The travel book Trough Asia was the international breakthrough for Hedin. The Swedish original got translated into nine languages and was globally a very well-received book. With the start of the 20th century, Hedin became a world-famous academic and around the world, countries were proud to welcome him as a guest and listened to his lectures about his travels to the Orient. His acquaintances encompassed all kinds of people from different nationalities, ranging from politicians and royal families to the common people he met during his expeditions. He commanded "a national and international network of contacts that few of his times could match". Hedin was "honorary doctor of ten universities, member of fifteen academies (…), and without doubt the most famous Swede and Asianist of his time". The success of the book Through Asia enabled him to conduct further expeditions such as to Tibet, Mongolia, and India.
