Customer Reviews:
 Travel writing at its very best February 16, 2008
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
Extremes Along The Silk Road.
Dr Nick Middleton is an allegedly upper-middle-class, seemingly soft-living geographer who has travelled and explored more than 50 countries and published books (as a sole writer) going back as far as 1988.
However, "soft-living" is not a phrase that could be used to describe his exploits into the world's harshest - truly harshest - environments.
With an Extremely (pun intended) engaging personality which is more apparent in the Channel Four programmes he's made than in his writing - Nick scribes with a sense of humility and honesty, but beyond explaining his motivations for going to such extreme locales never alludes to any personal details - meaning his books reveal little behind the man, the preference being to concentrate on travel and the environments themselves. This makes for objective correspondence, but also provides an enigma to the man behind it - a point, perhaps, that makes his work so totally engrossing and leaves you wanting, or rather needing, more.
The style with which he writes is far more accessible than that of say Jack London or Henry David Thoreau (okay, so Nick is contemporary - there lyeth the answer - but even so, he could, but doesn't, add any pretence) without elaborate allegories, but is also infinitely more enchanting than a lot of the more modern day off-the-beaten-track travel writers.
As a younger end Thirty Something, I always prefer to see the more tenured traveller exploring and writing about this type of passage, and along with Michael Palin, Nick Middleton is now well and truly a favourite. Of the younger generation of travel writers, I think only Simon Reeve comes close.
All in all, Nick Middleton's books on Extremes are truly fascinating works of brilliance. I only wish he'd cover some of the more anthropogenic extremes like Bhopal, Chernobyl (which he has said is on his list, but which is - unfortunately - no longer off-the-beaten-path, being as it's now a tourist attraction) The Banqioa Dam, Goianas, etc, as he did with Voz Island (Rebirth Island) in this book.
Many thanks Nick, these books have been great companions. Congratulations on your first child.
 Smoke and mirrors January 3, 2007
3 out of 7 found this review helpful
The write-up on Amazon promises much, but the book delivers very little in fact.The claims that are made are unfortunately not backed up by any conclusive evidence, the author speculates a great deal, and unfortunately he lets his Pro-ANC bias get the better of him.
Those not familiar with the realities of South Africa might find the book of interest,however as a South African I found 99% of it old hat
Useful contribution to the literature on South Africa November 25, 2006
0 out of 2 found this review helpful
This book is very readable and is an important contribution to South Africa's current affairs/recent history. Written by an outsider, it is unbiased and is good background reading for anyone new to the country. I recommend it for anyone that may need to interact with the political and economic landscape of the country.
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