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

羅瑞·斯圖爾特(Rory Stewart)，英國外交傢、政治傢、作傢。畢業於伊頓公學和牛津大學，獲得過皇傢高地軍團的軍官資格。曾任英國駐印尼、波黑和伊拉剋的外交官。2004年憑藉在伊拉剋的駐地工作獲得英帝國勛章。2006年到2008年期間，在喀布爾擔任綠鬆石山慈善基金會首席執行官。為呼籲國際社會減少嚮阿富汗派兵，2009年起擔任哈佛大學肯尼迪學院卡爾人權政策中心主任。為在阿富汗問題上爭取更多發言權，進而於2010年棄教從政，參加競選，成功當選英國議員。2017年起任英國國際發展兼外交國務大臣。