Book set in Kabul, Afghanistan among other places. Reviewed on 2020/06: https://www.instagram.com/p/CBdYK-XgQi5/
“Zum leben gibt es zwei Wege: der eine ist der gewöhnliche, direkte und brave. Der andere ist schlimm, er führt über den Tod, und das ist der geniale Weg. Was suffering something so wonderful that though conditioned by the mind, it miraculously helped to transcend the mind?” While citing #mann , these are the words of #ellakmaillart on her dear friend #annemarieschwarzenbachor Christina, as she calls her. Like #maillart , I came to this book fascinated by the mysterious and tormented #schwarzenbach which I’m planning to read later this year. You can read #thecruelway in a lot of different ways: two Swiss women driving through the #caucusus and #centralasia in the 1930s, or an #anthropological view of this region at the time, or #persia and #afghanistanat the beginning of the 20th century. Personally I think the most dramatic thing happening here is two people relentlessly driving to their own demise. There is no way out and at the same time they can’t stop moving forward. What else can you do when you already know the dramatic end of your story? Schwarzenbach is completely overwhelmed and paralyzed by the events and in her delusional sense, she believes she has a role to play in combating the demons eating up 1930s Europe. Maillart opts for helping her friend and concentrating on the things she can change around her. Their relationship is a #trainwreck waiting to explode and from which neither of them would like to escape. #highlyrecommended #kabul #geneva#swissliterature#universityofchicagopress#jessacrispin #ellamaillart#travelwriting #turkestan
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