this witty and entertaining book is the story of two trips (seperated by three years) he made to a land that to most people seems like the most remote spot on earth
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Product Description
About the Author
Nick Middleton was born in London. As a geographer he has travelled to more than 50 countries and teaches part-time at Oxford University. As a travel writer he has been accused of drug smuggling and spying but has never spent a night in jail. He has been fined for dropping a match in China, mugged in Moscow, conned in Casablanca and kidnapped in Outer Mongolia, but hasn't tired of travelling yet.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is a light, humorous account of two trips to Mongolia, either side of the Communist watershed. A lot has changed in Mongolia and Middleton had the opportunity to see both sides and also to witness a country struggle to reinvent intself after the oppression of the last fifty years. There is a lot that is bleak in this book, but there is also a lot of hope and a lot of spirit. For the first time in many, many years Mongolia has a future which the peoples themselves can shape. No-one expects it to be easy but everybody is delighted.
By Paul M
Format:Paperback
Before the fall of the USSR what the author describes is incredibly bleak alcoholism the turbulent histories of Mongolia how over the past 1000 years they had never been free and yet post communism the country seems to grow in hope.
It is somewhat irrelevant these days due to the developments in Mongolia from more recent books such as his own silk road book but interesting nonetheless.
It is somewhat irrelevant these days due to the developments in Mongolia from more recent books such as his own silk road book but interesting nonetheless.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.5 out of 5 stars
2 reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Portrait of a strange country
10 Aug 2001
By jsiebrits@yahoo.com
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
I enjoyed this book. Middleton writes about a part of the world about which I knew very little, and one which is not covered by people like Bill Bryson. I liked his style of writing and I did not find him condescending toward a country and people which has been passed by by Western-style development.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
snapshot of Mongolia tied in with history ancient & recent
3 Jan 2006
By Pink Noodle
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
The book swings back and forth between the history of Mongolia (from the Khans to the Communists) and the author's two trips. One was near the end of the Communist regime, and his next trip (3 years later) was when Outer Mongolia was coming to terms with being a 'free country' again (not under rule of China or Russia). The differences between the trips are like night and day.
I have made 3 trips to Mongolia from 2001 to 2005, roughly 10 years after the visits by the author. The most fascinating thing to me was to learn (in retrospect through this book) how much the country had changed in its first 10-15 years of freedom. When I compare my own experiences with those of the author, you would expect the time lapse to be several decades instead of just one.
One book reviewer called this "often hilarious." I wouldn't say that, but it does have some distinctive dry British wit and numerous true-life stories bordering on the bizarre (okay, way over the border in some cases).
It's not a gripping travel tale, nor is it light reading. I think it would appeal most to people who have an interest in Mongolia. Just remember that the true story of Mongolia doesn't end with the author's second trip - many more changes have taken place since then. For a westerner's snapshot of Mongolia during the period of his two trips, tied in with history ancient and recent, it's great.
I have made 3 trips to Mongolia from 2001 to 2005, roughly 10 years after the visits by the author. The most fascinating thing to me was to learn (in retrospect through this book) how much the country had changed in its first 10-15 years of freedom. When I compare my own experiences with those of the author, you would expect the time lapse to be several decades instead of just one.
One book reviewer called this "often hilarious." I wouldn't say that, but it does have some distinctive dry British wit and numerous true-life stories bordering on the bizarre (okay, way over the border in some cases).
It's not a gripping travel tale, nor is it light reading. I think it would appeal most to people who have an interest in Mongolia. Just remember that the true story of Mongolia doesn't end with the author's second trip - many more changes have taken place since then. For a westerner's snapshot of Mongolia during the period of his two trips, tied in with history ancient and recent, it's great.
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3.5 out of 5 stars
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