For nearly a century the two most powerful nations on earth, Victorian Britain and Tsarist Russia, fought a secret war in the lonely passes and deserts of Central Asia. Those engaged in this shadowy struggle called it 'The Great Game', a phrase immortalized by Kipling. When play first began the two rival empires lay nearly 2,000 miles apart. By the end, some Russian outposts were within 20 miles of India. This classic book tells the story of the Great Game through the exploits of the young officers, both British and Russian, who risked their lives playing it. Disguised as holy men or native horse-traders, they mapped secret passes, gathered intelligence and sought the allegiance of powerful khans. Some never returned. The violent repercussions of the Great Game are still convulsing Central Asia today.
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'Brilliant'
(Patrick Leigh Fermor, Daily Telegraph )'There can be few more fascinating subjects, or few authors better qualified to write about it'
(Fitzroy Maclean, Independent )'Immensely readable and magisterially detached. A gripping and impressive narrative of adventure and war'
(Financial Times )'Hopkirk's brilliant and engrossing account remains the classic text on how to handle the various and often dangerous people who inhabit the region, fill of tips and warnings for the Game's current players.'
(BBC History Magazine 20060601)'Fans of political history and adventure are in for a treat as publishing house John Murray reissues its Peter Hopkirk series'
(Siân Gibson, Geographical Magazine 20060601)About the Author
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You could smell them coming, it was said, even before you heard the thunder of their hooves. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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The history of the Great Game itself is extraordinary. A mix of low cunning with unbelievable naivete, astounding stupidity with phenomenal intelligence, great luck with unexpected disasters, courage with cowardice...It is a Boy's Own story come to life, and Hopkirk effortlessly conveys this.
Although sometimes a little carried away by events, generally Hopkirk has written an extremely readable, highly informative work. I've recommended it to many friends. Even for those with no particular interest in the region, it is a fine exercise in power politics and the development of empires.
Although this is Hopkirk's best work, I can also recommend his accounts of the impact of the Great War and the intrigues against the Bolsheviks.
And I left my last copy on the bus, so it's time to get a new copy...
I found myself reading late into the morning, at times I couldn't put the book down. Most of the time I had heard of the places and people involved but a lot of this story was new to me. The narrative read like a novel, gripping but informative, never boring and full of information, breathing life into history in a way that is hard to find now-a-days.
This is a great book and I fully agree with the quote on the front cover of the book by Jan Morris "Peter Hopkirk is truly the laureate of the Great Game." If you ever wanted to learn something about this large and remote area then this is the book to start with. If you enjoy military history then this book has it, if you enjoy historical accounts of exploration then this book has it, if you just enjoy good history then this book has it all.
The story of Britain and Russia carving out their Empires in India, Afghanistan and the surrounding areas is truly fascinating and I was amazed at the brave and resourceful men who carved their name in history during this period. Most people have heard of the Khyber Pass and places like Chitral however I had never heard of the Pamirs and Karakorams mountain ranges or of the Kerman and Helmund deserts nor of some of the fierce and warlike tribes that lived in these areas.
After reading this book I yearn for more information about this region and I intend to buy the rest of Peter Hopkirk's books. I would rate this book one of the better ones I have read this year...
and excitement the cold-war like atmosphere that prevailed in Asia Minor from 1830 to 1900. The British, as they ruled
India, realized that it was one of their most treasured possessions. And Russia recognized this as well. From the time of
Peter the Great, Russia had always wanted to posses India and her resources. From the times that Nadir Shah, the ruler of
mighty Persia, sacked Delhi and took away as much as he possibly carry over the hostile passes of the Hindukush
mountain, the wealth of India was legendary. Even Napoleon, prior to his disastrous invasion of Russia, had approached
the Tsar and proposed a combined effort to drive the British out of India and capture the country and it's fabulous
wealth. But since a sea invasion was impossible logistically for Russia, a land invasion was the only choice. The Great Game
recounts will chilling detail and with great political intrigue the events and actions that forged Central Asia what it is today as
a result of this quest for conquest. But in his book Hopkirk also does us a wonderful favour: he recounts the travels, in brief,
of some of the most intrepid and enduring of the Great Game Travelers like Alexander Burnes, Robert Shaw, and Fred Burnaby.
It is informative without being stodgy. A very good read indeed and one of those books you can dip into and out of and still get a huge... Read more
I knew very little about this subject except for the disaster of the First Afghan War (courtesy of the Flashman novels) and... Read more
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