This is a great book to learn about the Silk Road in particular Central Asia and the role Russia and UK played in its transformation. It reads like a Game of Thrones novel.

Interesting note is Russia colonized Central Asia with the end goal of invading India.

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Struggle-Central-Kodansha/...

60 years? The Brits and Russians have been using Afghanistan as the world's most explosive football since the early 19th century. It was a key battleground in the "Great Game" of espionage between those two nations. Britain was afraid the Russians would try to take India from them and the Russians wanted control of Central Asia.

The Great Game ran up to World War I and can be seen as a precursor to the Cold War. I recommend Peter Hopkirk's "The Great Game" for a more in-depth perspective on the topic.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Great-Game-Struggle-Kodansha/dp/15...

I second the master and commander series. I read all 21. Amazing.

Afghan history Books, both incredible:

http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Wars-Afghanistan-Invasion-Septem...

http://www.amazon.com/Great-Game-Struggle-Central-Kodansha/d...

Why: While the Master and Commander Series are historical fictions they teach you A LOT about the Napoleonic Wars, The British Empire and the British Navy.

The Afghan books are also incredible adventures that happen to be entirely true. I like books that teach me history in a fun way.