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Dateline Mongolia: An American Journalist in Nomad's Land | 
 enlarge | Author: Michael Kohn
Publisher: RDR Books
Category: Book
List Price: $17.95
Buy New: $9.25
You Save: $8.70 (48%)
New (23) Used (9) from $6.69
Avg. Customer Rating:  7 reviews
Sales Rank: 200696
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 345
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.1
ISBN: 1571431551
Dewey Decimal Number: 910
EAN: 9781571431554
ASIN: 1571431551
Publication Date: October 1, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: This trade paperback is NEW, fresh from the publisher. MAY show a hint of scuff/wear from storage in our warehouse. Ships with shipping confirmation at no added cost to you.
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Product Description
Michael Kohn, editor of the Mongol Messenger, is one steppe ahead of the journalistic posse in this epic Western set in the Far East. Kohns book is an irresistible account of a nation where falcon poachers, cattle rustlers, exiled Buddhist leaders, death-defying child jockeys and political assassins vie for page one. The turf war between lamas, shamans, Mormon elders and ministers provides the spiritual backdrop in this nation recently liberated from Soviet orthodoxy. From the reincarnated Bogd Khaan and his press spokesman to vodka-fueled racing entrepreneurs and political leaders unclear on the concept of freedom of the press, Kohn explores one of Asias most fascinating, mysterious and misunderstood lands.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 2 more reviews...
 An excellent read May 9, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I thought the most hostile review of this book was unreasonable. I worked in Mongolia for several years and found plenty in it that I had not known before. It doesn't set out to be comprehensive and it isn't -it's weak on matters nomadic - but it is both informative and entertaining. I would certainly recommend it.
 A poor travel book with outdated mentality December 31, 2007
2 out of 10 found this review helpful
As a reader who spends most of his time in Asia and who visited Mongolia a few times, I agree that what the author has written is mostly true--only on the surface. So I am not surprised that other Western readers who never had a chance to be in Mongolia or Asia would think the book highly. However, if you are a reader who reads it closely based on abundant knowledge of Asia and world politics, you will find that the book is simply inferior graffiti that midleads western readers.
One of the things I feel especially absurd was the author's frequent use of "Red China", "Communist China" to refer to this big neighbor of Mongolia. The author is either a fool who does not really know what he is talking about or he is deliberately cheating his English readers. The Cold War was over almost two decades ago. China is a capitalist country except that it is a one-party state whose political power happened to be monopolied by a party that still calls itself "Communist Party." There are also a long list of other common-sense mistakes or purposeful distortions in this book about Mongolia or world politics that I want to spare my time to point out one by one here.
If the author wants to write more about Asia or any book about international politics, I seriously suggest that he reads more books before he picks up his pen or turns on his computer. He can help protect the natural environment by not wasting the precious paper on his ugly graffiti. He can even make a greater contribution to a healthy and clean publication environment by not producing misleading, highly prejudiced or cheating rubbish. I thank the author for doing these!
 A very good read whether you plan to travel to Mongolia or not July 1, 2007
A most fascinating journey into the otherwise mysterious world of Mongolia. Kohn has a keen sense of the land, the history, and the people and is able to convey it to readers in a way that is at some points heart-breaking and at others inspirational; all the time being engaging, humorous when appropriate, and tremendously insightful.
A blend of travelogue and cultural understanding April 19, 2007
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Any reader looking for a blend of travelogue and cultural understanding will find Dateline Mongolia: An American Journalist in Nomad's Land fits the bill. It tells of the author's journeys through Mongolia and its cultural milieu, from turf wars between lamas and shamans to falcon poachers and exiled Buddhist leaders and child jockeys. His first-person encounters with the peoples of Mongolia bring to life the nation's peoples and culture like no other: any general lending collection strong in travel and cultural exploration - particular Asian cultures - will want this.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
A fascinating insight into a very different place March 28, 2007
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I was sent this book to read and started it in earnest, having not read much travel literature before. I enjoyed it from start to finish. Michael Kohn adopts a very conversational style to tell his story and each episode is told well. He illustrates all the people he met with such detail that by the end you feel you know them and I was heartened to read that he married one of his friends whom he met out there.
Michael tells the story of Mongolia from the cities to the steppes and includes some interesting insights into its political history including its sometimes painful transition from Soviet Communism to a free-market economy. In this reviewer's opinion it made that transition quite well with little of the corruption of the ex-Soviet states to the West.
In short this book brought a whole culture and country to my attention which I had never thought existed; believing as I did that Mongolia was much like an outpost of China. For seasoned travellers and armchair enthusiasts alike, this book will interest you.
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