Ultimate Journey - (Vintage Departures) by Richard Bernstein (Paperback)

About the Book

"Time" magazine's first Beijing bureau chief, who is also currently a "New York Times" book critic, has written a moving and original account of a journey that is as much a spiritual and intellectual odyssey as it is a physical one. "Ultimate Journey" is a fascinating juxtaposition of a quest, a marvelous travelogue that is an inspiring mix of history, memoir, cultural critique, and spiritual meditation.

Book Synopsis

In 629, the revered Buddhist monk Hsuan Tsang set out across Asia in search of the Ultimate Truth, and to settle what he called "the perplexities of my mind." From the Tang dynasty capital at Xian through ancient Silk Road oases, over forbidding mountain passes to Tashkent, Samarkand, and the Amu-Darya River, across Pakistan to the holiest cities of India-and back again-his sixteen-year journey was beset with every hardship imaginable. Pilgrimage complete, Hsuan Tsang wrote an account of his trek that is still considered one of the classics of Chinese literature.

In 1998, Richard Bernstein, venerated journalist and Time magazine's first Beijing bureau chief, retraced the steps of Hsuan Tsang's long and sinuous route, comparing present and past. Aided by modern technology but hampered by language barriers, harried border crossings, hostile Islamic regimes, and the accidental U.S. bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, Bernstein follows the monk's path not only in physical but in contemplative ways. Juxtaposing his own experiences with those of Hsuan Tsang, Bernstein has crafted a vivid account of two stirring adventures in pursuit of illumination. Inspiring and profoundly felt, Ultimate Journey is a marvelous amalgamation of travelogue and history, cultural critique and spiritual meditation.

Review Quotes

"Wonderful.... Deserves to become a classic in its own right."-The New York Times Book Review

"Bernstein has the ability with his lucid, penetrating prose to connect the distant past to the way we live today."-Gay Talese

"An engaging read, a trek that rewards with its richly tapestried background and its refreshing pauses for thoughtful historical and aesthetic insight."-Los Angeles Times

"Ultimate Journey tells many tales at once, each with admirable skill. . . . There is much to ponder in the words written on the pages of this book." --The New York Times Book Review

About the Author

Richard Bernstein lives in New York City.