For seventy years Mongolia was all but closed to the west - a forbidden country, shrouded in darkness. Jasper Becker was one of the first westerners to cross the border when Communism disintegrated. Tracing the course of the Yellow River, he ventured deep into the heart of Mongolia, witnessing the birth of one of the world's youngest democracies as well as the deep and tragic impact of the rules of Mao and Stalin on the Mongolian people. Listening to the pulse of Central Asian history, Becker adorns his narrative with stories of past travellers, tyrannical rulers, nomads, monks, missionaries, Russian officials, Mongolian activists and the memories of everyday people. He paints a moving and enlightening portrait of a country that against all the odds has survived since the days of Genghis Khan and continues to beat to its own rhythm.