The Dreamed Empire: A Great Central Asia

The author, a specialist in the Middle East and Central Asia, has been associated with the English "Times" for 19 years. He travelled through Central Asia and made in-depth studies of the history of Chinese and Russian Turkestan. Here he discusses the political relations in an area where Chinese, Russian and English interests clashed. He draws attention to the espionage activities of the adventurous English colonel Bailey, the struggle of the Russian baron Ungern-Sternberg and the Turkish general Enver Pasha against the young Soviet regime in Central Asia. He also describes in a compelling way the gruesome uprising of the Mohammedan followers of Ma Chung-jin against the Chinese authorities in Sinkiang in the thirties. The book can be read as an adventure novel. Hopkirk has consulted all kinds of historical sources, including reports from the English secret service. Little has been published in Dutch about the history of Turkestan (Sinhiang). Hopkirk's previous publications are not mentioned anywhere in the book. "Trespassers on the roof of the world" (1985) and "Foreign devils on the silk road" (1984).