In the Empire of Genghis Khan: A Journey Among Nomads (Paperback)

Once in Mongolia, Stewart switches to horseback, as his plan is to ride over 1,000 miles across its breadth. With a succession of translators, guides, and horses, he find that the happiest and healthiest Mongols live virtually the same nomadic lives as their ancestors of five centuries ago. Even accounting for a certain degree of romanticization of the countryside, it's hard to find anything redeeming about the settlements he passes through. Virtually all are crumbling towns with few permanent residents beyond a mayor, policeman, and a few other caretakers. These regional centers are ugly concrete legacies of the Soviet era which have been largely abandoned since the end of Soviet aid and seem destined to return to the earth.

Out in the countryside, Stewart meets innumerable nomads, takes part in a wedding, visits a shaman, goes to a festival which includes horse-races and wrestling, and generally finds the people to be friendly and curious. Of course the landscape features prominently, and people with horses may find themselves yearning to across the world to ride next to history's most famous horsemen. The real pleasure of the book is that while Stewart does all these fascinating things, he writes about it in simply stunning prose liberally sprinkled with humor and heart. Here's a brief paragraph from his chapter on attending a wedding:

"Religion was represented by the kind of monk the Communists warned the populace about in the 1930s. A theatrical figure of porcine debauchery, the attendant lama would have made Falstaff seem both abstemious and thin. He was attired in a filthy [robe], a Manchu moustache, and a pirate's headband. Laying a fat hand on my head, he mumbled a few words in faux Tibetan by way of a blessing, then offered me a bowl of [fermented mare's milk]. I liked him, He was jolly, lecherous, and very drunk."

It's a fascinating and funny book, and one that should read by anyone with an interest in other cultures. One interesting footnote: in discussing the book, several professional reviews have said that the Mongolian nomadic life will likely "die out in our lifetime." This is directly opposite to what Stewart describes! He is very clear that the nomadic lifestyle is the only one which makes much sense in a country like Mongolia, and that the vast majority of people prefer not to live in urban areas!

Before reading this book I knew very little about Mongolian history or culture, but having read this book I feel I have a far better understanding (albeit in reality merely skimming the surface) in the nomadic culture of Mongolia. Stewart cleverly mixes his own travel adventures with the history of the empire ensuring that at the end of the book you understand why, where, who and what his travels have all been about - it really is superbly written, one of the most interesting travel books I have read for a long time.

I definitely recommend this book - the humour is very dry and not in the style of Bill Bryson for example at all. This is a far more serious traveller who has a remarkable knack of being welcomed wherever he goes resulting in a far richer story. His stories about some of the drinking habits found in nomadic Mongolia are quite incredible. Definitely recommended.