Rory Stewart’s memoir of his walk across Afghanistan is a near-perfect combination of adventure, danger, history, politics and social commentary, all neatly packaged in wry, non-judgmental prose. Stewart (a former infantryman and British diplomat who had already walked across Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal) had previously been barred by the Taliban from entering Afghanistan, but saw his opportunity after the tragedy of 9/11 and the subsequent fall of the Taliban government. Stewart traced the steps of Afghanistan’s first Mughal emperor, Babur, walking a straight line from Herat through a chain of snowy mountains to Kabul. Along the way, he encountered bleak poverty, indifference, cruelty, and suffering—the brokenness of a people devastated by decades of war. Yet thanks to time-honored customs of hospitality, Stewart was fed and housed each night by Afghans, some of whom displayed breathtaking reserves of generosity, warmth and humor. He shared his trek with a neglected and abused mastiff dog unloaded upon him by one of his hosts, and “Babur” added unforeseen challenges to the journey even as he provided companionship for Stewart. While the adventure itself is riveting, Stewart’s understanding of the tribal and cultural history of Afghanistan gives his story depth that’s rare for a travel memoir. Read here about Stewart’s Turquoise Mountain Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at reviving Afghanistan’s traditional crafts.
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