“Entertaining…[Mathews writes] with eloquence and clarity…along the way [he] revels in providing gems of information that few will know”

-Peter Frankopan, The Financial Times

“Mathews expertly guides the reader through not only the sights and smells of the region, but its political and cultural layers…What travel writing is supposed to do”

-Robert Kaplan, author of Balkan Ghosts, The Loom of Time, Adriatic

“A sweeping, historically rich and provocative book”

-David Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker

“Mathews does travel writing reportage very well”

-Asian Review of Books