Turkestan Reunion

by Eleanor Holgate Lattimore

A collection of letters written by Eleanor Holgate Lattimore concerning her amazing honeymoon in the remotest parts of Central Asia earlier in the century offers a delightful and exciting adventure and an intimate portrait of an amazing woman. Reprint.

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Asia, History

323 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful travel memoir of an American bride honeymooning with her husband in Central Asia in the 1920s. Travel was usually dirty, difficult, quite cold, hot or wet, and at times dangerous for this young woman in a world of men. Her can-do spirit, love of adventure, and enjoyment (and descriptions of) people who lived so different from her, unfamiliar foods, and customs was a pleasure to read.

[Trent · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers much the same ground as "High Tartary," the travel memoir by her husband, Owen Lattimore. But Eleanor is livelier writer, with more of a sense for the people these newlyweds meet as they travel through what's now China's Sinkiang province in 1927. Highly recommended.

[Lester · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although it did drag in places, the fascination with this story was twofold for me.

Firstly, I cannot imagine the hardships that this woman went through so breezily, passing through Central Asia at the turn of the century, in winter, with no knowledge of the language or customs, let alone being unable to communicate to her husband as the telegraph was down.

And secondly, her descriptions of the life, customs and experiences she lived through are really fascinating. I never knew the area to be so complex, due to the historical mix of invaders and religions.

An interesting book, especially if you want to do the same thing, which in today's political climes may be just as difficult.

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story and admirable journey but got a little redundant and lost interest about 3/4 way through.