New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux, (1992) dj. SIGNED hardcover first edition - His first non-fiction book, an account not only of events in Afghanistan in 1982, but also of his coming to terms with himself and his limitations. INSCRIBED on the title page ("to..."). Illustrated with drawings and maps by the author. While Vollmann, one of the most fascinating and interesting of modern writers, had long been a cult favorite, in 2005 he received the prestigious National Book Award for fiction. 268 pp. ISBN: 0-374-101051.