In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan--surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past.

Originally published: Great Britain : Picador, 2004. "A Harvest original." Includes maps of: [Author's Route - Herat to Chist-e-Sharif]; [Author's Route - Chist-e-Sharif to Jam]; [Author's Route - Jam to Daulatyar]; [Author's Route - Daulatyar to Yakawlang]; [Author's Route - Yakawlang to Bamiyan]; [Author's Route - Bamiyan to Kabul].

New civil service -- Tanks into sticks -- Whether on the shores of Asia -- Chicago and Paris -- Huma -- Fare foreward -- These boots -- Qasim -- Impersonal pronoun -- Tajik village -- Emir of the West -- Caravanserai, whose portals -- To a blind man's eye -- Genealogies -- Lest he returning chide -- Crown jewels -- Bread and water -- Fighting man shall -- Nothing man -- Highland buildings -- Missionary dance -- Mirrored cat's-eye shades -- Marrying a Muslim -- War dog -- Commandant Haji (Moalem) Mohsin Khan of Kamenj cousins -- Minaret of jam -- Traces in the ground -- Between jam and chaghcharan -- Dawn prayers -- Little lord -- Frogs -- Windy place -- Name navigation -- Greeting of strangers -- Leaves on the ceiling -- Flames -- Zia of Katlish -- Sacred guest -- Cave of Zarin -- Devotions -- Defiles of the valley -- Intermediate stages of death -- Winged footprints -- Blair and the Koran -- Salt ground and spikenard -- Pale circles in walls -- @afghangov.org -- While the note lasts -- Footprints on the ceiling -- I am the zoom -- Karaman -- Khalili's troops -- And I have mine -- Scheme of generation -- Source of the Kabul River -- Taliban -- Toes -- Marble -- Epilogue -- Acknowledgments.