Rating: 
Summary: Outstanding
Review: I snagged Where the Pavement Ends at the public library, adding it on impulse to an armful of beach reads. Two days later, I was reading it a second time, and had ordered every Amazon copy in stock shipped to various friends, and had thought of little else all weekend. This is not at all a book about bicycling. It is not about Mongolia, or even travel. It is rather about the spirit of adventure and the author's unique perspective on people and their relationship to the places where they live. Artfully written in the tradition of British travel journals from a century ago, it fairly glows with mastery of language. The main thing it lacks is a sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Outstanding
Review: I snagged Where the Pavement Ends at the public library, adding it on impulse to an armful of beach reads. Two days later, I was reading it a second time, and had ordered every Amazon copy in stock shipped to various friends, and had thought of little else all weekend. This is not at all a book about bicycling. It is not about Mongolia, or even travel. It is rather about the spirit of adventure and the author's unique perspective on people and their relationship to the places where they live. Artfully written in the tradition of British travel journals from a century ago, it fairly glows with mastery of language. The main thing it lacks is a sequel.
Rating:
Summary: Captivating
Review: I was so absorbed by this book from the first page that I didn't want it to end. Not only does Ms. Warmbrunn have a gift with words that captivates you from the beginning, she obviously has an insight about people that will make you understand cultures that are worlds away. I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: A spiritually uplifting trip into the Far East
Review: The author did a wonderful job of describing the people, places, and different foods that she encountered on her trip into Mongolia, China, and Vietnan. After reading this book, I became slightly envious of the author having the guts to make such a trip. I wish I had it in me to pack up my things and venture out on a bicycle into the far-off regions of the Far East. If you like positive roadtrip stories, check this one out. You won't be disapppointed!
Rating:
Summary: I'm not Lance
Review: The good news is, I really liked this book. The bad news is that when I finished it I quit my job, sold the house, drained my IRA and bought a bicycle.If you have ever traveled in the third world and experienced the mixed emotions of being a rich American in a poor country you will recognize yourself in this story. From the priceless experiences she has with people who let her into their homes and into their worlds, to those who have had much more experience with wealthy Western travelers and make their livings from them, she captures the two sides of this kind of travel. This is a book about a journey, not an expedition. Unlike so many books of this genre, the author parks her ego at the door. While riding a bike, especially as far as she does, is an athletic accomplishment this is not a book about an athlete. She does not try to impress us about how many kilometers she rides a day or how difficult a particular mountain pass was to climb. This is the story of a journey by an intelligent and introspective woman who is interested in getting away from the hippie travel circuit and seeing places she is told not to go and learning about people you will not see from the train or meet in the tourist hotel. How wonderful it must be to have all you really need with you on your bike and not really care that you don't know exactly where you are.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A TRIP...WISH YOU WERE HERE
Review: THE WRAPPINGS WERE STILL ON MY LAP AND I WAS ALREADY IN MONGOLIA WITH ERIKA AS SHE WAS DEALING WITH HER FRUSTATIONS OF LACK OF PREPARATION AND PHYSICAL TRAINING. BUT SHE WAS APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY, THE HOSPITALITY OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE, THE CUSTOMS, THE FOOD,THE QUESTIONS THE PEOPLE HAD ABOUT AMERICA. I HAD NO IDEA THAT PEOPLE OVER THERE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD ANIMALS, HOUSING, DIFFERENT FOOD AND CUSTOMS. RATE ME AS A NUMBER ONE DUMBELL...I HAD STUDIED GEOGRAPHY IN GRADE SCHOOL AND READ NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, WATCHED EDUCATIONAL TV PROGRAMS. DIDN'T EVERYBODY? I WOULD LIKE TO "BE THERE" BUT AGE AND HEALTH DON'T ALLOW IT; HOWEVER ERIKA MAKES IT POSSIBLE THRU HER METHOD OF WRITING AND DESCRIBING HER FANTASTIC JOURNEY. MANY PEOPLE WRITE BUT THEY ARE SO DRY IN THEIR DESCRIPTIONS THAT ONE LOOSES INTEREST QUICKLY. I THINK THIS JOURNEY IS TERRIFIC AND I'M GLAD I GOT TO "GO ALONG." I HOPE YOU DO TOO!
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A TRIP...WISH YOU WERE HERE
Review: THE WRAPPINGS WERE STILL ON MY LAP AND I WAS ALREADY IN MONGOLIA WITH ERIKA AS SHE WAS DEALING WITH HER FRUSTATIONS OF LACK OF PREPARATION AND PHYSICAL TRAINING. BUT SHE WAS APPRECIATING THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY, THE HOSPITALITY OF THE NATIVE PEOPLE, THE CUSTOMS, THE FOOD,THE QUESTIONS THE PEOPLE HAD ABOUT AMERICA. I HAD NO IDEA THAT PEOPLE OVER THERE DIDN'T KNOW THAT WE HAD ANIMALS, HOUSING, DIFFERENT FOOD AND CUSTOMS. RATE ME AS A NUMBER ONE DUMBELL...I HAD STUDIED GEOGRAPHY IN GRADE SCHOOL AND READ NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, WATCHED EDUCATIONAL TV PROGRAMS. DIDN'T EVERYBODY? I WOULD LIKE TO "BE THERE" BUT AGE AND HEALTH DON'T ALLOW IT; HOWEVER ERIKA MAKES IT POSSIBLE THRU HER METHOD OF WRITING AND DESCRIBING HER FANTASTIC JOURNEY. MANY PEOPLE WRITE BUT THEY ARE SO DRY IN THEIR DESCRIPTIONS THAT ONE LOOSES INTEREST QUICKLY. I THINK THIS JOURNEY IS TERRIFIC AND I'M GLAD I GOT TO "GO ALONG." I HOPE YOU DO TOO!
Rating:
Summary: a pure joy
Review: This book is wonderful, I was entranced it was like being there, a definate must read!
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