Tuva or Bust! Richard Feynman's Last Journey

by Ralph Leighton

Release Date: 15 May, 2000

Edition: Paperback

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Extremely pleasant and informative book on lost land of Tuva

When I was a kid in the 1950s I collected stamps and had quite a few from a mysterious little land called "Tannu Tuva". It always intrigued me because though I could find it on the old globe we had at home (made before the USSR swallowed the unfortunate Tuvans in 1944)I never heard the slightest news from there, nor did I ever hear of anyone going or coming from that little red country sandwiched between the yellow Soviet Union and green Mongolia. Time passed. A lot of time. Fast forward in fact, forty years. One day I saw a new book advertised--TUVA OR BUST. I could scarcely believe that somebody else in America remembered that hapless little country that once issued diamond and triangle stamps with yaks, camels, archers, and horsemen on them. Yet, they had it at our local bookstore. I bought it and read it as soon as I got home. What a treat ! I had never heard of Richard Feynman, not being a physics aficionado, but he turned out to be a great character. I enjoyed reading about his years-long efforts with Ralph Leighton to get to Tuva. They went through all kinds of trouble and interesting side voyages. I strongly recommend that you read this book. For me, reading the book was only a beginning. I listened to the plastic disc of Tuvan throat singing that came with the book, and subsequently bought tapes and attended Tuvan concerts by the group Huun Huur Tu in Boston. I also became a "Friend of Tuva". You can find their website on the net. I still drive around with my 'Tuva or Bust' bumper sticker. All of this stemmed from reading this delightful book on a faraway, unknown country and two people's adventures trying to get there. A very pleasurable experience.

Not the best one about Feynman, but "Disappointing"? NO!

I have to strongly disagree with the person below who found the book dissapointing. Sure: it's not exclusively centered in Feynman, but more around his struggle to make it to this faraway, almost concealed land of Tuva, between Russia and Mongolia.

It's about a man's dream and struggle to make it come true. All the books you'll find touching Feynman in one way or another come down to one thing: the meaning of life, what it is to live and fight through life, while having fun at the same time.

I DO recommend this book: it is filled with adventure and shows a lot of Feynman's innate curiosity (in an almost childish way, which is good!) and perseverance (an incredible trait which most of us have a lot to learn from). If you want to learn more about Feynman's character and uncover the most unexpected anecdotes surrounding this Nobel Prize winner, check out these two other:
-'Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!' : Adventures of a Curious Character, and
-What Do You Care What Other People Think?: Further Adventures of a Curious Character.

Enjoy the trip!