Chasing the Sea : Lost Among the Ghosts of Empire in Central Asia

by Tom Bissell

Release Date: 12 October, 2004

Edition: Paperback

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Don't be confused by some of these reviews

as I was initially. I don't know where these negative reviews are coming from. Those people must've read a different book than me. I found out about "Chasing the Sea" from Mr. Bissell's bio in "The Believer" (he's an almost-regular contributor) and can say that his book contains some of the most beautiful, thoughtful, and insightful writing I've read in a long time, on any subject. And to know that it all came from an American writer, living in my time, who is roughly the same age as I am, gives me hope that good, honest writing, devoid of the concerns of any kind of "school" or "group" is still alive and thriving in our country today.

I didn't know anything about Uzbekistan, and, to be honest, I wasn't really that interested in the subject when I started reading, but I was sucked into this book from the very first page. All good writing does that, concerns itself with language and trusts the reader. Mr. Bissell can be funny at times and heartbreaking at others. He mixes the highbrow and the lowbrow together (as all great literature should) and gives the reader what every writer should: a further connection with humanity.

Lowdown and Highdown

What the holy moly is it with this book? A bunch of one-stars, and bunch of five-stars, and not much in between. I have a theory (I just read it). Here's that theory: This is a book that takes its time to do what it does, and it doesn't care to obey the accepted rules of nonfiction. I think Mr. Bissell, the author, very self-consciously tried to write a piece of Literature. I also think he cares more about the writing than the politics or journalysis. And you are either down with that or you're not. You either like the writing or you don't. Plenty of people are turned off by Art and Literature, and here's a tome about a current-eventsy part of the world that has had little recent Art about it. Confusion! (maybe). I happened to really love Chasing the Sea, but what I'm saying is that I sort of see why a certain sort of person wouldn't. I don't think Bissell is a racist or white supremecist, though, as one reviewer does. That's kooky. All Peace Corps volunteers will love it, though, as will fans of Theroux or Matthieson.