Christopher Aslan Alexander worked for 7 years with Operation Mercy, an NGO setting up a carpet workshop in Khiva. Here is his story about his life and work in Uzbekistan, with the odd visit to neighbouring countries in Central Asia.
I thought this book was a wonderful read as it has the magic to take you to a very different world from the comfort of your armchair. I loved how Christopher explained the culture and history of Uzbekistan. He made easy work of informing you about the contrasting cultures alive in Uzbekistan with it’s vibrant mix of politics and religion.
There are lots of great detail within this book, like using dog fat as a popular medicine for flu and onion juice as a common cold cure. Christopher got across the great passions people get from their workplace and explained in ways that are easy to understand, how silk worms produce silk, how carpets are made and how natural dyes can be used.
This book is full of amazing anecdotes about the people Christopher meets along the way. Anecdotes that will make you smile and remember them, about old grannies in a madrassah, toilet paper, bribes, donkeys, Breast feeding, vaksal/Vauxhall station, phone tapping, corruption and workplace fiddles,
His story is told in a light and entertaining way, for example…
Russians joked that if you wanted to see heaven on earth you should watch Uzbek TV - and to see hell on earth, you should actually visit.
...Of course the locals loved their television and became obsessed with a Brazilian Soap Opera. Christopher managed to convey the feel of Uzbekistan and how it is to live and work there. He became an active part of people’s lives in Khiva and was NOT a bystander snapping the odd photo. I loved how he described the nitty gritty of daily life in Uzbekistan and the many challenges he met doing the warp and weft in the carpet workshop.
I thought A Carpet Ride to Khiva was simply a joy to read. I loved the epilogue and the handy glossary at the end. The book seemed very real and I felt as though I had been there too!
It is great when someone tells you about their day job and you hear all the tricks of the trade and the moving trends. After a while you think “this guy loves his job” and so it is with Christopher and his carpet workshop.
I feel that A Carpet Ride to Khiva works really well as a book. It educates, entertains and has the magic to take you into another world without the hassle of accomodation, cost, employment or visas. I have no hesitation in giving this book the top score of 5 stars, even though I can’t get the thought of those poor donkey’s out of my mind.
A Carpet Ride to Khiva is available as an Amazon Kindle eBook and was written in 2010.
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