Arminius Vambery in early youth developed an interest in the languages of Europe and Asia, and later he got involved with the reciprocal relations of languages. He went to Constantinople, and his stay in Turkish houses and frequent visits to Islamic Schools transformed him into a Turk-an Efendi. He travelled further East, covering the whole of Central Asia.

The book gives a description of the author's journey from Teheran, to notices concerning the geography, statistics, politics, and social relations of Central Asia. Originally published in 1864, has now been reissued in the interest of students and scholars alike.