The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia (Kodansha Globe)

The Great Game was the epic stand-off between the two superpowers of the nineteenth century--Victorian Britain and Czarist Russia--for the riches of India and the East. Based on meticulous scholarship and on-the-spot research, Peter Hopkirk's immensely readable account covers the history at the core of today's geopolitics. Photos and maps. more

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From: Amazon
Posted: Aug-03-2009

A definitive work

A literary style of writing makes this a fast-paced yet historically packed summary of a long history for the control of south central Asia. The context of this history on current events is absolutely essential and Mr. Hopkirk's knowledge of central Asia combined with his ability as a...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-14-2009

A Worthwhile Reading Endeavor

Without a doubt the most fascinating history-type book I have ever read. The complete story of a part of this world that very few people know anything at all about. It was a remarkable feat to assemble such a wealth of information into one book. And an even greater challenge to write an account...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-14-2009

Excellent source of screenwriting material

This book is a rich source of material and story ideas for screen writers. Imagine Central Asia in the early 1800s. Add an exotic, primitive place such as Bokhara or Samarkand Start with an opening scene where two, shackled British officers are led out of a dungeon into a square populated with a...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Apr-14-2009

Unputdownable!

Hopkirik is a first class historian and writer; he is in a class by himself as he has managed to fuse the historical with the anecdotal and trivia in a style that makes history read like a thriller. Central Asia and its suitors have been covered like no one else has and one will have to study the...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Apr-09-2009

Spies in the Back of Beyond

This is a book about the shadowy contest between the British Empire and the Czarist Empire, for information and influence in Central Asia. It tells of the intrigues of adventurers and spies of both sides, the permutations of the two rival governments and the local princes and potentates that were...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Mar-11-2009

a good read about a little known part of the world

What make Hopkirk's book a fascinating read is that there is little information about the culture and history of Central Asia. Central Asia is the historically richest region on earth. Hopkirk tells of the 19th century cold war between the UK and Russia, and recounts it in a very readable...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Sep-02-2008

A fascinating read... truth is stranger than fiction...

Colonialism was not paternalism neither was benevolent... but if ever it was a "tempered" colonialism imbued by the precept "of doing the decent thing" it probably the British "empire" was...All empires have menacing "borders" where their influence is contested... this is one of the most...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Aug-19-2008

The Great Game --- The Nineteenth Century's Cold War

Interesting subject, interesting book. And interesting author. Peter Hopkirk has somehow got himself unofficially elected as the world's leading Great Game aficionado. So what is the "Great Game?" The term, coined by Rudyard Kipling in his book "Kim," describes the competition between Russia...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-21-2008

The most exciting history book.

It is hard to find a history book that you literally can't put down once start reading. This one is by far my favorite. Absolutely fascinating. Through the stories in it the history of India and of the world politics of the period comes alive. It reads like a thriller... But in this case...

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From: Amazon
Posted: Jul-09-2008

The BEST of the best!

Peter Hopkirk is the best and most exciting writer on the "Great Game!" You cannot find any book on this, or any other subject, more exciting or interesting. I would whole-heartedly recommend this book to anyone interested in British imperialism. I would also recommend two other books on this...

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