The Black Tulip: A Novel of War in Afghanistan

by Milton Bearden

Book Overview

"In this suspense-filled thriller, the man who ran the closing phases of the Afghan war for the Agency takes his readers on a stunning voyage of discovery through that clandestine world, from Kabul to Hong Kong and the Moscow of the Evil Empire."--Larry Collins, co-author of Is Paris Burning?

Set in the treacherous mountains of Afghanistan and the equally hazardous headquarters of the CIA Operations Directorate in Washington,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375760830
• ISBN13: 9780375760839
• Release Date: January 2002
• Publisher: Random House Trade
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

A Great Read about a Fascinating Subject

I would remind a previous reviewer, who bemoaned the lack of character development in this novel, that each book has its place and its readers. If you want great literature, go to a different section of the bookstore. Don't ask this adventure/history book to do it all, because no book (or only a rare great one) can do that. Be realistic. This book is outstanding for what it does -- describe in wonderful detail the secret CIA war in Afghanistan. There's outstanding action and lots of interesting characters. Also unlike a previous reviewer who bemoans how long it took for this novel to reach the shelves, and suggets that it is out of date, I would like to gently suggest that knowing history -- even if it is history of the 1980s--eons ago!--is extremely helpful to my understanding of a critical period in world history, leading up to the collapse of the Soviet Union. That story will never be out of date!Overall, this is a great read and very informative.

Refreshingly Intelligent and Realistic for a Thriller

Unfortunately, much of what passes today as thrillers consist of manical, blood-thirsty super villains; super hero level good guys (PC = persons?); a preponderance of far-out technical devices; and weak, unrealistic plots. Fortunately, "The Black Tulip" by Milt Bearden is a well-written and well-crafted espionage thriller set during the 1980s in Afghanistan and the Soviet Union at one of the those times when the Cold War was simmering a bit. The main characters are not deep, but they are interesting. Unlike the super hero/villain to which readers are constantly subjected in other works, the characters in this book are portrayed as competent professionals with foibles. The depiction of tradecraft and the inner workings of the intelligence community are fairly realistic. The plot keeps the reader's interest, moves along at a good pace, and plugs in well with the events of the period. While coincidence plays a role, unlike most thrillers these days, the plot is plausible and does not depend on wildly ridiculous coincidences and turns of events. The story is not overwhelmed by gadgets, and, instead, depends on human characters to make it all happen. In sum, "The Black Tulip" is a refreshingly intelligent and realistic thriller. I hope that Mr. Bearden's next book will appear in the near future.

Outstanding! Buy Used if Publisher Does Not Reissue

As one of those who served on the Central American Task Force at CIA and in the field, I was fascinated to learn of this book by one of America's greatest espionage warriors--not only did he run the Afghan war from the field, he was also Chief of the Soviet Division and Chief of Station in Germany, the equivalent of an Olympic "clean sweep." I read this book critically.It is simply super, and full of nuances that get better with a second reading. The most important of these is the thoughtful manner in which the fall of the Soviet military in Afghanistan is related to the subsequent weakening of the Soviet hold over Eastern Europe, a hold that eventually broke and led to the unification of Germany and chaos in those portions of Eastern Europe where neither Europe nor the US was ready to help convert communists to capitalists. This is an inspiring book that shows in great detail how covert action--behind the lines action--can serve a great nation. This book will cleanse the palate of all those who soured on covert action as done so badly (and occasionally in violation of the law) in Central America.Evidently I bought the last used copy, released for public sale by the Indianapolis Public Library--too bad, since we need more young spies from that area and they would have been highly motivated by this book. I hope the publisher reissues it, this is a tale that is much more truth than fiction, and of lasting value to those who would understand the deeper value of covert action in the national service. We still need spies, there is still great evil around the world, and I can only hope that books like this will help the clandestine service recruit those with "the right stuff."

A novel of espionage as told by a super-spy.

First novels are reputed to rely heavily on biographical material. Here is a first novel that could be written only by someone who has first-hand knowledge of the elements of character required for the clandestine operations of the CIA. Milt Bearden has provided a vivid account of life with the Afghan forces battling the Russians. Death and cruelty are commonplace but his reporting is softened by the imagery of his poetic description of the Maidens of Kiev and the subtle irony of the black tulip. The Black Tulip is the name given to the plane that carries the coffins of those killed in battle back to mother Russia. Black refers to death and tulip, the flower of youth. Here is an adventurous account, interlaced with history, of a little-known conflict that played out as the cold-war end game. A page-turning espionage thriller, this novel is more truth than fiction.

"Can't put down" action and intrigue

In "The Black Tulip", Milt Beardon, a 30 year veteran of mysterious high level CIA activity, weaves a tale with the vision of "early" Clancy and the complexity of Follett. The action moves easily from the Soviet Union to southwest Asia to the Orient and back. Like most "first" novels, the reader is treated to the incredible knowledge, insight and philosophy of the author. We see close-up the unvarnished feelings of the officers of a crumbling Evil Empire, the passion of the Afghan freedom fighters and how the USA (through the CIA) catalyzed this conflict. Beardon also introduces us to an array of military hardware as well as the "Russian Mafia".The glue holding this vast treasure of information is a fascinating tale of an exceptional family seperated by a generation and the Iron Curtain.The Black Tulip is a "must read" for everyone who likes international thrillers and has an interest in the "USSR's Viet Nam".