Rating: 
Summary: Some Empires Never Learn
Review: Here Peter Hopkirk gives us a very entertaining history on the Great Game, the sort-of cold war that took place between Russia and England over the lawless lands of Central Asia. England was incessantly paranoid about losing its tenuous grip on India and all of its vast riches, always worrying about who would try to invade it. The prime suspect was Russia, who at first had few designs on India, but later decided to use the British fears of invasion to play a game of political supremacy and intrigue with England. It hardly mattered that a Russian invasion of India was highly unlikely due to the thousands of miles of horrendous deserts, impenetrable mountains, inscrutable local politics, and treacherous tribes that lay between. The resulting Great Game is strangely interesting when viewed from the present day. The two empires engaged in more than 100 years of paranoia, ethnic chauvinism, heavy-handed diplomacy, threats of invasion, espionage, skullduggery and never-ending political intrigue. The hapless nations that were caught between were repeatedly invaded even if they were peaceful, with their natives losing the greatest number of lives, and their rulers given a black-or-white choice in choosing sides between two far-off empires whose conflict had little to do with themselves, except for the fact that both sides used them as pawns. Does any of this sound familiar? It's true that those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it, with the Americans taking the place of the British in the next episode. Also of great interest is that the tripping point for both sides in the Great Game was the one and only Afghanistan. Both sides vastly underestimated the toughness of this rugged kingdom and didn't bother to figure out its internal politics. During the Great Game Russia couldn't get close to Afghanistan, while the British were decisively defeated there three times. Noboby learned this lesson either, given the Soviet disaster there in the 1980's. This makes you wonder what will become of the current events there! Peter Hopkirk proves himself as a great writer of history, with a conversational and suspense-filled style that keeps the pages turning. While he is an Englishman and understandably leans a little in that direction during this book, he gives plenty of coverage to the other players in the Great Game and usually manages to avoid passing judgment. His coverage of some of the fascinating non-military and non-political players, such as the many intrepid adventurers, explorers, and merchants who got involved adds a great human dimension to the book. This a great history book for those who like to see heroes in action, while those in power just never seem to learn their lesson!
Rating:
Summary: The Great Game As Originally Played
Review: This is one of the funnest books that I have read in a long time. The pantheon of characters is astounding, cut-throats, intellectuals, imperial spies both Indian, British and Russian. Any of Hopkirk's books are a ripping read, but this one is particularly enjoyable. The section on the "Retreat from Kabul" of General Oliphant is one of of the more exciting chapters in imperial history. The timeline of events takes us up to the adventures of Francis Younghusband and the entry of British Forces into Lhasa in the early part of the 20th Century. Read this book if you love adventure, spying, intrigue all against the background of the vast expanses of the Himalayas and their varied peoples and their mystical way of looking at the world. One is always imagining, what would one do in the case of the people described -- can you trust your guide not to betray you the locals, is he in the pay of the Russians, will you end up in a dungeon somewhere across the Oxus River? .... in the nether reaches of the then last unexplored regions of the world. True imperial adventure at its best. If you loved the book Kim and the movie, The Man Who Would Be King, you will love this book.
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Summary: A Must Read for HIST, ECON, POLS scholars
Review: 'The Great Game' sheds the light on a shadowy past of once militarily and politically powerful Genghis Khan Empire -- a vast territory of what later was to be called the Orda. Exceptionally rich with its historical references, it remains to be one of the most detailed documentation of an unknown struggle between British Crown and Russian Empire over the riches of India. Hopkirk masterfully describes desperate attempts of Sir Robert Wilson and later William Moorcroft -- both bright British officers and the key players of the Great Game -- to warn the British of a rising danger from the Russians imposed through an increasing number of military installations, enforced political activity in the region, and their huge thirst for acquisition of Central Asia. A breathtaking reading, it must be in possession of every history, political science scholar. Five *****
Rating: 
Summary: Interesting look at the Great Game and Afghanistan
Review: During the 19th century two vast land powers, Russia and Britain found themselves rivals in Central Asia. The Russian empire had advanced south to Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, while the British had fought two Anglo-Afghan wars and "won" most of what is today Pakistan from the Afghans. The final frontier for both empires was Afghanistan. The British were unable to conquer most of Afghanistan and had to settle with a sphere of influence situation, while the Russians did everything they could to arm the Afghans and counter-balance the British. In reality, neither empire is particularly benevolent and Hopkirk does an excellent job of being an objective academic. What was the most interesting portion of the book involved some of the British spies disguised as Afghans and attempting to discover what the Russians were up to. Such was the case with Arthur Conolly and "Bokhara Burnes" who travelled in Central Asia to gather information and make contacts for Britain. The Russians played a similar game in Central Asia such as with their man from the Caucasus, Lt. Alikhanov, whose efforts helped conquer various Turkmen strongholds. Why was this region so important to these respective empires? What seems to have been the case is that both saw a threat in the other and Afghanistan became a cold war type battleground. Sometimes Afghan rulers played the two powers against one another such as Abdur Rahman who ultimately leaned towards the British. The results of this Great Game would continue to reverberate many decades later. Hopkirk gives a superb analysis as to why this part of the world has been so important for so long. It's the crossroads of civilization and ancient trade routes and, of course, a potential resource bonanza. An excellent source of information for those seeking some background to the recent conflict in Afghanistan and why that country has had its difficulties in the midst of foreign interference and intervention that has gone on for centuries.
Rating:
Summary: The Great Game
Review: This book has it all, adventure, intrigue, exploration, exotic locale and its all historical. Hopkirk is a fantastic writer and your eyes will be riveted to the pages. Once you get started, you can work through the hundreds of great books on the subject matter covered in this introduction to one of the most interesting regions in the world from both a historical and geographical prospective, Central Asia. Finally, the subject matter bears cautionary relevance in following our latest exploits in Afghanistan and surrounds.
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Summary: How the East wasn't won....
Review: THE GREAT GAME by Peter Hopkirk is wonderful background reading if you want to know more about: 1) the current situation in Afghanistan (tribes, warlords, attitudes, fighting, treachery, oppression of women, slavery); 2) Russian and English relations relative to Central Asia (tribes, warlords, attitudes, fighting); 3) Military intelligence or lack thereof; 4)Endless struggle. As far as I am concerned, Hopkirk has written a masterpiece. His focus is Central Asia from about 1800 C.E. to WWI when both Russia and England attempted to establish dominance in trade and political influence over the many fiefdoms or minor kingdoms of warlords and/or petty despots in Central Asia and retain influence with peripheral areas in China, India, Persia, and the Ottoman Empire. Hopkirk has written extensively on the topic of Central Asia, and I will read other books by him. However, I will have to recover from the 524 pages of THE GREAT GAME before I take on another volume. I'm exhausted. Although the English and the Russians apparently never went to war with each other during this period, they wore out their own people and resources and soldiers fighting proxies. In Russia's case, the struggle ended with the demise of the Tsar. THE GREAT GAME can be thought of as a giant chess game. The two players (Russia and England) were constantly fomenting strategies for taking the other guy's khan. As a result, they were slaughtered, slaughtered others and suffered a lot of frostbite. The game went on as long as it did in part because the British government could not decide whether to be assertive or passive (hawk or dove). As the British elected their officials, one can see why the position of the British vacillated. The Tsar on the other hand was single minded most of the time (there were several Tsars) but in the end it cost him his life as well as the lives of his familiy members. If the inhabitants of Central Asia were peaceful natives I might feel worse about the incursions of the Russians and English, but they weren't. The Central Asians set the stage for invasion of their own lands when they invaded Europe over and over until the Europeans learned how to fight back. In addition, the societies in Central Asia were inhumane and relatively barbaric. Slavery and harems were a way of life, and in many instances the slaves lived in the harems. Hopkirk spent many long hours in libraries pouring over the military archives, journals, contemporary books, correspondence and anything else he could find to flesh out his story. His narrative switches back and forth and he makes a valiant effort to not take sides. I think he accomplishes this, but I am an Anglophile so I may be biased. Hopkirk does not pass pc judgement on his characters, who literally come from the pages of history. So, you can judge for yourself after having read this massive book if you think anything at all was accomplished by either England or Russia. Probably the saddest part of the story is the heroic efforts of the Gurkas and Sepoys and Sikhs who were never fully accepted as equals and without whom the British would have failed miserably at whatever they undertook. Some journalists have indicated the U.S. will fail in Afghanistan just as the British and Russians did. Having read this book I think this is a mis-characterization of what occurred in the past and what is happening now in Afghanistan. The long struggle between the British and the Russians ended in a stalemate that prevented either country from accomplishing the goal of economic dominance. The story is different today since Russia and England are allies-along with the U.S.-and while the U.S. and allied interest may be economic as well as altruistic, their actions are not likely to lead to war among the allies. Whether peace will reign in Afghanistan seems to be up to the natives who remain very much as they ever where - hostile.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Read
Review: History written as poetic prose. Well worth the read. And keep a big map handy. If you're like me, you'll want to chart out the trips from each of Hopkirks cast of suspects, and them follow them to the Kush and beyond.
Rating:
Summary: The Great Game
Review: As a new Great Game seems to be playing itself out in Central Asia, Peter Hopkirk's book takes on increased relevance. It is especially useful as a primer for anyone interested in the region or who might find themselves there. For those unfamiliar with the struggle, the book reads like fiction. I found myself constantly wondering what happened next. It is a great story of conflict and exploration.
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Summary: the more things change, the more they stay the same
Review: An absolutely engrossing work of history that reads like a series of great adventure novels! I knew virtually nothing of the history in Central Asia (particularly Afghanistan) and was aghast to realize we are repeating the struggles of the British and Russians a century before us. It is a must read in our post-September 11 world in order that we understand what may lay ahead of us.
Rating:
Summary: Timely and engrossing
Review: Given recent history, this book is a must read. It is notable for its clear telling of an unending tale of historical intrigue. Although most of the historical figures in this book are virtually anonymous you can feel yourself walking in their shoes. Where the book falls short is its lack of coverage of the Great Game from the perspective of the native inhabitants of the region. Still, it treats the peoples of these harsh lands fairly. Another plus of the book is that it is easily broken up into smaller sections, making it ideal for lunch breaks and the daily commute.
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