Before the early 20th century Central Asia, the Silk Road, Outer Mongolia, and mysterious Tibet were little know to Western minds and mostly 'terra incognita' on a Western map. However, over three decades, Swedish explorer/traveler, Sven Hedin, did more than anyone to bring light to the mystery and splendors of the unknown East. His book 'My Life As An Explorer' describes five major and many minor expeditions he mounted into the Eastern 'terra incognita'.
His book is everything you'd hope for in an adventure memoir. Exotic locales and strange peoples, lost expeditions in the desert, death in the mountains, gun battles with brigands and robber bands, and of course, incredible scenery. 'My Life As An Explorer' was a runaway bestseller around the world in the 1920s. His adventures, his lecture tours, his books all brought Hedin world wide acclaim and recognition. Strangely, one hundred years later and he is barely remembered despite his incredible book.