The Places In Between by Rory Stewart Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Places In Between
Book Review: 21st century Insights into a 19th century culture
Summary: 4 Stars
Mr. Stewart literally retraces the steps of a former medieval era Islamic leader,Babur. The author walks from west to east (Herat to Kabul) across central, mountainous Afghanistan during the winter shortly after the Taliban's dispatch by Coalition Troops in 2002. Stewart's mission to walk the entire Asian Sub-continent cannot be concluded until he finished the Afghan portion which at first blush borders on the dangerous, if not sheer lunacy. But his trek affords the reader an objective perspective of a part of the world most Westerns are ignorant. Stewart's keen eye for historical perspective matches his obvious love of the natural world. His 2 month walking marathon is full of suspense, the reader marches into remote, almost inaccessible mountain villages to encounter tribal leaders, common villagers and warlords. Mr. Stewart is never certain of a welcome or a threat by his Muslim hosts but the adventurous reader will learn much about a remote and ancient Afghani civilization that has conquered and suffered deprevations from friend and foes.
Walk-on Rory Stewart, walk-on!
Book Review: A Classic Of A Different Sort
Summary: 5 Stars
Travel/adventure books are read for many reasons; excitement, curiosity, the desire to be along on an adventure one can never make for oneself. But rarely, rarely do you expect to be deeply moved. Rory Stewart's ability (and simple courage) to get on the ground in Afganistan and literally put his life at risk day after day sets him apart from most writers of this genre. What takes this book to a whole different level though is his ability to allow us to connect and gain some glimmering of understanding for people drastically different from us. The problem many readers will have with this book is the adventure Stewart goes through is very grim. I don't refer here to the horrible weather conditions he experiences in crossing the Afghan mountains in the middle of winter, but to the people and social conditions he experiences on his trek. Misery and suffering are everywhere. Violence is casual,arbitrary, and sudden. Ethnic, tribal, and village societies are complex. Common, everyday interactions are intricate and frequently leaden with potential danger. Tragedy and physical destruction abound. His description of poverty stricken villagers destroying an archaelogical site of immense importance in order to sell artifacts at ridiculously low prices to distant antique dealers is heart breaking. Stewart survives with his wits and luck, barely. He recounts human greatness and depravity, simple life-saving kindness and sadistic cruelty. This is the best writing I have come across on Afghanistan. I can't recall another travel/adventure type book which has affected me as deeply. You are to be pitied if you can't be moved by this book. Yes, Stewart was crazy to do this, but the book justifies him. This is a classic but not one with the ingredients for widespread popularity. I will put this alongside Newby's "A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush", the two books reflecting the tragedy and comedy of the human condition in Afganistan and in all of us.Book Review: A Cold but Not Too Lonely Walk
Summary: 4 Stars
It's amazing that anyone would even attempt this... walking across Afganistan in the winter with a war going on. It is quite staggering, how many different ways he could die... war casualty, fights with officials, accidents, frostbite/exposure, starvation, food poisoning...
The desolate landscape is hard to envision, although the photos helped. How does one step forward in 4 feet of snow? Temperatures are cited well below zero at night, so besides unease provoked by well armed people he's sleeping with, how does he sleep with undoubtedly cold wet feet?
The descriptions do not bring the walk, the towns or the people alive. Abdul Haq was the only character drawn in a memorable way. Stewart comes to know others, be they guards, hosts or aid workers that surely had a story, but there is dirth of text about them. Some things mentioned in passing crave more desciption, such as the soldiers with eyeliner or how his food is prepared. Not only are women nearly absent from the text, their absence is not discussed by Stewart.
The book disappoints not by what is in the text, but how much more should be there. A few of the drawings and quotes from historic texts helped elaborate, but most appeared to be filler.
Perhaps it's not fair to to Rory Stewart that I had just finished reading Paul Theroux's Dark Star Safari: Overland from Cairo to Capetown, about an equally dangerous journey before reading his book. Theroux is a master in travelogue writer. While The Places In Between, is highly readable, is not up to the Theroux standards for this kind of writing.
For me, this is a 3 star book, but I'm giving it 4 stars because of what the author accomplished, more than what he wrote about it.
Book Review: A Country Divided
Summary: 4 Stars
I originally read this book in 2005 and while it is not the best written book, it clearly paints the picture of the struggles our military faces. I bought it this time to explain to a friend the difficulties with pacifying a nation that is often not unified. With villages so isolated they barely know about the outside world, you begin to see the issues with this country. I completely recommend this book for anyone interested in wanting to better understand the current situation in Afghanistan.Book Review: A Good Read
Summary: 4 Stars
He began the walk January 2002 and spent 20 months walking through the mountains of Afghanistan, sometimes in 4 feet deep powder snow dragging a giant mastiff dog with no teeth behind him. He was 29 years old. What remains behind after reading the book is admiration for the strength and craftiness of Rory and also of the Afghans who were his constant hosts. (11/15/10 article in the New Yorker Magazine by Ian Parker says it was a one month long walk!)