Introduction:

Rory Stewart spent 16 months walking 6,000 miles across Iran, Pakistan, India and Nepal. He explained to many that he was following the footsteps of the first emperor of Mughal India, Babur. Unfortunately, right before Stewart’s walk led into Afghanistan, the Iranian government took away his visa. Oh, and there was the complication of Afghanistan being under control of the Taliban. After finishing in Iran, Stewart skipped over Afghanistan and finished his walk through Nepal. At the start of 2002, Stewart had arrived in eastern Nepal to find out that the Taliban had just fallen. He returned to Herat, Afghanistan by vehicle to re-trace the gap in his journey, just weeks after the interim government had been set-up. The following book, perhaps referred to by many simply as a ‘travelogue’ is really a detailed account of the impact of war, politics and policy in rural Afghanistan.

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Afghanistan’s first tourist:
In January 2002, Stewart began his journey in Herat. His familiarity with Muslim culture and Persian dialects is astounding, without which I believe his chances of survival throughout this journey would be drastically reduced. He is true to his word, and walks every bit of the journey on foot (even re-tracing some areas where he is forced into vehicles). Accompanied at points by a police escort (not his idea) and other times by villagers, Stewart relied on the Muslim hospitality of those he encountered along the way. The hospitality however was lacking in some villages, and that is where the reader sees the entrance of politics, war and poverty underwriting Stewart’s journey.

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Reading the book:
Stewart’s knowledge provides pieces of history and culture for the reader; the information is packed into every crevice of his writing. However, it’s in no way obtrusive to the flow. What he encountered along the way is fully described in historical and present-day context with clarity and vivid imagery (i.e. the Turquoise Mountain, the Buddhas of Bamiyan, bazaars along the Silk Route). The descriptions of the Afghan landscapes and scenery are described so graphically as if the reader were to only close their eyes, they would be transported alongside Stewart. The people of rural Afghanistan are, in this writer’s opinion, the focus of the book. Stewart writes candidly about who he meets (remembering names, family histories, and generation-spanning historical events as they are told to him) and helps connect their lives, as they do, to the constant state of war and poverty. In a time where Western media was (is) portraying Afghanistan and the Middle East in questionable ways, Stewart allows the reader to vicariously meet real Afghan families and learn of their troubles, and their dreams.

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Overall:
I know I haven’t given too much detail in this review. My hope was to spark interest and allow the readers of this review to pick up Stewart’s book and experience it themselves. (I have a copy for those near by interested in giving it a look). Some many think, “a guy is just walking and walking and that’s it…boring…” But I will argue strongly here. Inspirational and often nerve-wrecking, Stewart’s travel should be an example to us all – policy, politics and war impact all of our lives in different ways and distant policy-makers or continuous wars cannot solve the problems we face. (Wikipedia Rory Stewart to see what he is up to now, and the service he has provided in Iraq and Afghanistan…as someone who has met them and truly cared about their culture and their struggles).

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Rating: A. Go read it.

“A striding, glorious book…A flat-out masterpiece.”
New York Times Book Review

 
Posted in Books by Shelby

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