The Foreign Service Journal, November 2010

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 47 Dari Practical Dictionary: Dari-English/English-Dari Carleton Bulkin, Hippocrene Books, 2010, $24.95, paperback, 571 pages. With President Obama’s com- mitment to redouble U.S. efforts in Afghanistan, language skills and expertise are in high demand. Dari, a relative of Persian and the main spoken lan- guage in Afghanistan, is especially important. This two- way Dari-English dictionary is one of the few up-to-date works of its type available. While the dictionary is quite detailed and covers a lot of vocabulary, it remains portable and easy to read. The author also includes a guide to pronunciation, in- formation about Afghanistan and even some Dari proverbs. At a time when the U.S. is trying to commu- nicate with Afghans and win their hearts and minds, a practical resource such as this is a necessity. FSO Carleton Bulkin, a translator and linguist with a master’s degree in Slavic languages and literature from Indiana University, has served in Prague, Havana, Moscow, Budapest and Kabul. He currently serves in Washington, D.C., where he is a member of the AFSA Governing Board. Middle East Patterns: Places, Peoples and Politics Colbert Held and John Cummings, Westview Press, 2010, $52, paperback, 688 pages. Middle East Patterns: Places, Peoples and Politics is the fifth edition of Colbert Held and John Cummings’ seminal reference work on the region. It joins a large selection of works on the region available today, but what distinguishes Middle East Patterns is its level of detail, accessibility and comprehensiveness. Held and Cummings cover the Middle East from al- most every angle: geography, regional history, land use and economics, in addition to the many well-known po- litical conflicts of the region, including Israel and Pales- tine. Of particular interest is the set of country profiles featured in the latter half of the book that explore each Ordering Books through afsa.org Here’s how it works: 1. Go to the AFSA Web site, www.afsa.org . 2. Click on the Marketplace tab (second brown tab from the right). 3. Click on the “AFSA and Amazon Books” icon in the lefthand navigation. 4. Click on desired subject listings — books by FSauthors are noted. 5. Shop away! Not only is this a thrifty, efficient way to do your holiday shopping, but AFSA receives a 5-percent commission from Amazon on every item (books, CDs, toys, etc.) ordered in this manner. Books selected from the AFSA Web site bookstore generate an even higher commission payment. And ordering through AFSA doesn’t cost you a cent. So bookmark the AFSA site, use the link and help your association — and yourself!