The Places in Between

Rory Stewart

Rory Stewart didn't seem like he was your average Conservative politician during the leadership election and this book confirmed it for me. An incredibly interesting read about him walking solo from Herat to Kabul after the 2001 invasion following 9/11. A real insight into the lives people of Northern Afghanistan, which is a complete contrast with everything I know having spent all my life in the west. The stories of how he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past was riveting, coinciding with the stories of the heroes, rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers that he met. The encounter with Taliban commanders was also a tense couple of pages.