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Ted Rall

Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East? Hardcover – August 1, 2006

by Ted Rall (Author), Ahmed Rashid (Introduction)

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Part graphic novel travelog, part tongue-in-cheek travel guide, here are the adventures of caustic cartoonist Rall in the wild and wooly central Asian countries, a powder keg sitting on tomorrow’s oil... Combines articles with comics chapters relating his experiences retracing the old legendary Silk Road starting with the sublime history of China and ending in the absurdity of the petty dictatorships of the “The ‘Stans” where Rall had the temerity -or was it blustery stupidity?- to go back, including once with a group of listeners to his radio show, on a dare. It’s exotic adventure, satire and a fun way to find out more about a part of the world that looms in importance with its immense reserves of oil...

Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publisher

NBM Publishing
Publication date

August 1, 2006
Dimensions

6 x 1.1 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

1561634549
ISBN-13

978-1561634545
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Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School–Part travelogue, part primer, Road meanders through the often-overlooked stans of Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, with occasional excursions into the Xinjiang province of China, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. From 1997 to 2002, Rall endured a series of treks through the deserts and mountains of Central Asia. He had a knack for showing up at exactly the wrong time: he traveled through Kashmir just as the Taliban entered Pakistan as part of General Pervez Musharraf's 1999 coup, only to return a year later to lead a group of tourists into the middle of a siege as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan invaded Osh. Interspersed throughout this text, Rall's editorial cartoons provide breathing spaces in the form of graphic novellas. The author's travels are rife with indigestion, extortion, and 120-degree heat. Nevertheless, his awestruck descriptions of the region's natural beauty, crowded bazaars, and chaotic sporting tournaments will make adventurous readers want to see it all firsthand. The author takes a serious subject and infuses it with humor, examining the corruption, poverty, and political struggles that define Central Asia. Each page includes at least one illustration–photographs and maps as well as cartoons–and the volume includes historical summaries and country profiles that contextualize the events depicted.–Heidi Dolamore, San Mateo County Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Ted Rall's Silk Road to Ruin is a rollicking, subversive and satirical portrait of the region that is part travelogue, part graphic novel. It's fresh and edgy and neatly captures the reality of travel in the region." -- Lonely Planet Guide to Central Asia, 2007

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ NBM Publishing (August 1, 2006)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1561634549
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1561634545
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.61 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.1 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #3,590,134 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,626 in General India Travel Guides
- #2,489 in Biographies & History Graphic Novels
- #8,447 in Asian Politics

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14 ratings

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PT58

Central Asia matters

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2013

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Ted Rall captures some of the seedy parts of Central Asia. At various times it is appalling, unbelievable, humorous and funny. Many of his assessments and descriptions are right on the money. He missed a few key points but that doesn't diminish the effectiveness or value of his book. The post-Soviet period has seen the iron curtain come down, borders open, travel allowed for the first time, and the #1 export from the USA swept across most of the lands (Hollywood productions, music, and culture). Hollywood is America to people in Central Asia, and they have learned much about western life from what we have shown and taught them via movies and TV and music.

Former communists became overnight "biznesmen" and government officials exploited their position and signatures on documents for big bucks. They all saw and learned from Gordon Gekko that "greed is good" and from Jerry McGuire "show me the money". Mr. Rall discloses so much extremely accurately. He did not capture the lives of everyday people, or the hospitality of so many regular people and families, but that was not his purpose.

A casual reader may come away with the impression Central Asia is a terrible place. Not true. It is indeed rough and tumble, the "wild east", but so many people are helpful, friendly, and hospitable. As a westerner I have traveled, lived and worked in Kazakhstan off and on for 20 years and traveled to Turkmenistan. Times have not been easy and many modern "robber barons" have grabbed the investments and disappeared, but there is much progress. People will debate with valid points whether their lives are better now or back in the good old days of the Soviet Union. But as of 2013, only those born after 1986 (27 years old now) have not attended Soviet schools, and probably only 20 year olds and younger have received something other than old education. Much of Central Asia is still not open, so it remains very much in transition.

Mr. Rall entertained, enlightened, and discussed many sensitive topics that remain relevant. Congratulations to him for an on-the-ground analysis over 7 years. Job well-done and thank you.

3 people found this helpful

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AC303

Terrific Read w Great Cartoons

Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2015

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I read most of this while waiting for my car to come out of the repair shop. Equal parts travelogue, dark comedy, and historical education, Rall made learning about Central Asia extremely interesting. Some of the cartoons are totally hilarious, like one of the author himself defecating while propping himself up by a tree. There's no way that wasn't horrible in real life, but it was funny as he!! to visualize as an armchair traveler not sick in the Third World with the runs. Thank goodness some people can hack rough travel and write about it well.

2 people found this helpful

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K. Kline

Silk Road to Ruin: Is Central Asia the New Middle East?

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2009

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A very entertaining and fascinating account of several difficult journeys throughout Central Asia in the 1990s when many of the "istans" were faced with independence from the former Soviet Union. The author, a cartoonist, includes samples of his newspaper drawings as well as descriptions of trips in the region. He also provides useful information about each country.

One person found this helpful

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Richard Cumming

read about the future NOW

Reviewed in the United States on October 26, 2006

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Ted Rall is one of our leading political thinkers. He has made a number of investigative trips to the countries in Central Asia. Why should we care?

Well, these countries are sitting on a sea of oil and natural gas. These former Soviet republics are getting the royal treatment from Russia and China. Superpowers are jockeying for position to lock up access to all these energy resources.

Since 9/11 the US Government has been sucking up to the various monstrous dictators of the area. Remember Saddam Hussein? We used to like him because he was taking on Iran. Rall thinks we are making some big mistakes in our approach to Central Asia.

For example; we are allowing these dictators to hand over their "terrorists" so that we can lock them up in our CIA prisons. These "terrorists" are often human right advocates and gutsy individuals who are trying to speak out against their murderous rulers.

Rall suggests that we should be making friends with the people of Central Asia by helping them out rather than pouring money into the pockets of their corrupt dictators.

What's at stake? Our future access to all that energy.

15 people found this helpful

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Laurence Jarvik

Reveals American Contempt for Central Asians

Reviewed in the United States on September 5, 2007

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Ted Rall's book is worth reading, for a damning self-portrait of an "ugly American" version 2006--huckster, radio host, cartoonist, coldly cynical, thrill-seeking, slumming Ivy Leaguer, brimming with smug condescension and contempt for those he encounters on various tours through Central Asia over the past decade.

Rall waltzes through some of the most violent and tragic regions on earth apparently in search of laffs, thrills, and chills. He gets them. A form of 21st century slumming, adventure tourism is the theme, including a brief kidnapping by the Taliban. Yet lives of ordinary Central Asians apparently matter little--he boasts of paying thousands of dollars in bribes to bump Central Asians from reserved seats on an airplane in order to escape with his tour group from a potentially violent attack. Despite claiming that the Central Asians were in no danger (if so, why were they leaving, and why had they bought tickets?), his message is clear: "I'm number one."

Although Rall clearly has talent as a writer and cartoonist, as well as determination and guts, he apparently lacks human compassion for the people in the region he exploits in his business ventures.

19 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

a great read

Reviewed in the United States on September 13, 2006

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I make sure I read all of Ted Rall's columns, and I'm always amazed. A lot of writers write about subjects you already know about, they just word it differently from the others and throw in a few extra tidbits. Not Ted! When you read him you always learn massive amounts of facts and information that you didn't even realize you should know about. After reading him you wonder why you've never heard about these important topics. You will not regret buying this book if you're already familiar with Mr. Rall's work. If you're not, you're in for an eye-opening experience.

17 people found this helpful

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