River Dog: A Journey Down the Brahmaputra

by Mark Shand

Book Overview

The Brahmaputra is one of the world's great rivers. Beginning as a tiny glacial stream in Western Tibet it flows through India and Bangladesh before gushing out into the Bay
of Bengal.

Unable to reach the northern part of the river due to Chinese intransigence, Mark Shand nonetheless set out to attempt what no foreigner had ever done: complete the huge journey from the unexplored jungles of the Indo-Tibet border to the largest river...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0349115141
• ISBN13: 9780349115146
• Release Date: May 2003
• Publisher: Abacus (UK)
• Length: 338 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.0" x 7.8"

Customer Reviews

'one man and his dog'

I found 'River Dog' to be a touching moving and at times quite funny travelouge. It could be easily argued that the main focus of the book is not shand himself but rather his adorable companion, bhaiti , the hunting dog. This loveable mutt, which amazingly turns out to be an ancient pedigree breed is initially rescued from the back streets of india and is then launched on an amazing journey with shand both hiking and sailing down the mighty brahmaputra river. The dog repays shand by literally saving him from a horned viper. shand then has an extensive opium fuelled conversation with bhaiti which the author notes, quite rightly, as being....really weird!Shand is an effortless travel writer, transporting your imagination to bamboo forests, sacred mountains and gentle currents with consumate ease. The various characters that he introduces soon feel like your best friends. Gamma the permanently stoned captain of the riverboat is a real stand out, and the entire journey comes across as a boys own adventure. You can actually find yourself reminiscing about the epic trek even though you weren't really there.And finally does anyone know where I can buy one of those indian hunting dogs. I really want one. you will too after you read 'river dog'