My first pulp history essay, Avventurieri sul Crocevia del Mondo (Adventurers on the Crossroads of the World) hit the shelves of Amazon almost exactly two years ago.
The collection of characters and events from the Silk Road between the wars was highly successful and spawned two subsequent books, and a number of other events – lectures, games, whatever.

Now it’s high time the old Crocevia got a facelift, an update and a Second Edition.

I got a lot of feedback on the book, and I noted each constructive observation.
Now it’s time to put the good advice in practice.
And get a new cover.

It was also often suggested to me that an English-language edition might be of interest.
So far, I’ve been wary of such a project.
First, of course, because I’m lazy – and translating the 42.000 words of the book would be a lot of work.
And, second, readers that have easy access to the works of Peter Hopkirk, Colin Thubron and all the old writers – Owen Lattimore, Peter Fleming, Roy Chapman Andrews, Sven Hedin…
Why read me, when such giants are easily obtained?

But anyway – while I crack open my old book, deciding how to arrange the contents, what to cut or rewrite, where to slip in a new chapter etc., I will also translate/adapt a portion, and publish the best morsels, in English, here on Karavansara.
Nothing would be more on topic, and it would be a nice exercise.

Watch this space – we start early in September.
While you wait, enjoy the Pinterest pinboard I put together for the book, two years ago…