Overview
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Walking to SamarkandĀ is journalist Bernard Ollivierās stunning account of the second leg of his 7,200-mile walk from Istanbul, Turkey, to Xiāan, China, along the SilkĀ Road--the longest and perhaps most mythical trade route of all time. Picking up whereĀ Out of IstanbulĀ left off, Ollivier heads out of the Middle East and into Central Asia, grappling not only with his own will to continue but with new, unforeseen dangers.
After crossing the final mountain passes of Turkish Kurdistan, Ollivier sets foot in Iran, keen on locating vestiges of the silk trade as he passes through Persiaās modern cities and traditional villages, including Tabriz, Tehran, Nishapur, and the holy city of Mashhad. Beyond urban areas lie deserts: first Iranās Great Salt Desert, then Turkmenistanās forbidding Karakum, whose relentless sun, snakes, and scorpions pose continuous challenges to Ollivierās goal of reaching Uzbekistan.
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Setting his own fears aside, he travels on, wonderstruck at every turn, borne by a childhood dream: to see for himself the golden domes and turquoise skies ofĀ Samarkand, one of Central Asiaās most ancient cities. But what Ollivier enjoys most are the people along the way: Askar, the hospitable gardener; the pilgrims of Mashhad; and his knights in shining armor, Mehdi and Monir. For, despite setting out alone, he comes to find that walking itselfāthrough a kind of alchemyāsurrounds him with friends and fosters fellowship.
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From the authoritarian mullahs of revolutionary Iran to the warm welcome of everyday Iraniansācustodians of age-old, cordial Persian culture; from the stark realities of former Soviet republics to the regionās legendary bazaarsāveritable feasts for the sensesāreaders discover, through the eyes of a veteran journalist, the rich history and contemporary culture of these amazing lands.
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This book title, Walking to Samarkand (The Great Silk Road from Persia to Central Asia), ISBN: 9781510746893, by Bernard Ollivier, Dan Golembeski, published by Skyhorse (January 7, 2020) is available in hardcover. Our minimum order quantity is 25 copies. All standard bulk book orders ship FREE in the continental USA and delivered in 4-10 business days.
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