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Tim & Tigon
Adventurer Tim Cope had a childhood dream: to travel the 10,000 kilometres from Mongolia to Hungary on horseback - a journey undertaken by the legendary leader of the Mongols, Genghis Khan. Tim made this epic journey - across the windswept wilderness and wolf-infested plateaux of Mongolia and Kazakhstan - with his dog Tigon.
This three-and-a-half-year odyssey took Tim to both physical and emotional extremes. He immersed himself in the traditions and histories of the people of the steppe, who welcomed him and Tigon into their homes, marvelling at their ingenuity and resilience, and the nomadic lifestyle they have followed since the Mongols first travelled there in the thirteenth century. He endured unbelievable loneliness, hardship, isolation and climatic harshness. His journey is completely compelling and unique, and resonates with the pioneering spirit of the explorers of old.
Above all, this is the story of an extraordinary friendship between Tim and Tigon.
This three-and-a-half-year odyssey took Tim to both physical and emotional extremes. He immersed himself in the traditions and histories of the people of the steppe, who welcomed him and Tigon into their homes, marvelling at their ingenuity and resilience, and the nomadic lifestyle they have followed since the Mongols first travelled there in the thirteenth century. He endured unbelievable loneliness, hardship, isolation and climatic harshness. His journey is completely compelling and unique, and resonates with the pioneering spirit of the explorers of old.
Above all, this is the story of an extraordinary friendship between Tim and Tigon.
352 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2020
3 people are currently reading
90 people want to read
About the author
Tim Cope
5 books49 followersTim Cope is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and an award-winning adventurer, author, filmmaker and motivational speaker with a special interest in Central Asia and states of the former Soviet Union. He has studied as a wilderness guide in the Finnish and Russian Arctic, ridden a bicycle across Russia to China, and rowed a boat 4500km through Siberia to the Arctic Ocean. He lives in Victoria, Australia and travels annually to Mongolia as a trekking guide.
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March 28, 2024read half of this for school, and my friends r putting it as read so i will as well coz why not 🤷 also i gotta reach my reading goal somehow. book seems mid so it was ok 😁👍
February 15, 2020
This is a wonderful young reader edition of Tim’s incredible journey by horse from Mongolia to Hungary. Choosing to incorporate more stories about his cheeky, adorable and incredibly loyal dog, Tigon, will appeal enormously to young readers. What an incredible adventure!
March 28, 2024
read this for school but i need more books so 🔥
July 6, 2021
Review of: Tim & Tigon, by Tim Cope
by Stan Prager (7-6-21)
About five years ago, I read what I still consider to be the finest travel and adventure book I have ever come across, On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads, by Tim Cope, a remarkable tale of an intrepid young Australian who in 2004 set out on a three-year mostly solo trek on horseback across the Eurasian steppe from Mongolia to Hungary—some 10,000 kilometers (about 6,200 miles)—roughly retracing routes followed by Genghis Khan and his steppe warriors. An extraordinary individual, Cope refused to carry a firearm, despite warnings against potential predators of the animal or human kind to menace an untested foreigner alone on the vast and often perilous steppe corridor, instead relying on his instincts, personality, and determination to succeed, regardless of the odds. Oh, and those odds seem further stacked against him because despite his outsize ambition, he is quite an inexperienced horseman—in fact his only previous attempt on horseback as a child left him with a broken arm! Nevertheless, his only companions for the bulk of the journey ahead would be three horses—and a dog named Tigon foisted upon him against his will that would become his best friend.
My 2016 review of On the Trail of Genghis Khan—which Cope featured on his website for a time—sparked an email correspondence between us, and shortly after publication he sent me an inscribed copy of his latest work, Tim & Tigon, stamped with Tigon’s footprints. I’m always a little nervous in these circumstances: what if the new book falls short? As it turned out, such concerns were misplaced; I enjoyed it so much I bought another copy to give as a gift!
In Kazakhstan, early in his journey, a herder named Aset connived to shift custody of a scrawny six-month-old puppy to Cope, insisting it would serve both as badly needed company during long periods of isolation as well as an ally to warn against wolves. The dog, a short-haired breed of hound known as a tazi, was named Tigon, which translates into something like “fast wind.” Tim was less than receptive, but Aset was persuasive: “In our country dogs choose their owners. Tigon is yours.” [p89] That initial grudging acceptance was to develop into a critical bond that was strengthened again and again during the many challenges that lay ahead. In fact, Tim’s connection with Tigon came to represent the author’s single most significant relationship in the course of this epic trek. Hence the title of this book.
Tim & Tigon defies simple categorization. On one level, it is a compact re-telling of On the Trail of Genghis Khan, but it’s not simply an abridged version of the earlier book. Styled as a Young Adult (YA) work, it has appeal to a much broader audience. And while it might be tempting to brand it as some kind of heartwarming boy and his dog tale, it is marked by a much greater complexity. Finally, as with the first book, it is bound to frustrate any librarian looking to shelve it properly: Is it memoir? Is it travel? Is it adventure? Is it survival? Is it a book about animals? It turns out to be about all of these and more.
As the title suggests, the emphasis this time finds focus upon the unique connection that develops between a once reluctant Tim and the dog that becomes nothing less than his full partner in the struggle to survive over thousands of miles of terrain marked by an often-hostile environment that frequently saw extreme temperatures of heat and cold, conditions both difficult and dangerous, as well as numerous obstacles. But despite the top billing neither Tim nor Tigon are the main characters here. Instead, as the narrative comes to reveal again and again, the true stars of this magnificent odyssey are the land and its peoples, a sometimes-forbidding landscape that hosts remarkably resilient, enterprising, and surprisingly optimistic folks—clans, families and individuals that are ever undaunted by highly challenging lifeways that have their roots in centuries-old customs.
Stalin effectively strangled their traditional nomadic ways in the former Soviet Union by enforcing borders that were unknown to their ancestors, but he never crushed their collective spirit. And long after the U.S.S.R went out of business, these nomads still thrive, their orbits perhaps more circumscribed, their horses and camels supplemented—if not supplanted—by jeeps and motorbikes. They still make their homes in portable tents known as yurts, although these days many sport TV sets served by satellite and powered by generators. The overwhelming majority welcome the author into their humble camps, often with unexpected enthusiasm and outsize hospitality, generously offering him food and shelter and tending to his animals, even as many are themselves scraping by in conditions that can best be described as hardscrabble. The shared empathy between Cope and his hosts is marvelously palpable throughout the narrative, and it is this authenticity that distinguishes his work. It is clear that Tim is a great listener, and despite how alien he must have appeared upon arrival in these remote camps, he quickly establishes rapport with men, women, children, clan elders—the old and the young—and remarkably repeats this feat in Mongolia, in Kazakhstan, in Russia, and beyond. This turns out to be his finest achievement: his talents with a pen are evident, to be sure, but the story he relates would hardly be as impressive if not for that element.
When Tim’s amazing journey across the steppe ended in Hungary in 2007, joy mingled with a certain melancholy at the realization that he would have to leave Tigon behind when he returned home. But the obstacles of a an out-of-reach price tag and a mandatory quarantine were eventually overcome, and a little more than a year later, Tigon joined Tim in Australia. Tigon went on to sire many puppies and lived to a ripe old age before, tragically, the dog that once braved perils large and small on the harsh landscapes of the Eurasian steppe fell before the wheels of a speeding car on the Australian macadam. Tim was devastated by his loss, so this book is also, of course, a tribute to Tigon. My signed copy is inscribed with the Kazakh saying that served as a kind of ongoing guidepost to their trek together: “Trust in fate … but always tie up the camel.” That made me smile, but that smile was tinged with sadness as I gazed upon Tigon’s footprint stamped just below it. Tigon is gone, but he left an indelible mark not only on Tim, who perhaps still grieves for him, but also upon every reader, young and old, who is touched by his story.
[I reviewed Tim Cope’s earlier book, On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads, here: https://regarp.com/2016/05/08/review-... ]
Review of: Tim & Tigon, by Tim Cope https://regarp.com/2021/07/06/review-...
Podcast review available at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Pandora & Podbean here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-b77z7-1...
by Stan Prager (7-6-21)
About five years ago, I read what I still consider to be the finest travel and adventure book I have ever come across, On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads, by Tim Cope, a remarkable tale of an intrepid young Australian who in 2004 set out on a three-year mostly solo trek on horseback across the Eurasian steppe from Mongolia to Hungary—some 10,000 kilometers (about 6,200 miles)—roughly retracing routes followed by Genghis Khan and his steppe warriors. An extraordinary individual, Cope refused to carry a firearm, despite warnings against potential predators of the animal or human kind to menace an untested foreigner alone on the vast and often perilous steppe corridor, instead relying on his instincts, personality, and determination to succeed, regardless of the odds. Oh, and those odds seem further stacked against him because despite his outsize ambition, he is quite an inexperienced horseman—in fact his only previous attempt on horseback as a child left him with a broken arm! Nevertheless, his only companions for the bulk of the journey ahead would be three horses—and a dog named Tigon foisted upon him against his will that would become his best friend.
My 2016 review of On the Trail of Genghis Khan—which Cope featured on his website for a time—sparked an email correspondence between us, and shortly after publication he sent me an inscribed copy of his latest work, Tim & Tigon, stamped with Tigon’s footprints. I’m always a little nervous in these circumstances: what if the new book falls short? As it turned out, such concerns were misplaced; I enjoyed it so much I bought another copy to give as a gift!
In Kazakhstan, early in his journey, a herder named Aset connived to shift custody of a scrawny six-month-old puppy to Cope, insisting it would serve both as badly needed company during long periods of isolation as well as an ally to warn against wolves. The dog, a short-haired breed of hound known as a tazi, was named Tigon, which translates into something like “fast wind.” Tim was less than receptive, but Aset was persuasive: “In our country dogs choose their owners. Tigon is yours.” [p89] That initial grudging acceptance was to develop into a critical bond that was strengthened again and again during the many challenges that lay ahead. In fact, Tim’s connection with Tigon came to represent the author’s single most significant relationship in the course of this epic trek. Hence the title of this book.
Tim & Tigon defies simple categorization. On one level, it is a compact re-telling of On the Trail of Genghis Khan, but it’s not simply an abridged version of the earlier book. Styled as a Young Adult (YA) work, it has appeal to a much broader audience. And while it might be tempting to brand it as some kind of heartwarming boy and his dog tale, it is marked by a much greater complexity. Finally, as with the first book, it is bound to frustrate any librarian looking to shelve it properly: Is it memoir? Is it travel? Is it adventure? Is it survival? Is it a book about animals? It turns out to be about all of these and more.
As the title suggests, the emphasis this time finds focus upon the unique connection that develops between a once reluctant Tim and the dog that becomes nothing less than his full partner in the struggle to survive over thousands of miles of terrain marked by an often-hostile environment that frequently saw extreme temperatures of heat and cold, conditions both difficult and dangerous, as well as numerous obstacles. But despite the top billing neither Tim nor Tigon are the main characters here. Instead, as the narrative comes to reveal again and again, the true stars of this magnificent odyssey are the land and its peoples, a sometimes-forbidding landscape that hosts remarkably resilient, enterprising, and surprisingly optimistic folks—clans, families and individuals that are ever undaunted by highly challenging lifeways that have their roots in centuries-old customs.
Stalin effectively strangled their traditional nomadic ways in the former Soviet Union by enforcing borders that were unknown to their ancestors, but he never crushed their collective spirit. And long after the U.S.S.R went out of business, these nomads still thrive, their orbits perhaps more circumscribed, their horses and camels supplemented—if not supplanted—by jeeps and motorbikes. They still make their homes in portable tents known as yurts, although these days many sport TV sets served by satellite and powered by generators. The overwhelming majority welcome the author into their humble camps, often with unexpected enthusiasm and outsize hospitality, generously offering him food and shelter and tending to his animals, even as many are themselves scraping by in conditions that can best be described as hardscrabble. The shared empathy between Cope and his hosts is marvelously palpable throughout the narrative, and it is this authenticity that distinguishes his work. It is clear that Tim is a great listener, and despite how alien he must have appeared upon arrival in these remote camps, he quickly establishes rapport with men, women, children, clan elders—the old and the young—and remarkably repeats this feat in Mongolia, in Kazakhstan, in Russia, and beyond. This turns out to be his finest achievement: his talents with a pen are evident, to be sure, but the story he relates would hardly be as impressive if not for that element.
When Tim’s amazing journey across the steppe ended in Hungary in 2007, joy mingled with a certain melancholy at the realization that he would have to leave Tigon behind when he returned home. But the obstacles of a an out-of-reach price tag and a mandatory quarantine were eventually overcome, and a little more than a year later, Tigon joined Tim in Australia. Tigon went on to sire many puppies and lived to a ripe old age before, tragically, the dog that once braved perils large and small on the harsh landscapes of the Eurasian steppe fell before the wheels of a speeding car on the Australian macadam. Tim was devastated by his loss, so this book is also, of course, a tribute to Tigon. My signed copy is inscribed with the Kazakh saying that served as a kind of ongoing guidepost to their trek together: “Trust in fate … but always tie up the camel.” That made me smile, but that smile was tinged with sadness as I gazed upon Tigon’s footprint stamped just below it. Tigon is gone, but he left an indelible mark not only on Tim, who perhaps still grieves for him, but also upon every reader, young and old, who is touched by his story.
[I reviewed Tim Cope’s earlier book, On the Trail of Genghis Khan: An Epic Journey Through the Land of the Nomads, here: https://regarp.com/2016/05/08/review-... ]
Review of: Tim & Tigon, by Tim Cope https://regarp.com/2021/07/06/review-...
Podcast review available at Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn, Pandora & Podbean here https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-b77z7-1...
October 15, 2019
Outstanding account of an epic journey told in a 100% accessible and authentic way that not only appeals to young people but also we not so young adventurers at heart. Thrilling, despairing, and heartbreaking by degrees, this tale of one man, his animals and their shared journey to actuate a dream excites and entertains and above all reminds us of the very simple and beautiful treasures this world of ours harbours.
July 25, 2024
Tim seems like a nice guy i legit didnt even finish this book but it was for school and i need to add a book to my read list so yea
September 4, 2019
I am struggling writing this review, not becaue I didn't enjoy it, but because it is a non-fiction, recount of someones life experience, and who am I to descern if that is worth reading or not? But what I will say is that, Tim & Tigon is written so well that you want to keep reading. The words flow fluently, as well as being an experienced traveller, Tim Cope is also a fantastic author. You are immediately immersed into the world of Mongolia and through to Hungary, Cope doesn't fail to show you the world as he sees it. From the scenery to the people, to the animals. Nothing is left out. This book carries an incredible sense of authenticity, it makes you feel like you are there too.
This book, for me, is not just about the journey, it is about the relationships that Tim made along the way. About the people that he got to meet, living in the secluded parts of the world. The customs and cultures he got to partake in, as a travellign nomad. These amazing, isolated people would take him in, feed him and his animals, when they, themselves would have hardly enough food for their families. It shows the quality of them as a people, of what is important.
This book is raw and honest and makes the traveller in you call out for an adventure.
I was sent a review copy of this book by the amazing team at PanMacmillan Australia. Also, my full review of this book is availale on my blog (www.bookishintoxicationwrites.com)
This book, for me, is not just about the journey, it is about the relationships that Tim made along the way. About the people that he got to meet, living in the secluded parts of the world. The customs and cultures he got to partake in, as a travellign nomad. These amazing, isolated people would take him in, feed him and his animals, when they, themselves would have hardly enough food for their families. It shows the quality of them as a people, of what is important.
This book is raw and honest and makes the traveller in you call out for an adventure.
I was sent a review copy of this book by the amazing team at PanMacmillan Australia. Also, my full review of this book is availale on my blog (www.bookishintoxicationwrites.com)
November 14, 2021
I have always been a sucker for travel writing and so it was with great excitement that I embarked on this young readers' edition of Tim Cope's journey across the central Asian and European Steppes, from Mongolia to Hungary, following the path of Genghis Khan and his Mongolian army.
Well... I was NOT disappointed. The story of Tim's three year (three YEAR) journey is utterly mind-blowing. He rides the 10,000km on the back of a traditional Mongolian horse, with two more in tow to carry his supplies, and along the way is gifted Tigon, who becomes his best friend and companion on the journey.
As a team they face the challenges of freezing winters, scorching summers, the threat of bears and wolves, insects and drunk locals!
But most of all they enjoy the overwhelming hospitality of the people of the steppe... many of whom are still nomadic, or have nomadic blood.
An epic, epic journey which would be undertaken only by the bravest and most adventurous of people... while the rest of us can only read in absolute awe and wonder!
Well... I was NOT disappointed. The story of Tim's three year (three YEAR) journey is utterly mind-blowing. He rides the 10,000km on the back of a traditional Mongolian horse, with two more in tow to carry his supplies, and along the way is gifted Tigon, who becomes his best friend and companion on the journey.
As a team they face the challenges of freezing winters, scorching summers, the threat of bears and wolves, insects and drunk locals!
But most of all they enjoy the overwhelming hospitality of the people of the steppe... many of whom are still nomadic, or have nomadic blood.
An epic, epic journey which would be undertaken only by the bravest and most adventurous of people... while the rest of us can only read in absolute awe and wonder!
April 14, 2021
It's not easy to find children's audio books that are narrated in an Australian accent, but this one is. It is written by an adventurer who crossed thousands of miles on horseback. Engaging but serious stuff -- lots of hazards and gruesome stories of starvation and genocide that had occurred century(ies) before in the territories he was crossing. I have no idea what the grown-up version contains if this is the kids' version. Still, this is a story of a journey of trust, friendship and perseverance, and interesting characters and cultures encountered along the way.
June 23, 2020
Thank you for sharing
This book was introduced to my son at school where Tim did a presentation, but my son missed it due to illness. In order to do the corresponding reflection I bought the book for my son to read, which became a nightly routine for us to read together. This book has been a wonderful story for my son and I to share, both of us loving dogs, horses and travelling, making us laugh and cry and creating another special bond and dreams of adventure. Thank you
This book was introduced to my son at school where Tim did a presentation, but my son missed it due to illness. In order to do the corresponding reflection I bought the book for my son to read, which became a nightly routine for us to read together. This book has been a wonderful story for my son and I to share, both of us loving dogs, horses and travelling, making us laugh and cry and creating another special bond and dreams of adventure. Thank you
October 23, 2020
I read this unaware it was a junior version of an in deep telling of Tim’s nomadic travels following those of Gengjis Khan through Mongolia, Russia, Crimea to Hungary. With much less violence than Gengjis!
It is simplistic enough for junior high school students but I wish I had read the adult version as all through the book I was after more.
It is very moving and I would now love to hear Tim speak.
There must be a zoom interview somewhere ....
It is simplistic enough for junior high school students but I wish I had read the adult version as all through the book I was after more.
It is very moving and I would now love to hear Tim speak.
There must be a zoom interview somewhere ....
November 26, 2019
Another road trip audio book enjoyed - what started off as a diary type account of Tim’s journey from Mongolia to Hungary developed into a philosophical and emotional reflection on life, risk, family, friendship and love - and much more.
This is an amazing journey and told very well. It will motivate me to find out more about Tim and his work.
This is an amazing journey and told very well. It will motivate me to find out more about Tim and his work.
August 21, 2020
A fantastic adventure story!
Tim tells an engaging tale of his horseback expectation across the wilds of Mongolia with his dog and best mate Tigon. The fact that it is, of course, a real story only by one of Australia’s iconic adventures makes it all the more fantastic.
A fun and important book for young readers that will no doubt ignite their own adventitious spirits.
Tim tells an engaging tale of his horseback expectation across the wilds of Mongolia with his dog and best mate Tigon. The fact that it is, of course, a real story only by one of Australia’s iconic adventures makes it all the more fantastic.
A fun and important book for young readers that will no doubt ignite their own adventitious spirits.
April 15, 2020
I have to admit it took me a number of chapters to get invested in the story but I'm glad I stuck it out. A truly amazing journey and I might even read the full adult version one day if I can face the likelihood of even more tears.
December 19, 2022
When I am not able to travel I sit back and enjoy some armchair travel instead. Tim sure did have an incredible journey from Mongolia to Hungary, but it was his friendship with Tigon that made this story for me.
October 9, 2019
4.5 ★
I listed to this with family (including a teen & pre-teen) over a series of weekends anytime we had a longer drive in the car. We were all engrossed in Tim and Tigon's story - recommended!
I listed to this with family (including a teen & pre-teen) over a series of weekends anytime we had a longer drive in the car. We were all engrossed in Tim and Tigon's story - recommended!
July 3, 2020
the Bear Grylls of the Mongolian Steppe. A harrowing but truly inspirational story.
August 4, 2020
Spoiler alert but why does it matter
Its NON FICTION so I thought that FOR ONCE the dog wouldn’t die but NO. APPARENTLY NOT.
Its NON FICTION so I thought that FOR ONCE the dog wouldn’t die but NO. APPARENTLY NOT.
Read
February 4, 2023Roo dogs, long dogs, lurchers…whatever you call them, if you love them, you should read this book :)
January 29, 2024
Made me want to leave my house and go on adventures
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews