A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
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A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
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Narrated by:
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James Bryce
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By:
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Eric Newby
About this listen
A classic of travel writing, ‘A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush’ is Eric Newby’s iconic account of his journey through one of the most remote and beautiful wildernesses on earth.
It was 1956, and Eric Newby was earning an improbable living in the chaotic family business of London haute couture. Pining for adventure, Newby sent his friend Hugh Carless the now-famous cable – CAN YOU TRAVEL NURISTAN JUNE? – setting in motion a legendary journey from Mayfair to Afghanistan, and the mountains of the Hindu Kush, north-east of Kabul. Inexperienced and ill prepared (their preparations involved nothing more than some tips from a Welsh waitress), the amateurish rogues embark on a month of adventure and hardship in one of the most beautiful wildernesses on earth – a journey that adventurers with more experience and sense may never have undertaken. With good humour, sharp wit and keen observation, the charming narrative style of ‘A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush’ would soon crystallise Newby's reputation as one of the greatest travel writers of all time.
One of the greatest travel classics from one of Britain's best-loved travel writers, this edition includes new photographs, an epilogue from Newby's travelling companion, Hugh Carless, and a prologue from one of Newby's greatest proponents, Evelyn Waugh.
©1958 Eric Newby (P)2019 HarperCollins Publishers LimitedListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
'The master storyteller. He transformed travel writing' Independent
'One of the most enjoyable reads of the last century' Herald Tribune
'The most successful travel writer of his generation. It's impossible to read this book without laughing aloud' Observer
'Endlessly entertaining and self-deprecating' Daily Mail
'Full of serendipity and surprise' The Economist
'A total success' New Yorker
'Notable addition to the literature of unorthodox travel … tough, extrovert, humorous and immensely literate' Times Literary Supplement
'”A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush” established him as a traveler who not only journeyed fruitfully but had the ability to bring his readers with him' William Trevor, Guardian
'I still think the last few sentences of “A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush” the funniest ending to any book I have read' Geoffrey Moorhouse, The Times
'The book that made [Newby's] reputation … typically ironic in its understatement' Observer
'Newby is easily the best of the bunch' Sunday Times
'All the lyricism, and spirit of adventure and discovery [in] Newby's work' The Times
'As good as its hype' Wanderlust
What listeners say about A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- laurence preston-smith
- 18-07-23
Absolutely wonderful
Such a well written book, and narrated beautifully.
Fascinating insight into the tribal ways of that part of the world.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- rickyricky
- 30-04-24
Excellent reading with entrancing accents
Glorious rendition of a wonderful book I particularly liked the accent given to the self-righteous Hugh and to the Afghani helpers.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Peer Iuel
- 28-02-24
It is exceptionally well written
What an entertaining book, very well narrated and the author has great command of the English language. The journey must have been such a privilege to be on and feel as though I was part of it. I just wish I could have seen The Hindu Kush the way it’s described. An excellent must read.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Mrs. Shirley Gould-smith
- 29-03-23
The perfect walk
Loved it and very well read. Fascinating. Such in interesting author. A journey with plenty of wit and insight.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- eric.rayner@btinternet.com
- 14-10-23
Masterpiece by one of our finest travel writers
Newby is an excellent observer and writer. This classic travel story is brought to new light by the recent war and UK involvement in Afghanistan. In many ways the book is a chronicle of failure. Newby and Rory Stewart would have made good walking companions.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 19-03-24
A Classic Exploration Tale
Everything that everyone has liked about A Short Walk for the past 50 years: the writing, the humour, the danger of the adventures in the high mountains of the Hindu Kush.
Read it for yourself and find out!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- Anonymous User
- 27-12-20
Fantastic
Really enjoyed from start to finish, takes you back to a time when true adventuring was. Real possibility
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Badger
- 04-10-22
Fantastic !
Loved this classic of travel writing. Excellent narration. Struggled to find useful/detailed map anywhere online to follow the journey but managed somehow using Google maps etc. Triggered a slightly better understanding of recent/current political situation in this part of Afghanistan. Laugh out loud funny at times.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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- Jamie Barron
- 08-09-22
Jaunty and humorous
This was light and jaunty in tone with lots of humorous episodes throughout. Enjoyable and entertaining account of the preparations for and attempts at climbing a mountain in Afghanistan.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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- D.N.W.
- 18-02-24
Very enjoyable
Well narrated and diverse stories about preparing for travel and the (inept) journey. Having known some of the areas travelled, I found it highly enjoyable, old styled writing without the forced humour one finds nowadays. The attempts to pronounce foreign languages is laughably British! Newby, Norman Lewis, Chatwin etc. are fine older writers indeed in a thankfully tech free world then...
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