Eric S. Margolis is a controversial writer. Apparently he is nowadays actively putting forward some of the more bizarre conspiracy theories, including 9/11 being a US and Israeli false flag operation. I'm glad I read his book War at the top of the world, before doing background research on him for the book itself is very interesting. Sure, the reader can detect some political bias but its refreshing to read an insiders take on Islamist movements. By insider, I mean Margolis is no desk jockey but has serious first hand experience in middle- and far eastern hotbeds of insurrection, spy games and wars.The book is part travelogue and part geopolitical analysis. It explains the complex relations between Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and China delving into the violent disputes in Kashmir and the mountainous border regions of the Karakoram and Himalayas. The narrative on the author's travels intertwined into the historical, political and military analysis shows his sympathy and respect for early mujahedin fighting Soviet Union and the book is a good primer on recent South Asian history. Its a good thing that Margolis' predictions of conventional and nuclear wars in this book from 2002 have not come true.
This book was one of my finds in Strand bookstore in New York from two years ago.
