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Shadow of the Silk Road

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Shadow of the Silk Road

By: Colin Thubron
Narrated by: Jonathan Keeble
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About this listen

 Out of the heart of China into the mountains of Central Asia, across Northern Afghanistan and the plains of Iran into Kurdish Turkey, Colin Thubron undertakes a journey along the greatest land route on earth: the Silk Road. Travelling 7,000 miles in eight months, he traces the passage not only of trade and armies, but of ideas, religions and inventions. With a gift for talking to others, and of getting them to talk to him, Thubron meets some fascinating people and encounters some of the world's discontented margins, where the true boundaries are not political borders but the frontiers of tribe, ethnicity, language and religion.©2006 Colin Thubron (P)2007 Isis Publishing Ltd. Asia Middle East Travel Writing & Commentary Ancient History Hinduism

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Critic reviews

"He stands awestruck before the oldest piece of paper in the world in a Chinese museum and is quarantined for Sars in the Taklamakan desert as he bears witness to a world that is remote from our own yet unbreakably connected to it."( The Times)
"Thubron doesn't cut corners, he talks to people, he takes risks, he's honest-and so is Jonathan Keeble's reading. He's got a great on-the-road voice."( The Guardian)
All stars
Most relevant  
best book I've listened to full of drama and will probably listen or read it again in a few years

magnificent .wonderful

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An engaging, awe-inspiring read. Simply beautiful prose interwoven with historical background and lively dialogue Realistically, whilst I may never get to travel to any of the places recorded in this book, I now feel as if I have a far more vivid and informed picture of exactly what I am missing. If I could choose anyone as a dinner guest, Mr Thubron, you’d be top of my list!

Awe-inspiring

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The author is clearly a very accomplished writer. Here, he has sacrificed narrative flow for literary style with the result that I often didn't know where he was or where he was going. It is a journey after all.

Should have been a great book...

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I have never read Colin Thubron and chose this book because I am interested in the silk road rather than a devoted fan of the author. I didn't learn as much about the silk road as I had anticipated, but I was absolutely delighted with the Thubron's narrative and his subtle use of language. His portraits of the people he meets on his journey are detailed and fascinating. The one thing I felt I missed through hearing this rather than reading it was a map of his journey. I sometimes lost track of where we were and had to wait until we crossed a border in order to locate myself again.

Just needs a map

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What a magical journey. It has been far too long since I read a Colin Thubron book. Thank you for bringing a far away country to my door.

I walked with him.

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Very much enjoyed this epic voyage, tracing the silk road through modern day China, central Asia, Iran and Turkey. Very well researched. Good narration by Jonathan Keeble.

Another great Thubron travel book

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A well written account of travel experiences in places I know very little about. The author was adept at recalling conversations with both the interesting and the banal.

Well written.

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Great book. I found this book while looking for something to listen to in the car that was a little different and I'm glad I did. It took me a little while to get used to the style but once I settled in it is a great travel book.
Colin Thubron is a great descriptive writer and I could almost picture each of his encounters along his journey.
Not only did I learn about the environment he was in but the history and background were also great education. It is a great chance to learn about whole cultures that I have very little knowledge of.
Downloading another of his books straight away.

Great travel book

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I really enjoyed listening to Colin’s travel along the Silk Road and would recommend it to you😃

A good listen

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As always Colin writes the intimate and lively stories of people we will never meet. He humanizes and shapes them for us, and each time he moves on its like we’re saying goodbye too. His explanations of the histories of each place he goes is wonderful, and his (mostly) unbiased and human views is refreshing. Colin just seems like a plain up likable guy.

Portraits of people we will never meet.

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