While I note that this book has copped quite a bit of flack, for various reasons, in reviews below, I quite enjoyed it.

While I'm very aware of the Silk Road, the disaster that was the Aral Sea, and of course had heard of the Stans, Central Asia is a part of the world that I had given very little thought to so I found Fatland's work a great introduction to the region.

I loved her efforts to engage discreetly with the locals, and her trips to some remarkable places that I will never, ever see. I'm super impressed with her bravery in travelling solo in a challenging part of the world and am glad she chose to share her experiences and knowledge in such a charming and engaging way.