--- product_id: 4348053 title: "Pakistan: A Hard Country" price: "$44.73" currency: USD in_stock: true reviews_count: 9 url: https://www.desertcart.us/products/4348053-pakistan-a-hard-country store_origin: US region: United States of America --- # Pakistan: A Hard Country **Price:** $44.73 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Pakistan: A Hard Country - **How much does it cost?** $44.73 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.us](https://www.desertcart.us/products/4348053-pakistan-a-hard-country) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Pakistan: A Hard Country [Lieven, Anatol] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Pakistan: A Hard Country Review: Insightful Guide To A Country The U.S. Should Understand Better - This book is a truly illuminating study of modern Pakistan, a very large country about which far too little seems to be generally understood by U.S. analysts and policymakers. Pakistan is too often dismissed as a "failed state", and/or analyzed purely in terms of its value (or lack of value) to the U.S. as an ally in the "War on Terror". Instead, it is a highly complex amalgam of many different societies, where strong divisive pressures strain against powerful unifying forces. One of those is a broad anti-Americanism among the Pakistani people, due in large part to U.S. policies since 2001. In regard to Pakistan, Lieven argues, those policies should be reconsidered, given the long-term risks of increasing Pakistani instability. Anatol Lieven is admirably qualified to deal with the topic: he is both a journalist (reporting on Pakistan and Afghanistan for the London Times) and an academic/thinktank scholar. His book combines the readability and color of good journalism with the thorough research of scholarly work. It is also based on extensive interviews with many Pakistanis from all walks of life, and all regions of the country, which gives it an engrossing human dimension. The book starts off with an overview of the Pakistani system, which he describes as "weak state, stong societies". He examines the critical role of kinship and patronage relationships, from an anthropological as well as a political view. And he briefly reviews Pakistan's history since Partition. Here, I found myself turning to Wikipedia etc. to fill in missing links, since the author's review assumed more knowledge than I had -- possibly because I'm an American, a British reader would probably be more familiar with this material. Next, he turns to the basic structures of modern Pakistan -- justice, religion, politics, and above all the military -- devoting a chapter to each. Then, in a section which I found most useful, he devotes a chapter to each of Pakistan's provinces -- the Punjab, Sindh (and Karachi), Balochistan, and the Pathans (that is, the North West Frontier and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). In each, he looks at the social and ethnic differences within and between regions, and at how that is reflected politically. The final section is on the Taleban -- the Afghani Taleban, the Pakistani Taleban, and the attitude of Pakistan's people and government to both. In his conclusion, Lieven says that "it has been above all the US-led campaign in Afghanistan which has been responsible for increasing Islamist insurgency and terrorism in Pakistan since 2001". Earlier, he has established that insurgency as perhaps the most critical problem facing Pakistan's government. U.S. policy with affect the way in which this plays out. All in all, I found this a very informative, interesting, and readable book, which I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in South Asia, or, indeed, in US policy. Review: Deep insights - This is a superb profile of Pakistan by a Westerner who has spent years living in and traveling around the country. The insights are deep, and they convey the complexity of Pakistani society with just the right balance of conceptual framework and revealing stories. This book should be required reading for every member of the U.S. government who has influence over America's relationship with Pakistan. The book has changed my own formerly simplistic view of Pakistan: I now see it as a critically important country that is struggling with very complex legacy issues - many of its own making, some resulting from its colonial past, and some caused by U.S. policy. Anyone wanting a more informed, insightful understanding of Pakistan should read this book. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | #537,492 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #11 in Pakistan History #91 in India History #675 in Middle Eastern Politics | | Customer Reviews | 4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (327) | | Dimensions | 6.38 x 1.75 x 9.5 inches | | Edition | Illustrated | | ISBN-10 | 1610391454 | | ISBN-13 | 978-1610391450 | | Item Weight | 1.65 pounds | | Language | English | | Print length | 608 pages | | Publication date | March 6, 2012 | | Publisher | PublicAffairs | ## Images ![Pakistan: A Hard Country - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/817OnNjmnCL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Insightful Guide To A Country The U.S. Should Understand Better *by A***S on December 24, 2013* This book is a truly illuminating study of modern Pakistan, a very large country about which far too little seems to be generally understood by U.S. analysts and policymakers. Pakistan is too often dismissed as a "failed state", and/or analyzed purely in terms of its value (or lack of value) to the U.S. as an ally in the "War on Terror". Instead, it is a highly complex amalgam of many different societies, where strong divisive pressures strain against powerful unifying forces. One of those is a broad anti-Americanism among the Pakistani people, due in large part to U.S. policies since 2001. In regard to Pakistan, Lieven argues, those policies should be reconsidered, given the long-term risks of increasing Pakistani instability. Anatol Lieven is admirably qualified to deal with the topic: he is both a journalist (reporting on Pakistan and Afghanistan for the London Times) and an academic/thinktank scholar. His book combines the readability and color of good journalism with the thorough research of scholarly work. It is also based on extensive interviews with many Pakistanis from all walks of life, and all regions of the country, which gives it an engrossing human dimension. The book starts off with an overview of the Pakistani system, which he describes as "weak state, stong societies". He examines the critical role of kinship and patronage relationships, from an anthropological as well as a political view. And he briefly reviews Pakistan's history since Partition. Here, I found myself turning to Wikipedia etc. to fill in missing links, since the author's review assumed more knowledge than I had -- possibly because I'm an American, a British reader would probably be more familiar with this material. Next, he turns to the basic structures of modern Pakistan -- justice, religion, politics, and above all the military -- devoting a chapter to each. Then, in a section which I found most useful, he devotes a chapter to each of Pakistan's provinces -- the Punjab, Sindh (and Karachi), Balochistan, and the Pathans (that is, the North West Frontier and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas). In each, he looks at the social and ethnic differences within and between regions, and at how that is reflected politically. The final section is on the Taleban -- the Afghani Taleban, the Pakistani Taleban, and the attitude of Pakistan's people and government to both. In his conclusion, Lieven says that "it has been above all the US-led campaign in Afghanistan which has been responsible for increasing Islamist insurgency and terrorism in Pakistan since 2001". Earlier, he has established that insurgency as perhaps the most critical problem facing Pakistan's government. U.S. policy with affect the way in which this plays out. All in all, I found this a very informative, interesting, and readable book, which I would strongly recommend to anyone interested in South Asia, or, indeed, in US policy. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Deep insights *by T***S on September 4, 2013* This is a superb profile of Pakistan by a Westerner who has spent years living in and traveling around the country. The insights are deep, and they convey the complexity of Pakistani society with just the right balance of conceptual framework and revealing stories. This book should be required reading for every member of the U.S. government who has influence over America's relationship with Pakistan. The book has changed my own formerly simplistic view of Pakistan: I now see it as a critically important country that is struggling with very complex legacy issues - many of its own making, some resulting from its colonial past, and some caused by U.S. policy. Anyone wanting a more informed, insightful understanding of Pakistan should read this book. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Highly recommended as a first time reading on Pakistan *by D***C on August 21, 2011* This is an excellent book for readers who don't know much about Pakistan. Through his dead-accurate insight into how things work(or don't work)in the country, Levin gives readers the right contextual framework to assess play by play developments in Pakistan today. The easy to read book is the best primer on Pakistan to date in my view. Informed readers on the other hand may find this book thin. If you understand Pakistan, the book might provide some interesting gossip at best, nothing more. But then again, if you truly understand Pakistan, you wouldn't need books to know what's going on. ## Frequently Bought Together - Pakistan: A Hard Country - Pakistan - Culture Smart!: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture - Pakistan: Everything You Need to Know --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.us/products/4348053-pakistan-a-hard-country](https://www.desertcart.us/products/4348053-pakistan-a-hard-country) --- *Product available on Desertcart United States of America* *Store origin: US* *Last updated: 2026-05-01*