“A cross between a foreign legion boot-camp and a secret-society initiation ritual, the ordeals were grounded in pain. One thing was obvious: the agenda, which was dedicated to grave discomfort, had been drawn up by a passionate sadist.”

British author, journalist and documentary maker

Tahir Shah is a British author, journalist, and documentary maker of Afghan-Indian descent. He is known for writing across travel, memoir, and cultural observation, drawing on his background and wide-ranging experiences. His work often explores place, identity, and the meeting of different traditions. As a journalist and filmmaker as well as an author, he has built a varied body of work, and his writing is associated with curiosity about people, landscapes, and the worlds they inhabit.