Rory Stewart's moving, sparsely poetic account of his walk across Afghanistan in January 2002 has been immediately hailed as a classic. Caught between hostile nations, warring factions and competing ideologies, at the time, Afghanistan was in turmoil following the US invasion. Travelling entirely on foot and following the inaccessible, mountainous route once taken by the Mohgul Emperor, Babur the Great, Stewart was nearly defeated by the extreme, hostile conditions. Only due to the help of an unexpected companion and the generosity of the people he met on the way, did he survive to report back with unique insight on a region closed to the world by twenty-four years of war. 'This is traveling at its hardest and travel-writing at its best' - David Gilmour 'an astonishing achievement: a unique journey of great courage' - Colin Thubron 'wise, funny and marvelously humane' - Michael Ignatieff '[this] evocative book feels like a long lost relic of the great age of exploration' Guardian 'His encounters with Afghans are tragic, touching and terrifying.' - Daily Telegraph

罗瑞·斯图尔特(Rory Stewart)，英国外交家、政治家、作家。毕业于伊顿公学和牛津大学，获得过皇家高地军团的军官资格。曾任英国驻印尼、波黑和伊拉克的外交官。2004年凭借在伊拉克的驻地工作获得英帝国勋章。2006年到2008年期间，在喀布尔担任绿松石山慈善基金会首席执行官。为呼吁国际社会减少向阿富汗派兵，2009年起担任哈佛大学肯尼迪学院卡尔人权政策中心主任。为在阿富汗问题上争取更多发言权，进而于2010年弃教从政，参加竞选，成功当选英国议员。2017年起任英国国际发展兼外交国务大臣。