What is the author's perspective in the nonfiction book, No Good Men Among the Living?

As is immediately clear, Gopal’s goal in this book is to present the Afghanistan war from the perspective of Afghans themselves. In doing so, Gopal mirrors the perspective of the three individuals on which he focuses. In describing Jan Muhammad, he focuses on large ideological conflicts between the U.S. and the Taliban, as JMK imagined himself as a major player in these battles. Heela’s experience is very focused on her household and local village. Even when outside groups, such as the Taliban or pro-government militias are mentioned, they are not accompanied by any description or larger context. Thus these sections mirror Heela’s limited access to outside information and primary focus on herself and her family. Finally, Akbar Gul experienced a different view of the war than Heela, but his experiences, such as rejoining the Taliban, are still largely subjective and self-focused. This conveys Akbar Gul’s basic understanding of the various sides to the conflict, but disregard for larger implications beyond his personal concerns. Overall, these descriptions are meant to convey the character’s experiences, rather than Gopal’s own thoughts. While he is clearly critical of U.S. actions in Afghanistan, he rarely makes this criticism directly and instead allows the reader to draw their own conclusion based on the events presented.