From Venice to Pelping across high Asia, an adventurous American couple follows a dangerous trail seven centuries old. "Franc and Jean Shor are the most widely traveled American couple on the world scene. They have gone to the farthest reaches, to the bleak places few have ever seen. They are warm-hearted, hospitable people, and keen observers, with great perception and understanding. "It's an exciting and absorbing adventure story that Jean Shor tells. It has a gay and humorous side; and a grim and near tragic one too. She and Franc follow Marco Polo by car, by horse and yak, and on foot over the top of the Pamirs of Central Asia, through heat and freezing cold. She has also followed Marco Polo's example by giving a faithful account of the people of the various regions--their customs, institutions, habits, diet, dress, dances, and religion. "This is the best travelogue I know. It takes one where only a handful from the West have ever gone. The account is on par with Marco Polo's great classic. And it has more warmth and meaning, because it is rich in the details that only an understanding woman can contribute."--WILLIAM O. DOUGLAS, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court and author of Beyond the High Himalayas, etc.