Tuva or Bust

Tuva or Bust!, by Ralph Leighton, is a book about the author and his friend Richard Feynman's attempt to travel to Tuva.

Related Topics:
Ralph Leighton - Richard Feynman - Tuva

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The introduction explains how Feynman challenged Leighton, at the time a high school geography teacher, 'Whatever happened to Tannu Tuva?' Since Feynman had a reputation as a prankster and had proven himself entirely capable of inventing a fictional country name to counfound friends, Leighton assumed it was made up. In fact, the pair became fascinated with this hard-to-reach destination, at the geographic center of Asia, which had become a republic in the Soviet Union. They made it a goal to travel there, which, for Americans in the late 70s and early 80s, was extremely difficult.

Related Topics:
Geographic center of Asia - Soviet Union

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In many ways, the attempt to travel to Tuva is an allegory for Feynman's perpetual curiosity to discover new things, and how he inspired his friends, admirers and protégés to do the same. During their decade-long quest to travel to Tuva, Feynman was fighting cancer. Feynman succumbed to his cancer shortly before the visas finally arrived. This book describes 'Richard Feynman's last adventure'.

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The book describes the difficulties and various attempts Leighton and Feynman made to obtain permission to travel to Tuva. It also describes the culture, language and history of the place. Included with the book is a small plastic turntable record of Tuvan throat-singing.

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ISBN 0393320693

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