itectureofUlaanbaatarwithreferencetohowthecityevolvedfromamonasticsettlementtoacommunist-inspiredcapitalandfinallytoamajorcityoffree-wheelingcapitalismandTammanyHallpolitics.Thesecondsectionofthebookoffersthereaderatourofdifferentsiteswithinthecityandbeyond,bringingbacktolifethehumandramasthathaveplayedthemselvesoutonthestageofUlaanbaatar.
Wheremostguidebooksoftenlightlydiscussthecapital,UlaanbaatarbeyondWaterandGrass:AGuidetotheCapitalofMongoliarevealsmuchthatremainshiddenfromthetemporaryvisitorandevenfromthelong-termresident.Writinginaquirky,idiosyncraticstyle,theauthorshareshisappreciationanddelightinthisuniqueurbansetting—indeed,inallthingsMongolian.ThebookfinallydoesjusticetooneofthemostneglectedculturalcapitalsinAsia.
