Author Guide · Reportage
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Most books about the war in Afghanistan were written from inside American bases. Anand Gopal, who learned Dari and travelled the country for years, told it instead through three Afghans: a Taliban commander, a warlord who became an American ally, and a village woman caught between them. His book showed how mistakes and local feuds turned a defeated Taliban back into a movement. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. This guide covers his book and what to read next.
By Lisanne Swart · 1 books · Reportage · 2014 · Updated October 2026
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Quick answer
Anand Gopal has published one book: No Good Men Among the Living: America, the Taliban, and the War Through Afghan Eyes (2014), a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award.
Where to Start with Anand Gopal
His one book
→ No Good Men Among the Living (2014).
All 1 Anand Gopal Books, in Order
No Good Men Among the Living
The war in Afghanistan after 2001, told through the lives of a Taliban commander, a pro-American strongman and a woman from a village caught in the conflict, and how American policy helped revive the insurgency it had defeated.
How Many Books Did Anand Gopal Write?
One book, published in 2014.
- Reportage — No Good Men Among the Living (2014). Read the entries →
In What Order to Read Anand Gopal
There is only one book. His later reporting for The New Yorker continues the story of Afghanistan.
A reading path
1. No Good Men Among the Living (2014)
Quick facts about Anand Gopal
- Wrote for
- The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, Harper's, The New Yorker
- Recognition
- Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist
- Book
- No Good Men Among the Living (2014)
How Anand Gopal Works: The War from the Other Side
Gopal reported from Afghan villages and towns rather than from military bases, travelling without military escort and interviewing people on all sides.
He tells the history of the war through individual Afghans, so that its turns are explained by their choices and grievances.
Frequently asked questions about Anand Gopal's books
How many books has Anand Gopal written?
Anand Gopal has written one book, No Good Men Among the Living (2014).
What is No Good Men Among the Living about?
It tells the story of the war in Afghanistan after 2001 through three Afghans: a Taliban commander, a pro-American strongman and a village woman.
Footnotes
Bibliography last verified 1 October 2026.
This list was not put together by a machine.
The notes are all mine,
and the books are all his.
Lisanne x
Written by Lisanne Swart, who has curated reading lists and author guides at lisanneswart.com since 2021.
See more on her personal bookshelf.
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