take into account the casual discriminations of the era in which it was written (1964), they are not overly offensive.

One can learn a great deal about Afghanistan, its terrain, and its people from this.

There are also some astonishing statements, such as the claim that no invading power could ever win a war there.

Or that once modernism is fully realized (it was a prominent trend in the 60s), the chador will vanish, and the mullahs will lose their power.

These ideas offer a fascinating perspective on the country and its future at that time.

Overall, despite its flaws, this piece provides valuable insights into Afghanistan and the thoughts and beliefs of the author during that period.

3.5 stars.

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An excellent, if fictional, story of Afghanistan in 1946

truly captivates the reader. I had the opportunity to serve in the Air Force in Turkey in the 60's

and it was quite astonishing to observe that not much seemed to have changed in the Middle East from '46 to '66. The characters in this story,

all of the peoples involved, had an air of authenticity about them, which added to the overall charm of the narrative.

However, there was one exception, Ellen. Her actions and behavior were somewhat puzzling and

kept the book from reaching the status of a 5-star novel. Even Michener, with his remarkable writing skills as the author,

seemed unable to make her actions fully comprehensible. Nevertheless, despite this minor flaw,

I would still highly recommend this book to anyone interested in a fictional account of Afghanistan during that era.

It offers a unique perspective and a glimpse into a world that may otherwise remain unknown.

What a remarkable book this is! It is truly the best one that I have come across in quite some time.

Despite being written a while ago and about an era even before that, it is extremely thought-provoking and enlightening.

The ideas and themes presented within its pages have the power to make one reflect deeply on various aspects of life.

I find myself longing for the opportunity to have someone else read this book simultaneously so that we could engage in a lively discussion about it.

By far, this is the best book I have read that would be absolutely awesome for a book club.

The diverse perspectives and interpretations that different members could bring to the table would surely enhance the reading experience and lead to a more profound understanding of the book's message.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a captivating and intellectually stimulating read.