One of the most frustrating realities for any Xinjiang enthusiast or activist is the relative obscurity of the province and its Uyghur people. Unlike their Tibetan neighbors to the south, international understanding of Uyghur culture is tainted by the only kind of news that makes it out of the province: bad news.

In February of 1997, a deadly protest known as the “Ghulja Incident” shook the core of a small city in China’s western province of Xinjiang. Depending on who you ask, this incident has been described as a peaceful demonstration, an act of terrorism, or a massacre. To this day, the truth behind these mysterious events remains largely unknown.

Two Finnish travelers. Two epic journeys. One, same-old China. The Horse That Leaps Through Clouds is a beautiful account of China’s past, present and future. By Eric Enno Tamm.

Book review: From Mark Vranicar, US expat who spent over three years living and traveling in China (and Xinjiang), comes a photography book you won’t want to miss.

What do you have to show for your time in China? Personally I came back home with way too many pictures, some fake name-brand clothing and a couple “token” souvenirs like a fan, an ink painting or a deck of Mao Zedong playing cards (was that just me??). There is, however, one thing I think everybody leaves China with…

There are quite a number of people, especially those with political agendas, who claim an intimate understanding of the region’s history, but very few would be qualified to compile it into a book. Thankfully the author of Eurasian Crossroads is not only qualified, he also brings to the table a very objective and apolitical view of Xinjiang.

Hold on. Is that a book about Xinjiang…published by Reader’s Digest? Those were my first skeptical thoughts while picking up ‘Wonderful Xinjiang’, especially considering its author. The Han Chinese, especially those who have served as part of the Chinese government, are not well-known for their objectivity.

More than four years before the deadly riots in Urumqi, an American named Blaine Kaltman working on his PhD thesis, traveled all over China interviewing Uyghur and Han alike to find out the answer to one simple question: are you guys ever going to get along?

The Silk Road has become to Xinjiang as the Great Wall is to China. The first foreigners to cross this important set of trade routes were kindly referred to as merchants but around the turn of the century another group of foreigners would step foot here and be labeled devils.

If you’re even the slightest bit interested in Xinjiang’s history or the plight of the Uyghurs, this book is a must-read. Although many readers might be scared off by its incredibly detailed research and lengthy annotation section, Tyler’s work reads more like a novel than a history book. Warlords, concubines, explorers and…