What do you think?
Rate this book
My Life as an Explorer #1-2
My Life As An Explorer
This is that rarest of books, the one you grab when the house is on fire. Sven Hedin was not only one of the greatest explorers of the 19th century, he was also a brilliant storyteller. Nowhere does the Swedish author tell a tale of excitement, adventure, danger, travel, and hair-raising escape like he does in this book.
"My Life as an Explorer" regales the reader with almost more adventure than one can bear to read. Hedin raids the burial grounds of a secret Asian sect. He courts disaster with the Emir of Bokhara. He climbs accursed mountains in China, discovers lost cities in the Gobi desert, infiltrates Tibet, outwits Torgut bandits, and of course becomes close friends with royalty from Peking to London, including the rulers of both the Russian and British empires. In short, Hedin lived a life so full of adventure and escape that merely reading about it is exhausting.
544 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1925
About the author
Sven Hedin
151 books50 followersSven Hedin was a Swedish geographer, topographer, explorer, photographer, travel writer, and illustrator of his own works. During four expeditions to Central Asia, he discovered the Transhimalaya (once named the Hedin Range in his honor) and the sources of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers, Lake Lop Nur, and the remains of cities, grave sites and the Great Wall of China in the deserts of the Tarim Basin. In his book Från Pol till Pol, Hedin describes a journey through Asia and Europe between the late 1880s and early 1900s. While traveling, Hedin visited Constantinople (Istanbul), oil-rich Azerbaijan in times of the Nobel Brothers, Teheran, Mesopotamia (Iraq), lands of the Kyrgyz people, India, China, Asiatic Russia and Japan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
October 22, 2024
The Swedish explorer of Central Asia Sven Hedin is not well remembered today but in the early 20th century was a celebrity for mapping many inhospitable areas. Sven Hedin faced the scorching deserts, nearly drowned in rough water, risked being robbed by bandits, and nearly froze to death in Tibet. The beginning of the book when he traveled the Middle East was an unexciting travel journal but the later chapters were survival stories. Sven Hedin was lucky to be alive but he accomplished his mission even to the point of being an illegal interloper in Tibet that resented a foreigner being in their sacred lands. What I found to be a highlight of the book was his rediscovery of Silk Road cities buried under desert sands with not gold and silver but ancient manuscripts telling of the lives of those who lived there. Sven Hedin found students multiplication tables there as well as legal documents among Buddhist relics. Every page of the book was interesting reading with Hedin carefully describing the cultures he encountered on his travels through Central Asia.
February 18, 2018
My Life as an Explorer
Sven Hedin (1865-1956)
Sven Hedin was a Swedish gentleman traveller and author of several books based on his logbooks and drawings from his numerous expeditions across Central Asia.
He travelled in the years from the 1880s to early 1900, starting from Stockholm via Russia, crossing the entire continent to China, India, Nepal, and Tibet and back again several times.
Mostly on horseback, but also on camel or mules, or even yacks, then again on the water with self-made barges or canoes made of yak-hide.
Across the continent he met of course with the highest mountains in Tibet, burning deserts like the Gobi desert and others. Snow and ice as well as hailstorms or scorching sun, from the most elevated temperatures to the lowest, sometimes in a single day.
He would organize large caravans with horses, camels, sheep, and pack -mules, and it happened that from 75 beasts at the start of an expedition, and due to extreme weather conditions, only two or three had survived by the arrival.
He survived two or three adventures in dangerous desert crossings just about by the skin of his teeth.
At times, he lived off the country, by shooting antelopes, hare or birds.
Some of the wild beasts could be a challenge like the black bear, wild yak and especially the wolves were a daily danger, killing many horses, mules, and sheep.
He also was a distinguished geographic discoverer of unexplored territories north of Tibet, the mountain range the ‘Transhimalya’, the sources of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers and the Lake Lop Nur.
The literature style of the author is somewhat limited to the narrative in the first person, of the recordings of his logbooks.
It reports the routes taken very precisely, endless names of villages and horse exchange stations, over several years of travelling, with no name missing, but it sometimes feels like too much of the same thing.
Sven Hedin (1865-1956)
Sven Hedin was a Swedish gentleman traveller and author of several books based on his logbooks and drawings from his numerous expeditions across Central Asia.
He travelled in the years from the 1880s to early 1900, starting from Stockholm via Russia, crossing the entire continent to China, India, Nepal, and Tibet and back again several times.
Mostly on horseback, but also on camel or mules, or even yacks, then again on the water with self-made barges or canoes made of yak-hide.
Across the continent he met of course with the highest mountains in Tibet, burning deserts like the Gobi desert and others. Snow and ice as well as hailstorms or scorching sun, from the most elevated temperatures to the lowest, sometimes in a single day.
He would organize large caravans with horses, camels, sheep, and pack -mules, and it happened that from 75 beasts at the start of an expedition, and due to extreme weather conditions, only two or three had survived by the arrival.
He survived two or three adventures in dangerous desert crossings just about by the skin of his teeth.
At times, he lived off the country, by shooting antelopes, hare or birds.
Some of the wild beasts could be a challenge like the black bear, wild yak and especially the wolves were a daily danger, killing many horses, mules, and sheep.
He also was a distinguished geographic discoverer of unexplored territories north of Tibet, the mountain range the ‘Transhimalya’, the sources of the Brahmaputra, Indus and Sutlej Rivers and the Lake Lop Nur.
The literature style of the author is somewhat limited to the narrative in the first person, of the recordings of his logbooks.
It reports the routes taken very precisely, endless names of villages and horse exchange stations, over several years of travelling, with no name missing, but it sometimes feels like too much of the same thing.
August 18, 2010
I think you'd need gallons of testosterone to be willing to endure such extreme discomfort just for bragging rights. "First European to set foot on this blank spot on the map." I admire Hedin's skills as a linguist, record-keeper, and collector of data.
I was not aware of how many hundreds of beasts of burden and other animals had to suffer and die in the service of these expeditions. Camels, horses, mules, sheep, and dogs endured starvation, extreme heat, severe dehydration, subzero temperatures, and overwork. They then died painful deaths along the trail. Even if I could have braved one of Hedin's trips, I wouldn't have been able to bear the constant suffering of so many animals.
I was not aware of how many hundreds of beasts of burden and other animals had to suffer and die in the service of these expeditions. Camels, horses, mules, sheep, and dogs endured starvation, extreme heat, severe dehydration, subzero temperatures, and overwork. They then died painful deaths along the trail. Even if I could have braved one of Hedin's trips, I wouldn't have been able to bear the constant suffering of so many animals.
May 19, 2014
This was another "Book Lust" recommendation. The description sounded interesting and inviting; I thought it would be a thrilling and engrossing book that I'd blow right through in a couple of days.
Two weeks later, here I am, feeling a bit misled by Nancy Pearl. There were good aspects to the book, don't get me wrong. The descriptions were often brilliant. In particular, I'll remember his account of the walled-in monk in Tibet for a long time. It was a great travelogue, and really made me want to visit places like Samarkand and Lake Manasarovar. And I respected Sven Hedin's courage and drive to explore.
But this was NOT incredibly thrilling reading. Large portions of it were dry & hard to wade through. At several points, Hedin broke off the narrative to excerpt other writers congratulating him on his discoveries, and the Tibetan sections near the end became monotonous--climb mountain pass, lose dozens of animals, get blocked by the authorities, repeat. I realize that was probably what the experience was like, but it was a heavy slog for me as a reader.
Then there was Hedin himself. In the book he comes off as very much the ugly European, especially in his handling of Tibet. The Tibetans didn't want him going near Lhasa or the other holy sites, but he obviously didn't care. The important thing to him was that there were discoveries to be made--the desires of the natives didn't matter at all. Plus the many descriptions of him riding on a horse while his men struggled, or riding on a barge while his men struggled, or staying warm in a separate tent while his men huddled around a fire, turned me off. He was so much the Grand Sahib it was almost embarrassing.
This wasn't a bad book--hence the 3 stars. But its definitely not one I'll read again.
Two weeks later, here I am, feeling a bit misled by Nancy Pearl. There were good aspects to the book, don't get me wrong. The descriptions were often brilliant. In particular, I'll remember his account of the walled-in monk in Tibet for a long time. It was a great travelogue, and really made me want to visit places like Samarkand and Lake Manasarovar. And I respected Sven Hedin's courage and drive to explore.
But this was NOT incredibly thrilling reading. Large portions of it were dry & hard to wade through. At several points, Hedin broke off the narrative to excerpt other writers congratulating him on his discoveries, and the Tibetan sections near the end became monotonous--climb mountain pass, lose dozens of animals, get blocked by the authorities, repeat. I realize that was probably what the experience was like, but it was a heavy slog for me as a reader.
Then there was Hedin himself. In the book he comes off as very much the ugly European, especially in his handling of Tibet. The Tibetans didn't want him going near Lhasa or the other holy sites, but he obviously didn't care. The important thing to him was that there were discoveries to be made--the desires of the natives didn't matter at all. Plus the many descriptions of him riding on a horse while his men struggled, or riding on a barge while his men struggled, or staying warm in a separate tent while his men huddled around a fire, turned me off. He was so much the Grand Sahib it was almost embarrassing.
This wasn't a bad book--hence the 3 stars. But its definitely not one I'll read again.
June 19, 2013
Having read this book for the third time, in preparation for a return to Central Asia this autumn, I am struck this time by the wanton loss of life incurred in traversing all those snowy passes and sterile deserts and have to wonder if it was worth it. Hedin's reply would have been "Absolutely!" Here was a man motivated by filling in those "white spaces" on maps and in being "the first white man to... [cross those mountains, record that lake's depths, uncover those 2,000-year-old tombs]". When younger, I was caught up by the excitement of the travel and the new discoveries, in learning new words for sand (kum) and river (daria) in a part of the world that is very special to me, and I do recommend this volume for those who want a taste of what it was like to be an explorer in Central Asia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But Sven Hedin as a hero figure has lost some of his shine to me. I don't think I would have wanted to have met him or know him as a person. This reading, it wasn't the descriptions of the dunes that stays with me, but the casual mention "of the 20 horses we started with, only one returned" or watching his half-wild dogs attack wolves or be torn to shreds by a bear, and all those times his neglect of checking his supplies himself caused starvation and almost unendurable suffering to his men while he was "tucked into my warm bed of sand [by one of his men]" or rode on a horse behind his stumbling men when all the other beasts of burden had died. Or how he bullies those Tibetans sent to stop him from entering their country, and brags of his success in fooling them about his intentions. Whose country was it anyway?
If there's a time and place to read a book, I guess I have passed that time for this book. Perhaps this review is more about me than the book, but don't we read to discover more about ourselves?
If there's a time and place to read a book, I guess I have passed that time for this book. Perhaps this review is more about me than the book, but don't we read to discover more about ourselves?
December 30, 2012
This book is a recollection of memories from Hedin's early journeys and expeditions across the Middle East and the Asian continent.
On the first few chapters, Hedin explains how he became a geographer and felt somewhat in love with the vast Asian continent. Such feeling developed an everlasting desire to explore what was, in his days, an unknown land to Europeans. A land that needed to be surveyed and mapped thoroughly.
After Hedin makes it clear on what it is driving him to travel back and forth thru Asia, he writes what it is (in my humble opinion) a compelling story on each of his journeys spanning from 1885 to 1909.New geographical discoveries, all sort of toils and hardships, men and animals perishing on the way, landscapes of indescribable beauty, all of these and much more is the sort of material you will encounter while reading this. An adventure book, but in the form of real deeds, people and places. No place for fiction here, that's what makes this book worth your while.
On a side note I must add that, having read previous Hedin's works, I noticed a vast majority of the accounts have been shortened to fit it into one book. So I would suggest this book to those ones who have never read anything on Hedin's expeditions. I think it is a very good introduction to him.
As for myself, I felt the book to be hastily written at times. I suppose it was for the sake of having to fit everything into one book, as I said. It is just because of that I'm giving it 4 out of 5. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it as much as other Hedin's works.
EDIT: The edition I read was the one from "National Geographic Adventure Classics". While this is a cheap edition to get, I noticed it misses a lot of sketches and drawings from the original 1926 edition. You just have to check it out against Google Books to know what I mean. So, if you want to own a more complete edition I would suggest you to look elsewhere.
On the first few chapters, Hedin explains how he became a geographer and felt somewhat in love with the vast Asian continent. Such feeling developed an everlasting desire to explore what was, in his days, an unknown land to Europeans. A land that needed to be surveyed and mapped thoroughly.
After Hedin makes it clear on what it is driving him to travel back and forth thru Asia, he writes what it is (in my humble opinion) a compelling story on each of his journeys spanning from 1885 to 1909.New geographical discoveries, all sort of toils and hardships, men and animals perishing on the way, landscapes of indescribable beauty, all of these and much more is the sort of material you will encounter while reading this. An adventure book, but in the form of real deeds, people and places. No place for fiction here, that's what makes this book worth your while.
On a side note I must add that, having read previous Hedin's works, I noticed a vast majority of the accounts have been shortened to fit it into one book. So I would suggest this book to those ones who have never read anything on Hedin's expeditions. I think it is a very good introduction to him.
As for myself, I felt the book to be hastily written at times. I suppose it was for the sake of having to fit everything into one book, as I said. It is just because of that I'm giving it 4 out of 5. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it as much as other Hedin's works.
EDIT: The edition I read was the one from "National Geographic Adventure Classics". While this is a cheap edition to get, I noticed it misses a lot of sketches and drawings from the original 1926 edition. You just have to check it out against Google Books to know what I mean. So, if you want to own a more complete edition I would suggest you to look elsewhere.
February 7, 2014
An interesting read, hearkening back to the times of the "white space on the map."
It's not fair, perhaps, to judge one's actions using values that are 100 years removed from events, but I was shocked by the callousness Hedin showed towards the pack animals. He purchased hundreds over the course of his adventures, knowing he was leading them to certain death, despite the affection he held for some of them. I suppose this is the price of being successful in that period of time, but I did struggle with this.
This book is more of a page turner than similar works (such as Speke's exploration book), but is still a bit dry. I didn't tear through this like I do with other books, but I would recommend it to those that are interested in seeing the hardships experienced by true explorers forging though the white spaces on the maps.
It's not fair, perhaps, to judge one's actions using values that are 100 years removed from events, but I was shocked by the callousness Hedin showed towards the pack animals. He purchased hundreds over the course of his adventures, knowing he was leading them to certain death, despite the affection he held for some of them. I suppose this is the price of being successful in that period of time, but I did struggle with this.
This book is more of a page turner than similar works (such as Speke's exploration book), but is still a bit dry. I didn't tear through this like I do with other books, but I would recommend it to those that are interested in seeing the hardships experienced by true explorers forging though the white spaces on the maps.
February 14, 2009
It's almost hard to believe that one man actually did all the things described in this account. He discovered the source of the Indus and Brahmaputra Rivers, as well as ancient cities in the Taklamakan desert, mapped unexplored regions of Tibet, criss-crossed Tibet, India, Chinese Turkestan (Xinjiang), Russian Turkestan, Iran, Iraq, the Caucasus, Russia, China, and nearly died several times in the process. He was also a pupil of Ferdinand Von Richtofen and wrote more than 50 books on his exploration and travels.
July 27, 2012
I had a love-hate relationship with Hedin's book detailing some of his travels in Asia, including many places where he was the first white man to set foot in. Especially at the beginning of the book, I found his narrative to be somewhat dry as it was more descriptive of the landscape than entertaining story. However, I really enjoyed the stories of the people he encountered and his survival stories about some epic adventures (particularly his first desert foray.) It took me a long time to wade through this book, but I found it overall an enjoyable read.
September 11, 2020
Med kompass, karta och karavan så ville Sven Hedin ta sig bortom den vita delen av kartan — till det outforskade. Som barn var han helt säker på att bli polarpionjär. Ödet tog honom däremot till Baku och därefter var hans hjärta sålt till Asien.
”Jag brann av längtan att åter komma ut på vilda äventyrens vägar. Steg för steg hade jag arbetat mig allt djupare in mot hjärtat av jordens största kontinent. Nu skulle jag icke nöja mig med mindre än att trampa stiger på vilka en europée aldrig satt sin fot”
Nostalgin tog mig direkt i sin hand under Hedins äventyr. Han reste exempelvis från Stockholm till Azerbadjan 1885. Det är mer än hundra år sedan! Att läsa hur han åker färja till St.Petersburg, tåg fram till gränsen mot Georgien och därefter rider på trojkor genom Kaukasus för att slutligen ta sig till Baku. Är så bortom dagens moderna värld att jag nästan måste nypa mig i armen för att påminna mig om att detta inte är fiktion, utan en verklig reseskildring!
”När jag våren 1891 kom hem till Stockholm, kände jag mig som en segerherre, vilken erövrat omäktiga landområden, Kaukasien, Mesopotamien, Persien, Ryska Turkistan och Bokhara och som framträngt till kinesiska Turkistan”
Min första kontakt med Hedin var genom Heinrich Harriers sju år i Tibet. Hedin var en av de få européer som hade satt sin fot i Tibet. Ett land där människor från hans del av världen vanligtvis inte var välkomna. Det som bl.a. förenar Hedin och Harrier är de helt otroliga sträckor som de bevandrar till fots och godheten de möter hos de tibetanska nomaderna.
I Hedins liv som upptäcktsresande hittar jag inga poetiska passager eller reflektioner som går att finna hos exempelvis Sven Lindqvist eller Ryszard Kapuscinski. Två andra kända reseskildrare, som däremot ser sig mer som poeter och författare än renodlade utforskare. Vilket förmodligen även förklarar skillnaden i språket och skildringarna. Jag trivs med de båda stilarna av att återberätta sina erfarenheter. Även om denna stundtals kan vara en aning monoton, vilket även har sin charm.
En intressant aspekt som jag noterade, var Hedins totala nonchalans för ländernas seder och bruk. Ett stycke som fångade min uppmärksamhet var när han våldgästade en tibetansk begravning. Tänk vilket liv det hade varit om det motsatta hände i Sverige, idag såväl som då! Vidare så är hans reseskildringar en bra påminnelse om vilket privilegium det är att resa. Samt vilket ekonomiskt kapital det krävde (och fortfarande kräver idag). Hedin har audiens och stöd hos kungligheter i Indien, Tibet, Ryssland, Iran och Kina under sina år som äventyrare. Även om han under en period har fem länder som fördömer hans vistelse i Tibet. Finner han dock stöd hos alla i nödens tid, synnerligen
monetärt.
Min vördnad får Hedin framförallt för att han lärde sig ett flertal språk under sina resor: ryska, tatariska, mongoliska, tibetanska, persiska och lite kinesiska. Förmodligen så var han inte flytande i alla, men som jag förstod det så var de iallafall tillräckliga för att föra en konversation.
”Nu voro vi avskurna från världen. Jag kände mig som en konung i sitt eget rike, i sin egen huvudstad! Ingen på jorden hade en aning om tillvaron på denna plats.”
Rekommenderas om en känner sig lite sugen på gammaldags resenostalgi!
”Jag brann av längtan att åter komma ut på vilda äventyrens vägar. Steg för steg hade jag arbetat mig allt djupare in mot hjärtat av jordens största kontinent. Nu skulle jag icke nöja mig med mindre än att trampa stiger på vilka en europée aldrig satt sin fot”
Nostalgin tog mig direkt i sin hand under Hedins äventyr. Han reste exempelvis från Stockholm till Azerbadjan 1885. Det är mer än hundra år sedan! Att läsa hur han åker färja till St.Petersburg, tåg fram till gränsen mot Georgien och därefter rider på trojkor genom Kaukasus för att slutligen ta sig till Baku. Är så bortom dagens moderna värld att jag nästan måste nypa mig i armen för att påminna mig om att detta inte är fiktion, utan en verklig reseskildring!
”När jag våren 1891 kom hem till Stockholm, kände jag mig som en segerherre, vilken erövrat omäktiga landområden, Kaukasien, Mesopotamien, Persien, Ryska Turkistan och Bokhara och som framträngt till kinesiska Turkistan”
Min första kontakt med Hedin var genom Heinrich Harriers sju år i Tibet. Hedin var en av de få européer som hade satt sin fot i Tibet. Ett land där människor från hans del av världen vanligtvis inte var välkomna. Det som bl.a. förenar Hedin och Harrier är de helt otroliga sträckor som de bevandrar till fots och godheten de möter hos de tibetanska nomaderna.
I Hedins liv som upptäcktsresande hittar jag inga poetiska passager eller reflektioner som går att finna hos exempelvis Sven Lindqvist eller Ryszard Kapuscinski. Två andra kända reseskildrare, som däremot ser sig mer som poeter och författare än renodlade utforskare. Vilket förmodligen även förklarar skillnaden i språket och skildringarna. Jag trivs med de båda stilarna av att återberätta sina erfarenheter. Även om denna stundtals kan vara en aning monoton, vilket även har sin charm.
En intressant aspekt som jag noterade, var Hedins totala nonchalans för ländernas seder och bruk. Ett stycke som fångade min uppmärksamhet var när han våldgästade en tibetansk begravning. Tänk vilket liv det hade varit om det motsatta hände i Sverige, idag såväl som då! Vidare så är hans reseskildringar en bra påminnelse om vilket privilegium det är att resa. Samt vilket ekonomiskt kapital det krävde (och fortfarande kräver idag). Hedin har audiens och stöd hos kungligheter i Indien, Tibet, Ryssland, Iran och Kina under sina år som äventyrare. Även om han under en period har fem länder som fördömer hans vistelse i Tibet. Finner han dock stöd hos alla i nödens tid, synnerligen
monetärt.
Min vördnad får Hedin framförallt för att han lärde sig ett flertal språk under sina resor: ryska, tatariska, mongoliska, tibetanska, persiska och lite kinesiska. Förmodligen så var han inte flytande i alla, men som jag förstod det så var de iallafall tillräckliga för att föra en konversation.
”Nu voro vi avskurna från världen. Jag kände mig som en konung i sitt eget rike, i sin egen huvudstad! Ingen på jorden hade en aning om tillvaron på denna plats.”
Rekommenderas om en känner sig lite sugen på gammaldags resenostalgi!
October 16, 2012
This book gives a clear picture of how driven Sven Hedin was. Not necessarily in a bad way, but VERY driven. From his accounts (and many of the contemporaries who met Hedin) people are attracted to him and this makes his encounters interesting. I like the descriptions of his "puppies" and appreciate from his narrative that he is compassionate toward both people and animals. (perhaps more toward animals?) Anyway, not the Hedin book that I would pick to read first, but once you're on a roll w/Sven, you gotta read this one.
May 18, 2025
It's insane how many animals (and occasionally people) died in Sven Hedin's expeditions into the interior of Asia. His capacity to function in various geographic and cultural contexts is quite apparent, but so is his single-mindedness in pushing the boundary of the unknown. Quite an interesting figure to reflect on!
December 3, 2020
有他這樣的人生經歷，大概死也無憾了
February 16, 2018
On the one hand Hedin saw things and did things that nobody alive today could experience, even those modern men and women that have traced his exact footsteps. He visited Central Asia long before Communist Russia and China took control of that part of the world and forever changed the people and places found there. His depictions of travel in a waterless desert and of a Buddhist monk who willingly shuts himself off from all human contact were captivating. Even though English was not his first language he writes in a clear compelling style that keeps you turning the pages so that the reader always wants to know more about the territories he visits. At one point when discussing why he doesn't hunt for sport he wrote something that will stay with me for a very long time: "I have always been unable to bring myself to extinguish a flame that I could not light again." But even so he was undeniably a flawed human being. Hedin readily admits that from a very early age he wanted the glory and adulation of being an explorer, which is fine except that far too many living things paid the price for the expeditions he led into those uncharted sections of the world. Pack animals and dogs would be bad enough but men died as well because of his errors in judgment in regards to routes chosen and supplies packed. Throw in the knowledge that Hedin apparently supported Germany in both World Wars and that he may have falsified some of his written accounts, and you have a very problematic author. One that every Twenty-first Century reader will have to assess by their own values.
January 8, 2015
Hedin was not only an intrepid explorer, he could write a clear and entertaining narrative. This book covers four different expeditions in the middle east and asia, but focuses primarily on what is now western China and Tibet. His mission was to map unknown territory and go where no European had gone before. Later, archeologists plundered in his footsteps. While the book has illustrations and a few maps, I would have loved more maps. I could not figure out where he was in reference to my atlas as I could not reconcile many of the place names. At the end, I was amazed at his endurance (and the sacrifice of many many animals and a few people) and repelled by his hubris (though he could not have achieved his aims without it).
February 17, 2015
One of my favourite exploration books of all time. As well as the incredible journeys through the inhospitable deserts of Asai surviving against mother nature there is place in human history. Although a relatively modern traveller he seemed to have linked the modern and the old world. Travelling in progress with the Shah of Persia, being one of the first westerners to enter Tibet and mapping great areas of Asia. His links with Nazi Germany has meant that he was all but forgotten after the war. His travels are through the Asai i would love to visit.
February 8, 2017
For starters, this is probably unlike anything you've ever read before. Like most trip accounts, the story is more fantastic than the narrative. But this story is bigger and more unbelievable than any other. It's such a large adventure (or series of adventures) that the narrative actually seems hurried in a lot of spots.
People died and a lot of animals died in the making of this, and there was a worldview expressed that we wouldn't really tolerate today. But, the guy was a tireless explorer and shares it with you. And it makes (at least me) really want to go see the places he was.
People died and a lot of animals died in the making of this, and there was a worldview expressed that we wouldn't really tolerate today. But, the guy was a tireless explorer and shares it with you. And it makes (at least me) really want to go see the places he was.
October 14, 2017
Sven Hedin war ein genialer Entdecker, der oft sein eigenes und das Leben seiner Reisebegleiter aufs Spiel setzte. Er hat sehr viele Bücher veröffentlicht, musste er doch mit den Einnahmen seine Reisen finanzieren. Er hat ein faszinierendes Leben geführt und wer möchte nicht gern auf seinen Pfaden wandern.
April 13, 2018
I would have liked this (extremely long) book a whole lot more if just once that man had realized you can't take an animal adapted to life in a desert and expect it to acclimate to working at 14,000 feet (in Tibet) in December. So many many unnecessary deaths overshadowed his not inconsiderable accomplishments.
February 10, 2014
This is a great book for anyone that finds explorers interesting. One of the interesting facts is how good of writer Sven was and is able to tell a compelling story. Yes he made some stupid decisions in his life but its a great read and tells of time that no longer exists.
December 13, 2015
This is one of those explorer books that you wouldn't believe as fiction because it is so fantastic. Written by the explorer himself you have constant hints about how he made great friends without sharing languages and missed being killed in so many ways. A fun way to spend your winter nights.
January 23, 2010
interest builds subtly, but firmly. one of my favourite authors/Explorers. thank you some one for giving this.
March 29, 2009
Good armchair travel for the kid-bound.
January 26, 2011
nederlanse versie
March 12, 2011
I found this book at a half price books. It is one of the coolest things I have ever read.
August 11, 2015
I love first hand accounts. Dripping with suspense,frightening exploration and amazing history.
January 9, 2018
Well worth reading, although I wish the map had been better
September 3, 2018
Sven Hedin tutkimusmatkaili 1800- ja 1900-lukujen vaihteessa Aasian suunnalla. Tämän kirjan 522 sivun aikana kerrotaan noista reissuista. Vaikka touhu nykyajasta katsottuna näyttääkin ajoittain jos ei peräti koko ajan hieman kyseenalaiselta, tarjoaa kirja toisaalta katsauksen aivan toisenlaiseen maailmaan jossa paikalliseen väestöön ja eläimiin suhtaudutaan... no, lievästi sanottuna välinpitämättömästi. Välillä käydään varastamassa kalloja erittäin pyhäksi katsotusta kalmistosta ja ylipäätään "sinne ei Eurooppalainen saa ikinä mennä" määräyksetkin otetaan lähinnä haasteina joita kierretään jopa esittämällä paikallista lammaspaimenta. Hevoset, aasit ja muut eläimet ovat... no, silloin tällöin esiin nousevasta myötätunnosta huolimatta pelkkiä välineitä jotka mahdollistavat hengellään tunkeutumisen kartan valkoisille alueille - ja tässä puhutaan todellakin kymmenistä, toisinaan jopa sadoista eläimistä.
Kyseessä on siis kohtalaisen mielenkiintoinen katsaus entisajan tutkimusmatkailijan elämään.
Kyseessä on siis kohtalaisen mielenkiintoinen katsaus entisajan tutkimusmatkailijan elämään.
September 25, 2019
Sven Hedin's "My Life as an Explorer" is an exceptional work. Stylistically situated somewhere in between scholarly works such as those by Aurel Stein and pure "adventure for its own sake" works such as those by Thesiger, Hedin's explorations are astounding and wonderful stories. His bravery and thirst for adventure are unmatched--he seems to have a total inability to turn back from his goals. Yet the goals are noble, and his methods meticulous and scholarly, so one is not left with the impression that he is simply a daredevil seeking thrills. He singlehandedly filled in, in a fairly detailed manner, one of the last white spaces of "terra incognita" on the map of the world.
At certain moments in the book, especially (in my opinion) the discussions of the Lama Rinpoche, who vows to remain walled inside his cave for his entire life, Hedin's narrative reaches the heights of great literature, placing his work, I believe, among the greatest travel or exploration writings ever produced.
At certain moments in the book, especially (in my opinion) the discussions of the Lama Rinpoche, who vows to remain walled inside his cave for his entire life, Hedin's narrative reaches the heights of great literature, placing his work, I believe, among the greatest travel or exploration writings ever produced.
September 23, 2020
Dr Sven Hedin, a step ahead of himself, often pushing into situations where common sense was not considered.
A read into a man that went just about anywhere he wanted..persistent to the max, unnerved by anything in his way, often praised...
Sven Hedin, probably the greatest explorer of Himalayas ever!
A read into a man that went just about anywhere he wanted..persistent to the max, unnerved by anything in his way, often praised...
Sven Hedin, probably the greatest explorer of Himalayas ever!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews