The 356-page book is handsomely illustrated with 16 pages of colour photographs and about 100 black and white photographs.

Silk Road On Wheels offers not only action and adventure, but also social and political insights revealing twenty centuries of the Silk Road. The epic tale is handsomely illustrated with photographs.

Akhil Bakshi led the Central Asia Expedition, comprising of Indian, Chinese and European scholars, on the Old Silk Road. The expeditiondrove 12,000 km, in five jeeps, across Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan,Kirghizstan, Chinese Turkestan and Tibet.

In a charming and hilarious account of this remarkable journey, theaudacious adventurer brings alive the excitement of Silk Road travel as he visits ageing caravanserais; witnesses a dumba fight; experiences the thrill of the Kazakh steppe; enjoys the wondrous beauty of Kirghiz lakes; chases double-humped camels in the foothills of Tien Shans; races gyrating whirlwinds and explores Buddhist caves inTaklamakan and Gobi deserts; and rubs shoulders with yaks, nomads and monks in Tibet.

The tempestuousness of the times is felt through the pulse of Timurlane, Chingiz Khan, Huen Tsang and Milarepa - who accompany the author through their old haunts.

Silk Road On Wheels offers not only action and adventure, but also social and political insights revealing twenty centuries of the Silk Road.

About the Author

Price: Rs 395, US$ 19.95 (inclusive of postage and handling)
Number of pages: 324
Library of Congress Control Number: 99954000
ISBN No: 81-900861-1-1

REVIEWS

An Overwhelming Sense of Adventure
An original and interesting way of rewriting history, something that makes the book an interesting read. Bakshi's book is free from all preconceptions (and) prejudices that most western travellers carry with them when they travel. A blend of history made living by the presence of historical characters, a sense of humour that adds to the readability of the book, and above all, an overwhelming sense of adventure that sees the group through all kinds of difficulties.
Business Standard, March 2001

A Wily Travelogue
Akhil Bakshi's Silk Road on Wheels is a wily travelogue sometimes posing as a history book. It relives the past though a recollection of histories and juxtoposes them with the present. The success of the book lies in bringing the dramatic history of Central Asia down to a human scale, by fleshing out the battles of conquest and deceits in trade with details of everyday modern life...The book has many images – chaos in a bazaar, currency as toilet paper, freezing travellers at Chinese checkposts, missing belly dancers, the beauty of lake Issyk Kul, the deafening silence of the Gobi desert – and they all leave you with a longing to get into the next Armada out.
The Indian Express, January 2001

Replete With Humour
It is a vivid and graphic account in racy prose, authentically recapturing the enigmatic history, culture and politics of 2,000 years of the Silk Road. It is replete with humour in the form of spoofs on expedition members. The book is well-produced and edited, with a panoramic cover and black and white photographs, some of them taken by the author.
The Times Of India, December 2000

An Effective Remedy For Boredom
Silk Road On Wheels transcends an ordinary travelogue in that it recreates history through the simple expedient of resurrecting four historic persons from the past, who interact closely with the raconteur at different stages of the journey. They educate and enlighten him about various aspects of the regions the cavalcade of Armadas, led by Bakshi, speed through, and revive exciting phases in times gone by. Akhil Bakshi could well rank with Bill Aitken as a compelling raconteur. The book is lavishly illustrated, in black and white and colour. For those weary of the intellectual pretensions of hyped-up authors, Silk Road on Wheels might prove an effective remedy for boredom. It might inspire them to replan the itinerary for their next vacation.
The Pioneer, November 2000

Entertaining Account Of A Remarkable Journey
Silk Road on Wheels is an entertaining account of a remarkable journey. Bakshi brings alive the excitement of the Silk Road travel as he visits ageing caravanserais, witnesses a dumba fight, experiences the thrill of the Kazakh steppe, enjoys the wondrous beauty of Kirghiz lakes, chases double humped camels in the foothills of the tien Shan, races gyrating whirlwinds and explores Buddhist caves in Taklamakan and Gobi desert and rubs shoulders with yaks, nomads and monks in Tibet. The narrative is cleverly woven in fact and fiction through the pulse of Timurlane, Chingiz Khan, Huen Tsang and Milarepa – who 'accompany' the author through their old haunts.
The Saturday Statesman, November 2000

A Memorable Journey
Laced with humour, this book records the excitement of seeing the Registan Square and the Shahi Zindan, the thrill of driving through the Kazakh steppes, the mysterious powers of Mila and the disappointing Chinese food. It also examines the cultural, social and political aspects of each place along the touchy political issues of the region. Join Bakshi for a memorable journey. It may be worth your while.
Swagat, February 2000
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