Escape to adventure.

This book was originally published under the title Eastern Approaches. The author is regarded by some as one of the inspirations for James Bond 007. The book is divided into three parts: the first covers Maclean's time as a career diplomat in the Soviet Union from 1937 to 1939. He was determined to see as much of the Silk Road as possible and, despite attempts to restrict his movements, he travelled widely visiting the Caucasus, Samarkand, Chinese Turkestan, Bukhara and Kabul. At the start of the Second World War, by a circuitous route, he joined the Army as a private soldier. Via personal connections he joined the SAS in the North African campaign. His time in Africa and the Middle East forms the second part of the book. The third part of the book covers his time in the Balkan war. Maclean was parachuted into Yugoslavia at Churchill's request to work with Tito and the partisans. The book ends in 1945 after the liberation of Belgrade and the establishment of the interim government between the Royal Yugoslav government in exile and Tito's partisans. The book has a few black and white photographs and maps of Central Asia and Yugoslavia on the endpapers.