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guido_the_nature_guide's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent and well balanced travelogue of the author's journey by horseback across the central Asian steppe, from eastern Mongolia to the Danube in Hungary. It has just the right amount of geography, history, ethnology, adventure, pathos, and personal crises. Politically, it stays very neutral, except regarding the almost genocidal Stalinist policies. Near the end of the book, when I had decided that "well balanced" was the appropriate evaluation, I was about to change my mind when the author began waxing poetic about the life nomadic, but in the next paragraph, as the author wakes up in the cozy bed of a host family, he remarks, "In the morning, however, it was with a hint of hypocrisy that I found myself relishing the feel of my warm clean skin and the fresh sheets...Life under the open sky wasn't as inviting as it had seemed the night before." So, yes, well balanced and honest.
If the amount of alcohol - primarily vodka - consumed by everyone from Mongolia to Hungary is accurate, I am sure that life on the steppe requires heavy reliance on animals; the humans are unremittingly inebriated.
If the amount of alcohol - primarily vodka - consumed by everyone from Mongolia to Hungary is accurate, I am sure that life on the steppe requires heavy reliance on animals; the humans are unremittingly inebriated.
kathiej's review against another edition
5.0
I got this book as an Amazon $1.99 special. What a wonderful read of an unusual travel story. History was woven into the narrative at just the right times. I am the biggest home-body ever created but I love to read about this kind of wandering. The horses and the dog as characters was great too.
modernviking's review against another edition
3.0
A journey of much misery. Definitely not an account that makes me want to hurry off onto the steppe with a small pack of horses! Seems like all the moments of beauty and peace that he found were when he was as far as possible from people. "If you ever have to rush in life, rush slowly: - Baitak
elisehoula's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
4.5
joestewart's review against another edition
4.0
A fascinating retelling of the author’s three-year odyssey across the Eurasian steppes - something like 3000 miles. On horseback. Pretty amazing and nicely written. I enjoyed it.
babsellen's review against another edition
4.0
Involving true-life trek on horseback from Mongolia to Hungary, basically alone but for 3 horses, a dog, and an occasional guide or companion. A twenty-something Australian man makes the trip over a span of 3 years.
der_schafsmann's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Eines der beeindruckendsten und inspirendsten Abenteuer, die ich kenne. Eine große Faszination für den Autor, die Reise, die Länder und die Tiere. Toll erzählt und wahnsinnig informativ (Nomadenkulturen, Genghis Khan etc.). Ein Buch, das ich noch mehrere Male greifen und lesen werde. Absolut lesenswert!
m4ttb's review against another edition
5.0
Took me many weeks and overdue library renewals to finish the author's grand and epic journey.