This was really good. History told as an adventure story, and broken down episodically in a way that flows well as narrative. Good use of historical figures as protagonists without straying too far over the line of objectivity. Still manages to step back and give a good view of the overall picture at appropriate intervals as well. All in all, a good way to learn a lot of history about a region and an era I knew little about before.

Awesome book. I can’t wait to read the next one. I’ve always been interested in the old explorers, and this region in particular. I have to admit that it all began for me with Kipling’s “Kim” and “The Man Who Would be King” when I was in my teens. This book makes a good transition for me.

Convergence: during the summer of 2001 I felt this odd urge to learn more about Central Asia. I’d just read “Meetings with Remarkable Men” and wanted to understand the georgraphy and region better – kind of following a thread. So I went to Barnes & Noble and picked this one off the shelf and proceeded to consume it. A couple of months later I walked into my office and looked out the window to see the World Trade Center on fire. A month later we were at war in Afghanistan, entering the same region that the book is centered on and, essentially, writing the next chapter of this book.

Best, most interesting, riveting history book I’ve ever read.