I read The Carpet Wars back in 2002, long before the invention of Kindle. The book stands with pride of place on my bookshelf, but when the Kindle Edition was released I immediately snapped it up as for me, the book is an indispensible piece of travel writing, and an indispensible travel companion.
The Carpet Wars is a piece of travel writing that stands out from the vast canon of travel writing literature out there, namely the fascinating connection between carpet weaving countries, and the conflicts they have been scarred by.
The book was released in early 2002, with 911 and the subsequent war in Afghanistan a very recent memory. As such, one would immediatly assume that this book may have been marketing toward the new obsession with Afghanistan, Al Qa'eda and all the negative elements of the Middle East.
To say the least, both assumptions are wrong. The release was purely coincidence. The author had spent 10 years traveling throughout the Middle East and Central Asia, and collecting carpets. So while the release and marketing may have suited the 911 environment, the research and compilation of the book was purely coincidental. No one gets a 10 year head start on the post 911 world, and not even the most ardent conspiracy theorist would believe that.
Secondly, there is little negative in this book. Yes it does detail and reflect the trauma exisiting in Afghanistan, Tajikistan, Kashmir and various other places, but it most certainly does not read like the latest Daily Mail or Daily Express expose on the harshness of Shariah law, and how it is coming your way.
The book has a very human and sentimental feel. It is not told from some haughty position of cultural superiority, rather it is told in an empathetic way, recounting the stories of the people on the ground, providing feeling for their way of life, and showing a real human touch.
Carpet Wars is not only an informative and culturally insightful book, it is also a heartfelt book, a sentimental and nostalgic piece of work that speaks from the heart.
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