The Amur River
Between Russia and China
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The Amur River
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Narrated by:
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Jonathan Keeble
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By:
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Colin Thubron
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
Shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of the Year 2021
A dramatic and ambitious new journey for our greatest travel writer
The Amur River is almost unknown. Yet it is the 10th longest river in the world, rising in the Mongolian mountains and flowing through Siberia to the Pacific. For 1,100 miles, it forms the tense border between Russia and China. Haunted by the memory of land-grabs and unequal treaties, this is the most densely fortified frontier on Earth.
In his 80th year, Colin Thubron takes a dramatic journey from the Amur's secret source to its giant mouth, covering almost 3,000 miles. Harassed by injury and by arrest from the local police, he makes his way along both the Russian and Chinese shores, starting out by Mongolian horse, then hitchhiking, sailing on poacher's sloops or travelling the Trans-Siberian Express. Having revived his Russian and Mandarin, he talks to everyone he meets, from Chinese traders to Russian fishermen, from monks to indigenous peoples. By the time he reaches the river's desolate end, where Russia's 19th-century imperial dream petered out, a whole pivotal world has come alive.
The Amur River is a shining masterpiece by the acknowledged laureate of travel writing, an urgent lesson in history and the culmination of an astonishing career.
©2021 Colin Thubron (P)2021 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
What listeners say about The Amur River
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- ABullen
- 26-12-22
Incredible
An absolute must listen. Colin opens the world up for his listeners. Loved it.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 12-01-24
wonderful modern and real adventure in an underrated region
sometimes the transitions between locations felt too abrupt but was still easy to follow along
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Little Chandler
- 19-06-24
superb
a fascinating journey brilliantly and movingly told by a grand master of the travel narrative
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Mira
- 02-09-22
A traveller tale.
As always, Colin Thubron's wonderfully descriptive prose conjures vivid images in the imagination as he leads us through another tale of his travels. Beautifully brought to life by Jonathon Keeble.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
- bdbtbb
- 09-01-22
Brilliant, but use google earth to follow along
An amazing travel book. Following along using Google Earth on my pc while listening really enhanced my enjoyment of the book. Jonathon Keeble (the reader) has done a lot of audiobooks I think, in any case I found his voice a bit too familiar, but within minutes I was lost in the magic of the book, and Mr Keeble's reading is extremely good.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Zazafraz
- 10-11-23
A nomad of stories.
Like with all the books of Colin I’ve read, its a man passing through, making constant connections and winning the hearts of everyone he meets. Feels unbiased, warm, and intimate. He writes honestly about what he sees, their story, who he meets, but always with a pinch of affection. You feel like you are there with him, and the annoying, condescending, or even plain stupid people he meets, ends up like old friends. He is honest about his own shortcomings and fears, and he is like an old friend to all who listens to his tales.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Aucher
- 05-12-22
A wonderful wander
I do much enjoyed this book. I knew little about this river and this part of the world. Without it being imposed on you, you get perspectives on communism, socialism, militarism and many more isms, but the best aspect is the people and how they cope in their environment. Follow the story on the map, and be reminded how enormous these countries area, where they are adjacent to, and how much geo-politics is the basis of pretty much everything. I’d love to meet the author as he comes over as a really interesting fellow. Stuart
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- enquirer
- 24-02-23
This book will divide opinion
If I had picked out the Amur River in a bookshop I would have dipped into its pages at various points & I would have not have bought it. I have read numerous travel books & spent 20 years travelling in the world in retirement & this did not excite me. The prose is ponderous & at times indulges in tortured sentences & unhelpful stilted adjectives. I found it unsuitable as an audio book. it was well read, clear & at the right pace, but the nature of the book, without much animation, means the narrative became dull & monotonous. The beginning & end are more interesting but I found the middle a slog.It is also a big handicap not to be able to consult a map unless constantly referring to Google.
Much depends on taste..my husband would give the book more credit. and marvelled how a man 6 months older than us managed such a journey. Top marks to Colin Thubron for that!!
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