Synopses & Reviews
In 1996, Tom Bissell went to Uzbekistan as a na•ve Peace Corps volunteer. Though he lasted only a few months before illness and personal crisis forced him home, Bissell found himself entranced by this remote land. Five years later he returned to explore the shrinking Aral Sea, destroyed by Soviet irrigation policies. Joining up with an exuberant translator named Rustam, Bissell slips more than once through the clutches of the Uzbek police as he makes his often wild way to the devastated sea.
In Chasing the Sea, Bissell combines the story of his travels with a beguiling chronicle of Uzbekistan’s striking culture and long history of violent subjugation by despots from Jenghiz Khan to Joseph Stalin. Alternately amusing and sobering, this is a gripping portrait of a fascinating place, and the debut of a singularly gifted young writer.
Review:
“[Bissell] displays an impressive knowledge of the history of the region . . . Brilliantly written and incisive.” –Richmond Times-Dispatch
Review:
“The humor and poignancy in this blend of memoir, reportage and history mark the author as a front-runner in the next generation of travel writers.” —
Publishers WeeklyReview:
“The narrative is propelled by a strong literary sensibility and Bissell’s droll, self-deprecating humor. . . . A splendid debut.” –
Boston GlobeReview:
“A subtly amusing narrative. . . . Bissell is young; his first book proclaims that he’s a writer to watch.”National Geographic Adventure
Review:
“A bravura exploration of the Aral Sea's dusty remains.” –Men's Journal
Review:
“Arresting . . .anything but dry history. . . . Bissell proves himself an apt ecologist, memoirist and historian, bringing readers on a memorable, and even joyous, ride.” –The Journal News
Review:
“A beguiling debut.” –Esquire
Review:
“An ambitious work. . . . An informed, subtle, and humorous take on a country that for decades has been relegated to the back pages of history.” –
The Moscow TimesReview:
“An intriguing look at a region that has long been under the heel of tyrants, from Genghis Khan to Joseph Stalin. . . . A marvelous book that reads like an adventure novel.” –Toronto Sun
Review:
“Startlingly clever . . . Bissell pulls his reader into the world of Uzbekistan and never completely lets go. In the end, we are left feeling the persistent tug of a tell-tale phantom limb.” –Daily Michigan
About the Author
Tom Bissell was born in Escanaba, Michigan, in 1974. After his stint in the Peace Corps he worked for several years in book publishing in New York City. His criticism, fiction, and journalism have appeared in publications including Harper's Magazine, The Virginia Quarterly Review, GQ, Granta, McSweeney's, The Boston Review, The Believer, Best American Travel Writing 2003, and other publications. He has been nominated for several awards and not received any of them. He lives in New York City.
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