The Back Blocks of China

Logan Jack, an Australian geologist with a keen eye for cultural detail, was stuck. He was in western China in 1900 and the Boxer Rebellion was ripping the country apart, with foreigners like himself being targeted for death. He fled from Sichuan Province and headed southwest to Burma through territory never before traversed by Europeans, and his account of the journey, including descriptions of local tribes and cultures clearly feeling pressure from expanding Chinese authority, is unique and engaging with huge historical value. Jack tells the story of his two-month trek with great flair and an eye for humor, and this memoir is one of the best examples of early 20th Century travel writing.