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Mongolia: Cracks in the Eternal Blue Sky: A Journey
" Cracks in the Eternal Blue Sky" is the first book in the series "Life is Good, Potentially." Versavel takes us on a journey starting in 2016 when he arrives in Mongolia and ends in 2020 after abruptly being locked out of the country because of the Covid-19 pandemic. With deep emotional engagement, he writes about the state of the country with painful accuracy why presidents and politicians are the reason why Mongolia is not the rich country it could – and should – be.
He describes in painful accuracy how chicanery in the banking sector destroyed what little international credibility the country had, and why the number of people living below the poverty line does not reduce when the economy booms. He paints a picture of political, financial economic crises with devastating detail and a cool sense of humor.
He describes in painful accuracy how chicanery in the banking sector destroyed what little international credibility the country had, and why the number of people living below the poverty line does not reduce when the economy booms. He paints a picture of political, financial economic crises with devastating detail and a cool sense of humor.
472 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 15, 2021
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18 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
December 9, 2023
This is my book. I cannot review it. Just want to make a record and add it to My Books :)
August 14, 2023
Really insightful expose on Mongolian corruption by a self aware Belgian banker.
January 22, 2022
An eye opener .A so-called democratic regime with distribution of the spoils amongst the “elites”
Very disturbing .
It happens most likely everywhere but at least in most democratic countries politicians make honest business more or less possible and then redistribute the value added .
And it then depends on ethics and institutional control how much goes to common interest and how much goes to the elite .But in Mongolia it seems self service only .
Books like this one are hopefully changing the games .
Very disturbing .
It happens most likely everywhere but at least in most democratic countries politicians make honest business more or less possible and then redistribute the value added .
And it then depends on ethics and institutional control how much goes to common interest and how much goes to the elite .But in Mongolia it seems self service only .
Books like this one are hopefully changing the games .
November 27, 2022
great read
This book is so clearly and honestly written, it flows from page to page. It tells a true story of Mongolia, beyond the cliches and preconceptions of the country. Recommended for anyone with some experience of the country and for anyone with an interest in travel, and experiencing and observing life in other countries
This book is so clearly and honestly written, it flows from page to page. It tells a true story of Mongolia, beyond the cliches and preconceptions of the country. Recommended for anyone with some experience of the country and for anyone with an interest in travel, and experiencing and observing life in other countries
August 31, 2022
Insightful! Tells you all about Mongolian mindset.
December 6, 2023
Even though I am Mongolian and I have lived in Mongolia all my life while criticizing and defending my country, reading this book I discovered that there was still much to learn.
It has been an eye-opening experience seeing Mongolia through the lenses of a person who is a foreigner to this country but had such intricate position to witness all of its dealings done behind the curtain put up by the rich clans seamlessly hiding from the public scrutiny.
Reading this book, I got to learn that the problems that I thought I had been able to see were not complete and it seems I had failed to investigate the causes of those problems. Thank you for pointing this crucial information as you did and as the younger generation of Mongolia I will try my best to use it to its fullest potential for my own benefit and as well as for the future of Mongolia.
It has been an eye-opening experience seeing Mongolia through the lenses of a person who is a foreigner to this country but had such intricate position to witness all of its dealings done behind the curtain put up by the rich clans seamlessly hiding from the public scrutiny.
Reading this book, I got to learn that the problems that I thought I had been able to see were not complete and it seems I had failed to investigate the causes of those problems. Thank you for pointing this crucial information as you did and as the younger generation of Mongolia I will try my best to use it to its fullest potential for my own benefit and as well as for the future of Mongolia.
September 1, 2022
It's difficult to know where to start in reviewing this book so let's start with the well-deserved 5-star rating. This is one of the most honest, forthright books I have ever read on how corruption in businesses and government works. It could serve as a manual for anyone in an influential position in a developing nation who wants to know how to extract the maximum amount of personal gain from that position. But my own experience--as someone who is both an 'Asia scholar' and a retired former member of the international business world having worked for some of the big global names (a consultancy, a bank, a credit card company, and two publishing houses) in Asia for close to three decades--can only confirm the utterly deplorable practices author Versavel lays before us that many of us have seen, but discuss only with the very closest of friends.
Don't let the focus on Mongolia give pause for thought. It is an excellent book on Mongolia today showcasing its incredible potential, people, and resources, but its accounts of how all of this potential has been squandered and stolen by those whose motivation is self-enrichment rather than the good of the people is easily found in other countries across the globe (I don't need to name them; you know which countries we're talking about) once one knows what to look for. The question is how to stop it.
This book should be a case study in Harvard Business School and must-read material for anyone entering organisations such as the World Bank, United Nations, a development bank, NGO +++: how can someone with integrity, with only the best of motives, operate in a setting where promises are not upheld, agreements not respected, commitments not honoured? Where budgets are halved or quartered after officials and business operators cream off their profits leaving only a fraction to fulfil that which was supposed to be built or operated or leased or delivered?
It all appears so easy: if you're a government official, you change the laws to nullify anything you don't like in a signed contract; if you're a contractor, you specify the best of materials and a project with a deadline, then under-deliver. A highway? Sure, just smooth out the sand, pour some cement over it and there you go. It's not your fault if the weight of the overloaded trucks destroys it in months. Of course, all the perceived wolves at the door aren't just the IDB and UN; Mongolia sees China as its biggest threat as more personal black money is to be made keeping them out and selling them the raw materials (minerals, cashmere) than building the refineries and factories on Mongolian soil that would provide work and income for Mongolians as opposed to individuals and clans. The examples are concrete and explicit and makes this book a page-turner. (I'd include quotes if I hadn't lent my copy to a close friend who was departing for Mongolia imminently.)
Eric Versavel, you're an author I would like to meet for having the moral courage to write such an exposé in the hope that the people of Mongolia--those living in poverty in yurts on the outskirts of UB in clouds of poisonous coal smoke without electricity and plumbing--may one day truly reap the wealth that their nation holds the promise of.
Don't let the focus on Mongolia give pause for thought. It is an excellent book on Mongolia today showcasing its incredible potential, people, and resources, but its accounts of how all of this potential has been squandered and stolen by those whose motivation is self-enrichment rather than the good of the people is easily found in other countries across the globe (I don't need to name them; you know which countries we're talking about) once one knows what to look for. The question is how to stop it.
This book should be a case study in Harvard Business School and must-read material for anyone entering organisations such as the World Bank, United Nations, a development bank, NGO +++: how can someone with integrity, with only the best of motives, operate in a setting where promises are not upheld, agreements not respected, commitments not honoured? Where budgets are halved or quartered after officials and business operators cream off their profits leaving only a fraction to fulfil that which was supposed to be built or operated or leased or delivered?
It all appears so easy: if you're a government official, you change the laws to nullify anything you don't like in a signed contract; if you're a contractor, you specify the best of materials and a project with a deadline, then under-deliver. A highway? Sure, just smooth out the sand, pour some cement over it and there you go. It's not your fault if the weight of the overloaded trucks destroys it in months. Of course, all the perceived wolves at the door aren't just the IDB and UN; Mongolia sees China as its biggest threat as more personal black money is to be made keeping them out and selling them the raw materials (minerals, cashmere) than building the refineries and factories on Mongolian soil that would provide work and income for Mongolians as opposed to individuals and clans. The examples are concrete and explicit and makes this book a page-turner. (I'd include quotes if I hadn't lent my copy to a close friend who was departing for Mongolia imminently.)
Eric Versavel, you're an author I would like to meet for having the moral courage to write such an exposé in the hope that the people of Mongolia--those living in poverty in yurts on the outskirts of UB in clouds of poisonous coal smoke without electricity and plumbing--may one day truly reap the wealth that their nation holds the promise of.
June 25, 2023
Wonderful book and heartbreaking
We just returned from Mongolia on 6/19/23. We had planned 6 weeks there. We stayed in the Tuushinhotel for a few days to orient our trip.
We next stayed with a younger generation ger camp and learned to ride the Mongolian horses. Our host spoke very good English and we learned a lot about riding, horse life and owning horses, making money from horses and loosing horses from our experience with this family. Completely beautiful family and experience.
We then traveled to Khorkhorin to visit the monastery as we are Buddhist practitioners. We found a horse riding adventure trip there and set up for an 8 day trip to visit another monastery, water falls and hot springs. One hour and a half onto the ride one of the crew opened a seltzer bottle of water that had been jostling around in his saddle bag. It immediately spewed water onto my horse’s face, he bolted and I fell onto my left hand and broke the wrist badly.
We learned a lot about the local hospital who treated my cuts, preformed X-rays, tried to reset the bones and bandaged me and gave antibiotics, pain killers and calcium with Vit D. Extremely competent doctor at this small ER with traditional Mongolian patients.
We decided to go back to the US for the surgery. It took us 4 days to get back. Before our flight we visited the International medical clinic in Ulaanbaatar where the South African Dr cleaned the wounds again, gave us a CD of her X-rays of my damaged wrist. Re-supplied medications. Very kind and competent physician.
I read this book after my recent surgery this week. I received an implanted metal brace in my wrist to assist the bones growing back together. I’m sad to have missed the rest of our adventures.
The nomadic spirit runs continually through my mind. I have no hard feelings. Yes, there are cracks in the blue sky and your story is heartbreaking. But I understand the beauty you see in the Mongolian people. I miss them already.
We just returned from Mongolia on 6/19/23. We had planned 6 weeks there. We stayed in the Tuushinhotel for a few days to orient our trip.
We next stayed with a younger generation ger camp and learned to ride the Mongolian horses. Our host spoke very good English and we learned a lot about riding, horse life and owning horses, making money from horses and loosing horses from our experience with this family. Completely beautiful family and experience.
We then traveled to Khorkhorin to visit the monastery as we are Buddhist practitioners. We found a horse riding adventure trip there and set up for an 8 day trip to visit another monastery, water falls and hot springs. One hour and a half onto the ride one of the crew opened a seltzer bottle of water that had been jostling around in his saddle bag. It immediately spewed water onto my horse’s face, he bolted and I fell onto my left hand and broke the wrist badly.
We learned a lot about the local hospital who treated my cuts, preformed X-rays, tried to reset the bones and bandaged me and gave antibiotics, pain killers and calcium with Vit D. Extremely competent doctor at this small ER with traditional Mongolian patients.
We decided to go back to the US for the surgery. It took us 4 days to get back. Before our flight we visited the International medical clinic in Ulaanbaatar where the South African Dr cleaned the wounds again, gave us a CD of her X-rays of my damaged wrist. Re-supplied medications. Very kind and competent physician.
I read this book after my recent surgery this week. I received an implanted metal brace in my wrist to assist the bones growing back together. I’m sad to have missed the rest of our adventures.
The nomadic spirit runs continually through my mind. I have no hard feelings. Yes, there are cracks in the blue sky and your story is heartbreaking. But I understand the beauty you see in the Mongolian people. I miss them already.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews