Includes material on the Taliban insurgency, the Musharraf years, the return and subsequent assassination of Benazir Bhutto, and the unlikely election as president of Asif Ali Zardari.

About the Author

Owen Bennett Jones was BBC correspondent in Pakistan and is now correspondent in Asia for the BBC World, Service. He has written for the Guardian, Financial Times, and Independent newspapers, the London Review of Books and Prospect magazine.

Reviews

"'I found it difficult to put down... Bennett Jones has that rare objectivity and realism that are the fruits of many years' reporting and presenting on Pakistan... For the general reader who expects Pakistan to give the world some hair-raising moments over the next few years, the cost of this book is justified by its introductory and concluding chapters alone.' Hazhir Teimourian, Literary Review 'Bennett Jones's intelligent book is an excellent source of information.' Anatol Lieven, London Review of Books 'For anyone interested in the history of Pakistan and in putting into context events in the region today, this book is very helpful.' Miriam Donohoe, Irish Times 'The world has a stake in what happens in Pakistan. How great a stake, this book makes compellingly clear.' Robert M. Hathaway, Wilson Quarterly 'A lucid and sobering examination... Owen Bennett Jones has delivered a well-crafted, clear, balanced and often quite lively account that should be immensely useful.' Thomas W. Lippman, Washington Post Book World"