The Cruel Way

No hiding that I am a bit of a fan of Ella Maillart's writing (and general outlook on life too).
This book takes place just prior to the outbreak of the second World War, and the author and her friend ‘Christina' take the opportunity to leave Switzerland and head, by car no less, for Afghanistan.
‘Christina' gains quotation marks as it is not her real name, and her history (and future) play a large part of this book. Christina is recovering from some time in rehab for a morphine addiction, and in travelling to Afghanistan with her, Maillart takes on an active role in assisting her recovery.

While this is a travel book - and an excellent one too, there is much Maillart shares of her inner trouble in seeing Christina struggle with her demons, and the authors sadness, even despair at her friends problems.

In Christina's new Ford, they forge their way from Switzerland, they deal with various issues and people, all well catalogued by the author - checkpoints and petty officials, bustling cities and bleak wildernesses, and took them all in their stride.

Another of those book which leave you shaking your head at the mess that Afghanistan (and Iran) are in now, and how lucky those before us were to have had the opportunity to have spent time there in the good time.

4 stars.