I appreciate Dalrymple's willingness to air a contrarian, positive view of Pakistan's future. He relates his experiences there in intricate detail, giving me a picture of the place that is far more complex and nuanced than I'm used to seeing in the media. I'm not educated enough about Pakistan to know whether his analysis is correct, but it's enough for me to hear his comprehensive on-the-ground observations and the feeling of optimism it gives him.