Book Description
Hike in the stunning Caucasus Mountains, bathe in the Black Sea, explore lush, church-studded hills, laze on the shores of Lake Sevan and enjoy generous local hospitality. Connect with the diverse cultures and wide-ranging landscapes of the South Caucasus in this, the only guide to cover the region.
• UNRAVEL THE PAST - extensive coverage of the region's fascinating history and mosaic of cultures • PLAN YOUR ROUTE with the help of tempting highlights and itineraries and over 40 detailed maps • SLEEP SOUNDLY - wide-ranging listings from welcoming homestays to Soviet sanatoriums • ENJOY fine wines from Georgia and tasty Armenian cognac with our enticing food & drink sections • TALK THE TALK - impress the locals in all three languages using our expert guide
Customer Reviews:
Not perfect, but as good as it gets.......2007-08-28
Writing a guide book for these countries is not an easy job. In this book, information is good and extensive, but don't rely on it as your bible. Maps are not up-to-date, and this might be its biggest weakness; however, you might not find other maps anywhere in the Caucasus which are better, so get this book and use it on the way. You might want to notice that this book is ILLEGAL in Azerbaijan because of pro-Armenia information about Karabakh. At least when crossing by land, the custom control at the border will ask you which books you are bringing in. This is how I lost my book before I even got to use it in the country. But then again, don't blame Lonely Planet, blame the dictatorship.
use it as a very general guide.......2007-06-13
I only used this book for Georgia, but it got so much wrong---including maps!--that it was almost useless.
It was good, however, for a general overview of the history and culture, and what's where. It was also used frequently to try to find the right 'mashtruka' when traveling, since routes are written in Georgian, and I could show the Georgian name to drivers to see if I was in the right van going to the right place.
Let's hope that this book is either updated soon, or a competitor decides to publish a guide to this intriguing part of the planet.
Very Useful ..........2006-07-19
The Caucasian countries probably constitute the last bastion of the enigmatic destinations in the world and are shrouded in rumors & unclear doubts. The time trusted Lonely Planet is your only hope and probably the only guide that'll help you plan and execute your trip. I recently came back from a short trip to Georgia and found the information remarkably accurate and undoubtedly useful. It'll serve as your lifeline whilst in the Caucasus.
I've seen some dismal review comments and whilst I respect other people's opinions, I cannot help wonder what (else) were travelers expecting? A street-by-street guide with illustrated pictures will take away all the enigmatic charm and adventure that the Caucasian countries have to offer. A trip that is planned to perfection is usually not much fun. However, the hospitality of the wonderful people and the overwhelming beauty of the country will supersede your dependence on the guide.
Good book, but...........2004-10-30
I used the guidebook in all 3 countries within one month of its publication, and found it to be accurate for the most part. However, the authors seemed to be under orders to write glowing reports on anything considered mildly worthwhile to visit. Many of these places were not particularly noteworthy, and after awhile we took each raving description with a grain of salt. For some of the most spectacular sites (Davit Gareja and Kazbegi, both in Georgia) the book really should have included maps. The descriptions of both struck me as being second or third hand, as if the authors themselves had not taken any of the trails they described.
slightly better than the last book.......2004-08-05
I had been anticipating the new LP guide for Armenia for quite awhile. I must admit
that when I finally got it I was disappointed. It is better than the last one, but that's not saying much. The information is OK, but not extensive. There are barely any photos, so you don't really get a good feel for any of the places. The maps are so small that you need a magnifying glass to read them. And, the 6 pages dedicated
to Karabagh just doesn't cut it!
Customer Reviews:
Fascinating.......2007-05-15
Reading this book while visiting a friend in Azerbaijan, I could not put it down. The incredible history of this small country and the current issues both told in a very entertaining narrative that can't be found anywhere else.
A solid historic book.......2006-05-05
This is one of the rare historic books reflecting the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict from both sides. It is reach in historic and political facts, and also reflects the author's own eyewitness of the war.
Also in this book, Mr. Goltz makes it clear in the book his unfriendly relations with Azerbaijani government, and criticizes the structure of the gorevnment, and it's adiministration which lead to series of strategic mistakes.
A must read on Azerbaijan.......2006-02-15
Thomas Goltz's book on Azerbaijan is unique, for many reasons. First, he was among the few western journalists to be and actually live in the Caucasus when hell broke loose in the conflicts of the region. Secondly, He speaks the language, bringing him across cultural barriers that even Russian-speakers encounter though they seldom know they do in the non-Russian partso the former USSR. Third, Goltz has a smell for the events of the country and understands the backdoor politics.
In the final analysis, no serious book on Azerbaijan has been written since Goltz published Azerbaijan Diary. This is sad, since his book mainly covers the transition from communism over the brief popular front period into the Aliyev era - and a lot has happened since.
Historians may come around to write books on this period. But no book is likely to be published on this era that physically makes you feel you were there both, when the Popular Front took over power in parliament; or when rockets came crushing down on Azeri positions in Karabakh.
Great book on caucasus region .......2006-01-21
This a a great source of informaiton for those who are interested to learn more about Azzerbaijan and it's relations with the neighbouring countries.
Strongly recommended!.......2006-01-21
It's a great book about Azerbaijan and it's history. Very comprehencive review, great illustrations. Definitely recommended.
Book Description
View the
Table of Contents. Read the
Introduction.
Choice Outstanding Academic Title 2003
"Brilliant."
—Time
"Admirable, rigorous. De Waal [is] a wise and patient reporter."
—The New York Review of Books
"Never have all the twists and turns, sad carnage, and bullheadedness on all sides been better described-or, indeed, better explained . . . Offers a deeper and more compelling account of the conflict than anyone before."
—Foreign Affairs
"This book is a major milestone in the Western scholarship on Karabakh."
—Armenian Freedom Network
"This book is helpful because in order to craft a final resolution to the conflict, one must understand what events transpired in the first place. De Waal's book significantly contributes to this purpose and establishes itself as one of the standard works for understanding this conflict."
—Parameters"Some of the most illuminating - and alarming - reading in de Waal's book includes the battle of historians and writers on both sides. They fire polemical missiles at each other through bscure history and literary journals, denigrating and, in some cases, obliterating the history and identity of the other side."
—Eurasianet
"Only rarely does a university press publish such a gripping, poignant book as this. . . . This is an impressive work of careful scholarship and vivid writing."
—Choice
"De Waal is cautious, meticulous and even-handed, and the breadth of his research is remarkable. He shows real affection for the ordinary people on both sides, and restraint in dealing with the self-serving politicians and field commanders in both Armenia and Azerbaijan who used Karabakh for their own political and pesonal ends."
—Time (Europe)
Black Garden is the definitive study of how Armenia and Azerbaijan, two southern Soviet republics, got sucked into a conflict that helped bring them to independence, bringing to an end the Soviet Union, and plaguing a region of great strategic importance. It cuts between a careful reconstruction of the history of Nagorny Karabakh conflict since 1988 and on-the-spot reporting on its convoluted aftermath.
Part contemporary history, part travel book, part political analysis, the book is based on six months traveling through the south Caucasus, more than 120 original interviews in the region, Moscow, and Washington, and unique primary sources, such as Politburo archives.
The historical chapters trace how the conflict lay unresolved in the Soviet era; how Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders exacerbated it; how the Politiburo failed to cope with the crisis; how the war began and ended; how the international community failed to sort out the conflict.
What emerges is a complex and subtle portrait of a beautiful and fascinating region, blighted by historical prejudice and conflict.
Customer Reviews:
Good book to inform but stumbles from an intricate balancing act.......2006-04-16
Thomas De Waal's book "Black Garden" is one of the first publications that has been a written by an unbiased source on the Armenian-Azeri, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that began in the latter of half of the 20th century, just as the Soviet Union gave way to form 15 independent republics. In the ensuing introduction of perestroika and glasnost by Mikhail Gorbachev from 1985 onwards, Armenians decided to take advantage and push and take back Karabakh, peacefully at first and violently when war crept forward from the horizon. De Waal does an interesting job in interviewing both Armenian and Azeri officials and those who (mis)lead their respective countries. The Azerbaijani government's numerous coups severly hindered their efforts to focus on the region, rather than the country as a whole. De Waal also dwells into the beginnings and history of the region and consequently debunks myths that were propagated by both sides.
However, it is in this where his book is mired with frustration and displaced onto the reader, a key factor of De Waal's undoing. He unfortunately concentrates too much of his time giving both sides 50-50 air time to explore controverserial issues. For example, when speaking about the 1915 Armenian Genocide and sympathizing for the victims and attending the march in Yerevan, De Waal brings up the recent Azeris' new claims that a genocide had been perpetrated against them by Armenians; giving equality for both without elaborating enough that the Azeris' claims are largely unfounded. He also makes unconvincingly generaliztions: he states that during the Karabakh protests outside Yerevan in February 1988, some Armenians didn't even know where the region was and had simply decided to skip work that day. He also has reluctance to condemn either side of wrongdoing. Near the end of his book, he states that Armenians felt the issue began in Sumgait, Azerbaijan (the site of a brutal pogrom of Armenians by Azeris) while the Azeris said it began in Khojaly in 1992 (the site of an alleged mass murder of Azeris by Armenian armed forces) and finally, leaves the reader hanging on on the edge of a cliff, not dwelling or at the very least expressing his opinion on it; a habit that is otherwise prevalent in his book. Some of the sources he uses are also rather unreliable, whether they come from interviews by former Armenian, Russian, or Azeri leaders or from writers who had slant towards either side (Andrei Sakharov, Thomas Goltz). His book also substantially covers many pages of Karabakh's history. From the reign of the Armenian Meliks (princes) in the 12-13th centuries who governed Karabakh to the protests in Yerevan and Baku (Armenia and Azerbaijan's capitals, respectfully) in 1988 to the peace talks in Key West, Florida in the summer of 2001.
Another shortcoming is in De Waal's subtle yet central theme, in that of his constant promulgation that Armenians and Azeris are largely alike and had a good relationship with each other until the conflict began in 1988. I lived in Armenia and have spoken to many Armenians and for the most part, Armenians did not have any extraordinary friendships with them. Perhaps this is true in Baku, Karabakh, or Sumgait but I felt that De Waal inflated this claim in an appreciated effort to mollify both sides in seeking a peaceful solution to the conflict. De Waal makes little effort to emphasize of how a brutally dishonest and racist campaign is undertaken by the Azeri government to this day to smear and criticze Armenians; going so far as equate them to the Nazis and even discredit the history of their existance. His analogies are also lopsided; he rightly castigates the work of the Azeri "historian" Ziya Buniatov for blatant academic dishonesty but then compares his actions to the Glasnost-era Armenian writer Zori Balayan who correctly asserted that Azeris had Turkic heritage. Later on in the book, while he again criticizes the harsh rule Armenians lived under the Azeris, he quickly goes on and (inaccurately) condemns Armenians for enacting the same brutal deeds during the 20th century against the Azeris. Perhaps the most contemptible and unconvincing example that he uses is in the end chapter of the book. De Waal praises the famous 18th century Armenian poet Sayat Nova who supposedly overcame the divide and made peace between not only the Armenians and Azeris, but also the Caucasian Georgians. De Waal admonishes both sides for not taking Nova's example but leaves out the brutal circumstances of his death. In 1795, the invading Iranians, led by the Azeri Prince Agha Mohammed Khan, demanded that Sayat Nova convert to Islam. Nova was a Christian and refused to do so and hence, was promptly executed and beheaded.
Nevertheless, it is a welcoming gesture to bridge the divide between two peoples as. In either case, De Waal should be commended for writing the book and my own misgivings shouldn't preclude someone from reading it.
Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War .......2006-02-28
Black Garden is an unbiased look at the conflict between the two Cacusus nations, which chronicles the conflict from the first shot to the the current uneasy truce. It is a great read for anyone interested in the region it's peoples culture and recent history.
Recommended.......2006-01-21
I defitely recommend buyig this book: it offers tons of information on the Caucasus region and is easy to read.
An excellent book.......2006-01-21
Tons of information, easy to read, thorough analysis, reference to the reliable third-party facts.
An excellent source of an unbiased information.......2006-01-21
This book describes the facts form a neutral perspective and would be useful for the third-party readers who are trying to understand the nature and results of Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict and the "catalizing" role of Russia in it.
Book Description
Third edition of the guide that was the first and still remains the only dedicated guide to Azerbaijan. Features 200 maps with 180 explanatory visuals--vital in a country where there are few reliable maps. Includes full historical background, cultural tips, visas, where to stay, and where to eat for all budgets.
Customer Reviews:
learn and laugh.......2007-01-04
Great book! Clearly written by someone who loves this country. My wife is a native of Baku learnt and laughed about her native country. Culturally savy and sensitive.
Sertainly useful.......2006-01-21
This book can be of a great use for the travellers, expatriots moving to Azerbaijan or for those studying different regions/cultures. I enjoyed reading it!
A Must-have for Azerbaijan.......2003-10-02
If you're going to Azerbaijan you must have this book - in fact, several companies issue this book to their international staff here. It is extremely comprehensive and thorough and very accurate (though there have been some changes). As someone that has lived in Azerbaijan for the past year and a half, I continue to be impressed with this book and have relied on it many times. It is an essential guide to exploring Azerbaijan - a country that has a lot more to offer than most would expect. Buy this (and avoid the Lonely Planet one - it does a really bad job for Azerbaijan!).
Best Travel Guide to Anywhere!.......2003-05-26
I picked up this book shortly before I left to come to Azerbaijan for a year. It has been my constant companion while living in Baku (the capital) and in making countless excursions out of the city. Having been here almost a year, I can safely say it's the best travel book I've ever read for any place. It is delightful to read and its author's warm and quirky sense of humor make it a constant source of entertainment.
Perhaps the best recommendation for this books comes not just from the many expatriots who rely on it, but from the native Azeris who are astounded at how well Mark Elliott (native of UK) knows their country. Azeris are famous for assuming (perhpas rightly so) that the rest of the world knows nothing about their country. So, when Azeris recommend a book about their country, written by a foreigner, it is a pretty good endorsement.
By far the best aspect of the book are the scores of maps and illustrations--all done by the author. As a trained geographer, I appreciate the excellent maps loaded (almost overloaded) with information. They are easy to read maps that make it difficult for the traveler to get lost. I am particularly impressed by how a map can simultaneously accurate and amusing! My favorite entry is the map of the fascinating town of Quba that includes "Old Men" sitting in the park. Damned if they weren't still sitting there. On another map, the author suggests looking for grey beards at the point where you're supposed to make a particular turn. Sure enough, there they were.
Living in Baku, my family and often make use of Elliott's recommendations for restaurants. Of course restaurants come and go, but the information is nearly always accurate and detailed.
My eight-year-old son and I have enjoyed taking his "scavenger hunt" for artistic architectural oddities in the city. I think we've now found all the objects in the second edition, but a third one is already on the drawing boards.
Mark Elliott has a delightfully respectful attitude towards Azerbaijan and the Azeris. This is different form many travel books (Including the Lonely Planet Guide to the South Caucasus) which often take on a preachy attitude which tends to poke fun at the local cultures rather than respectfully describing them as Elliott does.
In addition to being a good travel book, this book also is a worthy source of information on the country for anyone interested in learning about it.
Having lived or traveled extensively in over fifty countries I can recommend this book most highly.
Practical but loving.......2003-03-15
This is a travel guide with all the practical details you'd expect from a series like Lonely Planet, but with more soul and many more maps. If you go to this part of the world, make sure you have this book.
Average customer rating:
|
The Caspian Pipeline Dilemma: Political Games and Economic Losses
Hooman Peimani
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Policy & Current Events
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Popular Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Development & Growth
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Economic Policy & Development
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Exports & Imports
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
International
| Economics
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Oil & Energy
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Relations
| International
| Politics
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Business & Finance
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
General
| Economics
| Business & Finance
| New & Used Textbooks
| Stores
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Nonfiction
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0275970922 |
Book Description
The Caspian Sea region is rich in oil and natural gas and can potentially become a major energy supplier. Despite the interest of the three Caspian countries of Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan, their energy resources have remained mainly undeveloped a decade after their independence. The main factor that has prevented the full development of the Caspian energy resources has been the difficulty of selecting long-term safe, reliable, and economically viable export routes. The three landlocked Caspian countries have no choice but to depend on their neighbors to access international waters for their exports. For many reasons, including internal stability and extensive oil facilities and pipelines, Iran offers the most suitable routes to all three Caspian countries. However, despite the interest of the Caspian energy-exporters, in using this route, the U.S. policy of containment of Iran has prevented them from doing so. For political, economic, and security reasons, the existing in-use Georgian and Russian routes cannot and will not be a long-term solution for energy exports. The insistence of the American government on imposing the expensive and unreliable Turkish route on the reluctant Caspian energy-exporters and its categorical rejection of the Iranian route have created a major obstacle to the development of the Caspian energy industries. As Peimani suggests, if this policy continues, many oil and gas exporters will opt for the Iranian route without regard to existing U.S. punitive legislation. The results could well be the isolation of the U.S. in the Caspian region and a gradual exclusion of American oil companies from the region. This overview will be of interest to scholars, researchers, and policymakers involved with economic and political issues of the region.
Average customer rating:
- Everything you Need to Know
- Awesome Guide
- Great general resource but already somewhat out-of-date
- Extremely informative, but poorly written
- Make this book your first if adopting from Eastern Europe
|
The Russian Adoption Handbook: How to Adopt from Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Bulgaria, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Moldova
John H. Maclean
Manufacturer: iUniverse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Relationships
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
| Codependency
| Conflict Management
| Dating
| Divorce
| Friendship
| General
| Interpersonal Relations
| Love & Loss
| Love & Romance
| Marriage
| Mate Seeking
| Nonmonogamy
General
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Adoption
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Parenting & Families
| Subjects
| Books
General
| International Law
| Law
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Nonfiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Parenting Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Adopting In Russia: Your Rights and the Law
-
Attaching in Adoption: Practical Tools for Today's Parents
-
How to Adopt Internationally: A Guide for Agency-Directed and Independent Adoptions, Revised and Updated Edition for 2003
-
The Complete Book of International Adoption: A Step by Step Guide to Finding Your Child
-
Toddler Adoption: The Weaver's Craft
ASIN: 0595301150 |
Book Description
Adopting a child can be one of life's most rewarding experiences. Unfortunately, complex policies, legal risks, and fewer available children make adopting domestically difficult. International adoption offers a solution to parents yearning for a child of their own.
American parents are now adopting over 5000 children a year from Russia and Eastern Europe. John Maclean's The Russian Adoption Handbook is a comprehensive guide to adopting a child from overseas.
From the pitfalls to the practical, the rewards to the risks, The Russian Adoption Handbook leads parents through the maze of:
- How the international adoption process works.
- How to start the process.
- What you need to know before traveling to Russia and Eastern Europe.
- Making the most out of your trip--the inside scoop on customs, hotels, and food.
- The children's homes, the courts, and the questions that need to be asked.
- Medical issues, special adoption doctors, and travel requirements.
- Post adoption procedures, and much, much more.
Practical, accurate, and written with a father's sense of humor, The Russian Adoption Handbook is the most comprehensive and up-to-date guide to adoption yet.
Customer Reviews:
Everything you Need to Know.......2007-06-07
This is the everything you need to know about Russian adoption in one book guide. It is a little dated right now with re-accreditation issues starting in 2005, but it is still a very relevant and important guide to adopting from Russia. I suggest purchasing this book before you choose an agency as it gives lists of very important questions to ask a potential agency. This book breaks down the Russian adoption process and walks PAPs through the paperwork they will be filing. There are chapters on everything from what to pack to how to find a good pediatrician. We pulled chapters about our region and questions to ask doctors trip one out of the book and traveled with them. This is one book about adopting from Russia all PAPs need to read.
Written by Christina Stinsa
Awesome Guide.......2006-12-15
I just adopted my son from Russia and this book made everything so much easier! It should be a must have for all prospective adoptive families!!!
Great general resource but already somewhat out-of-date.......2006-07-24
There is a lot of general information contained in one easy to navigate location. I do recommend it highly, especially for one who is just beginning the adoption process. The only problem is that things are changing so fast, that even though the book was recently updated, it is already somewhat out of date.
Extremely informative, but poorly written.......2006-07-15
I recommend this book as it offers more information specific to Russian adoption than you will find in any other book. The author adopted two children from Russia himself, and he is an attorney, so he is informed about the process. He researched thoroughly for this book.
In spite of its depth of information, however, this is the most poorly edited book I have EVER seen. And this guy's a lawyer? If he were going to publish, he should have taken a little more care with the editing. Also, don't get your 'basic Russian' lesson from this book. I studied abroad at a university in Russia for one semester, and I have studied the language quite extensively. If you use some of his language advice, you're sure to get a laugh from some Russians. For example, on page 165, he says that 'Hi!' is 'Draws-vee.' It is actually, 'STRAST-ee' with the emphasis on the first syllable. If you say 'Draws-vee' with your American accent, you are sure to get some strange looks. On page 166, he says that bread is 'kleb.' It's actually pronounced, 'khleb' (with a khah sound that catches in your throat). 'Kleb' just sounds ridiculous.
The terrible editing and language mistakes make me wonder if I can trust the rest of the information! Still, I think it's worth buying because it is more extensive than any other source on Russian adoption that I could find. Don't buy this book, though, unless you've already decided to adopt from Russia.
Make this book your first if adopting from Eastern Europe.......2006-04-04
I cannot begin to say how helpful this book has been in our adoption process. I am sure that we are several months ahead of where we would have been had we not had this book as a resource. All of the information that you want to ask your adoption agency but forget to ask, plus questions you don't even know to ask are answered in this book. Don't let the size of the book overwhelm you, Maclean has such a fun writing style that the book is easy to pour over. I highly recommend this book very early in the process just to help with the initally paperwork, but if it isn't bought that early it still has loads of information for any stage of the process. Maclean also references many other books and websites for specific concerns through-out the book. This book is worth every penny!
Book Description
Praise for The Failure of Political Islam:
"A daring exploration. This book is a corrective of stunning power."
--Boston Book Review
"This book is essential reading for all interested in the late 20th century evolution of movements of religious activism and revival."
--Middle East Journal
During the anti-Gorbachev coup in August 1991 most communist leaders from Soviet central Asia backed the plotters. Within weeks of the coup's collapse, those same leaders--now transformed into ardent nationalists--proclaimed the independence of their nations, adopted new flags and new slogans, and discovered a new patriotism.
How were these new nations built, among peoples without any traditional nationalist heritage and no history of independent governance? Olivier Roy argues that Soviet practice had always been to build on local institutions and promote local elites, and that Soviet administration--as opposed to Soviet rhetoric--was always surprisingly decentralized in the far-flung corners of the empire. Thus, with home-grown political leaders and administrative institutions, national identities in central Asia emerged almost by stealth.
Roy's analysis of the new states in central Asia--Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tadjikstan, Kirghizstan and Azerbaijan--provides a glimpse of the future of an increasingly fragmented and dangerous region.
Customer Reviews:
...heavily based on confirmation bias........2006-12-05
In this book, Olivier Roy makes several sweeping generalizations about the history of Central Asian states. His research is solid and in depth, however, his application is quite opinion-based.
The material has the ability to create significant discussion on the topic of former influence by the Russian and Soviet powers, yet his points are sporadic and randomly placed throughout the book. His arguments often stray from his own research and fail to provide foundation as well. This is seemingly a result of his need to confirm his own prior opinions on the matter.
One stands to greatly benefit from the research provided by Roy in this book. However, read cautiously and be aware of the existence of more recent research which shows major flaws in his point of view. I would recommend that individuals study Central Asian history and politics personally before jumping into Roy's book whole-heartedly.
Packed with info. Hard to read........2004-08-31
This book is packed with useful insights but it is not for the Central Asian novice. I give it two stars because it is hard to read and could be better organized. The information in it is five star. It is a graduate-school level analysis of the evolution of the current Central Asian nation-states. It is what would be expected from a person in Roy's position; researcher at the Centre National des Recherches Scientifques. The book was originally written in French and translated into English for this edition. That in itself is not a problem but the writing style is one that has a heavy "fog factor". There are numerous sentences that are 60 words long and contain multiple commas, parenthetical statements, hyphens and semi colons in one sentence. If you can slog through syntax you can glean a lot of useful information. My suggestion is you have some understanding of Central Asian history and geography before you attempt this book. The lack of maps would make it really difficult for a beginning reader of Central Asia. Central Asia in Historical Perspective (edited by Manz), although a graduate-level text, is better organized and easier to understand.
Caution to the reader.......2002-07-17
I purchased this book after I developed an increasing interest in the politics and history of Central Asia. At that point, I had read a couple of books on the topic, leaving me with a feeling of general competence. This book, however, was seriously beyond my level of knowledge, and I'd like to caution readers with anything below a superior understanding of Soviet and Central Asian History. The author "jumps" around the region quite a bit, creating problems which compound themselves, particularly as no maps are included anywhere in the book. If you do not possess an intimate knowledge of the geography, I suggest waiting until your mental map is more complete (as I'll be doing).
The book is translated from French. After reading about 20 pages, this fact amazed me from the vocabularly chosen by the translator. I can't remember the last time I had to use a dictionary, but this book sent me searching on more than one occasion. Moreover, the writing style is incredibly dry, even for a work of history. "New Central Asia" is loaded with solid research and cogent argumentation, but the presentation leaves much to be desired.
Making Sense of Central Asia.......2001-11-14
Olivier Roy is a well-known expert on Islam, the Arab world and Central Asia. His The New Central Asia is an excellent examination of the creation of new nations that emerged from the end of the Soviet Union in 1992. He contends that while these new republics are in search of identity (in essence creating new nationalisms), they have also inherited the older Soviet system of rule and institutions, which were not democratic and more oriented to personality cults and heavy-handed treatment of the opposition. This explains the difficult path countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have had through the 1990s and into the next decade. For anyone looking at the problems of development as well as wishing to obtain a better understanding of a pivotal geo-political zone, Roy's well-researched book is worth the read.
Making Sense of Central Asia.......2001-11-14
Olivier Roy is a well-known expert on Islam, the Arab world and Central Asia. His The New Central Asia is an excellent examination of the creation of new nations that emerged from the end of the Soviet Union in 1992. He contends that while these new republics are in search of identity (in essence creating new nationalisms), they have also inherited the older Soviet system of rule and institutions, which were not democratic and more oriented to personality cults and heavy-handed treatment of the opposition. This explains the difficult path countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan have had through the 1990s and into the next decade. For anyone looking at the problems of development as well as wishing to obtain a better understanding of a pivotal geo-political zone, Roy's well-researched book is worth the read.
Book Description
-- History Today
Customer Reviews:
One of the best books on Azerbaijan.......2006-01-21
Tadeusz Swietochowski represents the region and relations between the countries in a very objective way, basing the statements on actual facts and deep understanding of the political situation in the region.
I thought I knew a lot about Azerbaijan, but after reading the book, I realized how many other things were happening in the history of this contry and specifically in its relations with Russia.
Russian and a Divided Azerbaijan.......2001-08-14
Azerbaijan, Swietochowski rightly notes, is "the quintessential borderland," being Turkish and Iranian, Sunni and Shi`i, Muslim and Christian, Russian and Middle Eastern, European and Asian. He also notes its other points of interest. Falling under Russian rule from 1804 on, Azerbaijan stands out as the first part of the Middle East brought under the rule of a modern European colonial power. Having been divided into two parts (Russian and Iranian) since 1828, it is the nation that has by far the longest endured the strains of split development.
Writings in English on Azerbaijan are meager and not of the highest quality. Russia and Azerbaijan improves matters by helping to make sense of the country's history, but its account is limited to coverage of the northern (i.e., Russian) part and to a dry, top-down history (for the Russian imperial period the author relies inordinately on literary magazines).
Current interest in Azerbaijan stems from its dramatic return to history as a vital pivot between Russia, Turkey, and Iran; as a newly important oil exporter; and as the Armenians' opponent in a vicious war since 1988. Contemplating the Turkish-Iranian rivalry for influence over independent Azerbaijan, the author foresees Turkey connecting Azeris to the larger world; but Iran, because of its Islamic emphasis and its inclusion of souther Azerbaijan, will have a greater impact on their evolving national identity.
Middle East Quarterly, December 1995
Thorough, objective, and well-researched........1998-10-23
Bravo! Finally a history of this republic that is well-written for the historian and the novice alike. Swietochowski is very objective in his approach, and systematic in the presentation of his research. I highly recommend this book for anyone wanting to know more about the two Azerbaijans and Russian involvement in the Caucasus.
Substantial addition to understanding of Azerbaijani problem.......1998-03-11
Reviewed by VICTOR KIRILLOV in International Relations, Volume XIII, No 1, - April 1996 -
The author's expertise on the complicated issues of both Russian and Middle Eastern history, politics, economy, culture and languages is beyond doubt. Indeed, while reading the book one cannot escape the impression that Tadeusz Swietochowski knows a great deal more than he writes about. Out of respect for his readers he carefully and skilfully selects the most salient and convincing facts and events to enable a better understanding of his subject matter which is not widely known to Western, and not only to Western, audiences.
Thus, he correctly points out that the Treaty of Turkmanchai signed on 10 February 1828 between Russia and Iran constituted a momentous event in the history of Transcaucasia, and, in particular, in the history of the Azeri people, that is of the natives of Azerbaijan. For the Azeris, the conquest of their earlier semi-independent Khanates by Russia and Iran, finally provided for in the 1828 Treaty, meant a partition of their land and people that has lasted to this day. `The international aspect of Azerbaijan's division', the author remarks, `created a delicate balance of power in one corner of the turbulent Middle East, a situation resembling that of nineteenth-century East Central Europe, where maintenance of a partitioned Poland ensured lasting peace among Russia, Austro-Hungary and Germany'. Internally, the two Azerbaijans, the Iranian one to the south of the Araxes, and the Russian, later Soviet and now independent Azerbaijan to the north of it, were put on different tracks of historical development. The author's coverage of Russian and later of Soviet policy in Azerbaijan is a splendid piece of research into a subject which has only been lightly covered by Russian and Soviet authors themselves. Given all the dark and bright sides of Russian colonial rule, there is one feature, as Mr Swietochowski rightly assumes, which stands out: Russian and Soviet domination contributed to the Azeris' development into an independent nation with political, cultural and religious aspirations running contrary to the deep-rooted beliefs of their Southern relatives in Iran. The process of historical differentiation has gone so deep that even the most radical nationalists in the last days of the former Soviet Azerbaijan hesitated to advance the slogan of unification of the Azeri nation. The Programme of the People's Front of Azerbaijan, adopted in June 1989, merely provided for the restoration of economic, cultural and social ties between the divided nation and the creation of direct human contacts between relatives and friends.
Pan-Turkic and Muslim sentiments in the former Soviet Azerbaijan certainly exist, and they are scrupulously analysed by the author. Extreme bitterness over the dramatic events in Azerbaijan's conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabagh especially contributed to the rise of anti-Western and anti-Russian feelings in Baku. Yet, even at the peak of the crisis these feelings did not become dominant in Azerbaijani society. This is one of the principal explanations of the seemingly paradoxical fact of the recent reappearance of former Soviet nomenclatura rulers on the political scene and the virtual collapse of the nationalistic People's Front. It also explains, at least partly, the reasons lying behind the relative international stability of the new independent Azerbaijan which has found itself at the very epicentre of Russian-Turkish-Iranian geopolitical rivalry. The author also gives other well-founded reasons for that. Until now neither Iran nor Turkey has expressed any desire to fill the power vacuum in Transcaucasia created by Russia's retreat. Iran is obviously reluctant to incorporate six million well-educated, Turkic-speaking people from the former Soviet Azerbaijan, fearing that this might dramatically change the character of the Iranian state itself. For its part, Turkey fears any distraction from its goal of integration with Europe. Meanwhile, both states as well as Russia restrict themselves to securing strategic and economic advantages in Azerbaijan without incurring undue burdens.
Finally, as the author concludes, the people of Azerbaijan itself, `are apt to take guidance from their ancient political heritage: moderation and compromise'. There, he believes, `extremism locks a fertile ground, and its avoidance has been understood as the essence of the community's survival'.
Based on original sources that include Azerbaijani, Russian, Polish, British and American archives, this elegantly written book by American scholar Tadeusz Swietochowski, who already enjoys a high reputation as a researcher of both Middle Eastern and Russian history and politics, substantially adds to our knowledge of the fascinating problems and developments in this region of the world.
VICTOR KIRILLOV
Book Description
A remarkable view of how geopolitics affects ordinary people, this book documents, in words and pictures, the lives of Armenians in the last two decades. Based on intimate interviews with three hundred Armenians and featuring Jerry Berndt's superb photographs, it brings together firsthand testimony about the social, economic, and spiritual circumstances of Armenians during the 1980s and 1990s, when the country faced an earthquake, pogroms, and war. At times shocking and deeply emotional, Armenia: Portraits of Survival and Hope is a story of extreme suffering and hardship, a searching look at the fight for independence, and an exceptionally complex portrait of the human spirit.
A companion to the Millers' highly acclaimed work Survivors: An Oral History of the Armenian Genocide, which documented the genocide of 1915, this book focuses on four groups of people: survivors of the earthquakes that devastated northwestern Armenia in 1988; refugees from Azerbaijan who fled Baku and Sumgait because of pogroms against them; women, children, and soldiers who were affected by the war in Nagorno-Karabakh; and ordinary citizens who survived several winters without heat because of the blockade against Armenia by Turkey and Azerbaijan. The Millers' narrative situates these accounts contextually and thematically, but the voices of individuals remain paramount. The Millers also describe their personal experiences in repeated research trips, inviting us to look beyond the headlines and think beyond the circumstances of our own lives as they bring contemporary Armenia to life.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent book.......2006-11-05
To the Turkish "review"ers:
This is the case always when any is published about any subject that bears the name Armenia. Armenia is "fake, bandit, criminal, murderous, genocidal" and the list goes on and on... I again ask objectively and scholarly as to where, when, how, who, why are these people charged with these heavy charges, when it was the OTTOMAN EMPIRE which ruled for over 630 years, over the known Christian world, from the doors of Vienna to the shores of Yemen, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black sea shores and Persia. During that period how many millions of Christians were forcefully converted to Islam, tortured, massacred, brutalized, their properties, wives and daughters confiscated and dishonored, and also how many wars did it have against even Muslim powers like the Persian Kingdom, the Berbers, the Albanians, the Kurds and Arabs?
Sure, it is easy to yeal "WE DIDN'T DO IT!" in regards to the Armenian Genocide.. Oh but hold it! Don't the Neo-Nazis say the same about the Holocaust? Don't the Khmer militia say the same about Cambodia? Don't SOME Hutus say the same about the Tutsis? DOES THE GOVERNMENT OF SUDAN OR DOES YOUR GOVERNMENT IN TURKEY OR AZERBAIJAN say there is a Genocide going on in SUDAN? (I know exactly why can't you say it). Sudan would tell you to "look into a mirror..."
Do you want just one example of Genocide commited not only against the Armenians, but against every Christian minority for 630 years? WHERE DID YOU RECRUIT THE JANISSARIES FROM...? Being christian children forcefully taken as tax from their parents and grown as turks to massacre christians is or isn't a classical, methodological, systematic way to shrink or eliminate a race? What about the 300,000 Armenians massacred by the Hamidiye forces between 1894-1896? What about the 30,000 plus Armenians butchered in Adana in 1909? What about the 1,500,000 Armenians, and more than 400,000 Greeks, 250,000 Assyrians, and thousands of other non-turkic minorities between 1915 and 1923...? Some Turkish diplomats were shot during the Cold War by Armenian activists? What a pity... 30 plus diplomats for you weigh more than millions upon millions of other people... Elif Shafak the daughter of one of those diplomats shot, is more couragous than anyone to objectively examine for the truth and getting convinced that Turkey did commit the ultimate crime against humanity, that these Armenians acted for the recognition of the Genocide (even though the ways were extreme and sometimes unjustified.) Wasn't it the interior minister of Azerbaijan who in 2005 said that "Armenia would not exist in 30 years from now..? Any better words for Genocide?
Let the honest, unbiased, historically sound minded person objectively examine the events, and come to the conclusions. Conclusions that are nowadays reached by Turkish intellectuals (Akcam, Berktay, Muge, Ertem, Zarakoglu, Shafak, and many more) who recognize and condemn the first Genocide of the 20th Century.
"NOW GO AND LOOK INTO A MIRROR..."
Not the best read on the region.......2006-01-21
The books doesn't worst buying. It is poorly written, and is more about the "brainwashing" than presenting and objectively analysing the facts about Armenia ...
Biased, deceptive, non-factual.......2005-10-24
This book is another cheap-shot in the decades-long propaganda war between Armenian and Turkish and Azerbaijani nationalists. Not only the author tells only one-side of the story, but the book is completely based on fiction and non-facts. It has nothing to say about the massacre of Turks, Kurds, Jews and Azerbaijanis in 1890-1924 by the hands of Armenian gangs and military forces, ethnic cleansing and mass killings conducted from 1988 to present by Armenian forces in Karabakh and other areas of Azerbaijan, and brutal terrorist campaign by Armenian ASALA and other terror groups against Turkish and Azerbaijani diplomats and other civilians throughout 20th century. The author tries to reverse the facts, portray the aggressor (Armenian Republic and its militant gangs in Karabakh) as the victim, and uses religion as a tool to galvanize Christian readers against Muslim victims of Armeinian war crimes. While the conflict is a classic case of territorial dispute and ethnic hatred, the book tries to present the events as a result of a religious war, which is non-sense considering the overwhelming secular character of populations of all sides involved (Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan). The only way I would recommend this book - is as an example of the product of typical biased propaganda campaign.
The first 20th century holocaust was against Armenians.......2003-10-19
The first 20th century holocaust was against the thousands of innocent Armenians massacred by Turkish troops in the First World War. No soon as that war was over than most Armenians, if they were not forced under Turkish rule, became Soviet citizens. Then when they finally got their independence back after the end of the USSR, they found themselves involved in a bloody war with Azerbaijan. Few peoples have suffered as much as the Armenians in the past 20 years and a book like this is absolutely essential reading if we are to understand the people of the oldest continually Christian country in the world. Buy this book and then give all your friends this book as a present for Christmas. Christopher Catherwood, author of CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS AND ISLAMIC RAGE (Zondervan, 2003)
Average customer rating:
- Cliched potboiler, but very good
- Paperback Writer
- The East will rise again!
- Reality Hurts--Joint Chiefs Don't Want to Face It
- More bang for your buck than any Clancy volume
|
The Devil's Garden
Ralph Peters
Manufacturer: William Morrow & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
| 18th Century
| 19th Century
| 20th Century
| African American
| Asian American
| Classics
| Collections & Readers
| Drama
| General
| Hispanic
| History & Criticism
| Humor
| Jewish American
| Letters & Correspondence
| Native American
| Poetry
| Short Stories
| Women Writers
General
| Mystery
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Spy Stories & Tales of Intrigue
| Thrillers
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mystery & Thrillers
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Fiction Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Look Inside Mystery & Thriller Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Twilight of Heroes
-
Traitor
-
Flames of Heaven
-
The War in 2020
-
Beyond Terror: Strategy in a Changing World
ASIN: 0380973626 |
Book Description
The headstrong daughter of a prominent U.S. senator came to a forgotten corner of the earth to make a difference--and to escape the influence of her powerful father. But Kelly Trost escaped too well--for now she has vanished into the dark heart of a small, coreless Muslim nation struggling through a violent rebirth in the wake of the Soviet collapse. No one knows if she is a prisoner of fanatics or mountain warlords--or even if she is alive--as her fate suddenly becomes the concern of governments and multi-national corporations jockeying for power in the area.
Only one American, Lt. Colonel Evan Burton, has the courage and the local experience to track down Kelly Trost. Disillusioned by the hopelessness and cruelty of other men's wars, and by the cynicism of his own government, Burton is prepared to hang up his uniform--when the fate of one young woman calls him back to duty.
It will prove to be the most difficult and brutal mission of his career, as he searches for her amid the chaos of a lawless country controlled by gangsters, religious zealots, warlords, oil executives, mutinous generals and foreign spies. For an innocent has become a bargaining chip in a cold and ruthless global game, and she may be more valuable dead than alive. Her only hope lies in her fierce will to survive--and in a lone soldier who would give his life to save her.
Powerful and provocative, rich in authentic detail and breathtaking in suspense, THE DEVIL'S GARDEN is an extraordinary work of fiction that transcends genre, an unforgettable novel in which the fate of nations tomes down to the fate of two human belongs.
Customer Reviews:
Cliched potboiler, but very good.......2003-01-18
I hate potboilers, and I hate cliches, so that's why I give it three stars. But this book is so over the top in both categories that it's actually entertaining. The author tries hard to pack as many cliches in one page as possible--and the effect is a surprisingly good read.
Having visited some of the places in the book, I can say that the book is not accurate in daily life depictions, but it is realistic and plausible, which gives it depth.
Peters is definitely better than Clancy.
Paperback Writer.......2002-01-09
Since when did Ralph Peters become a paerback writer?
Don't let the fact that this title was never released in hardcover stop you from reading it. Don't even let it slow you down.
Mr. Peters takes us again to the decaying, decrepid, despoiled fringes of the old Soviet empire, this time to the oil-rich and blood-soaked Caucasus. Feudal tribesmen, ex-Soviet nomenklatura, Big Oil, the State Department, and muddle-headed do-gooders (is there a difference between those last two?) are all intertwined over a proposed oil pipeline and a kidnapped political heiress.
Standing in, I beleive, for Mr. Peters himself is our lone protagonist -- a perfect anti-hero who can see the truth like Cassandra, but can't always manage to do the right thing. But at least he's trying.
If you're looking for a fun way to learn about what might be our next battle zone in the War on Terror, pick up a copy.
The East will rise again!.......2000-08-12
Most authors of this genre of political thriller have trouble reconciling the epic heroism (good or bad) of religious fundamentalists in the former Soviet Central Asia with the image of mobs of AK-47-armed men tossing video tapes and foreign magazines into bonfires. In "The Devil's Garden", set in the region's decaying and polluted oilfields, the tables are turned and the ordered world familiar to us disintegrates under the feet of unlucky Westerners. Though author Peters has dabbled in techno-thriller before ("Red Army" and "War in the Year 2020"), he has also practically created his own subgenre of non-techno centered in and around the fringes of the foremer Soviet empire.
"Devil's Garden" tells the story of a young American kidnapped while working for a relief program in that troubled region. Because Peters' victim is the daughter of a US senator, consequences of the kidnapping go far beyond local problems and feed a growing maelstrom that threatens to destroy order already fragile with the collapse of the USSR. Among the unlucky Yankees caught up in the chaos are the Islamic fundamentalists who carry-out the kidnap, the local chieftains who can't be sure what their own role in the kidanpping is, the American intelligence officer sent to lead the rescue, his lover, her husband, the republic's leaders ready to tear their oil-rich state to shreds and an army willing to battle anybody to the death - if they can just learn how to shoot. As a good indicator of the managed chaos, our hero, the aforementioned intelligence officer, tries to determine who would kidnap the senator's daughter by trying to find who's responsible. Bit with the fate of the tiny asian republic's oil at stake, and the militant forces welling up in the population, it's soon clear that nobody is responsible for anything. Peters manages this chaos well. something I appreciate through all of Peters books is his resolute reluctance to point fingers and lay blame - his charachters do that, but are compensated with well nuanced faults that make their objectivity suspect. The guerrillas are fearsome, but not the murderous, callous warriors of god we've seen in other books (or on CNN for that matter). The region's warlords, despite sparking a war that threatens to explode beyond their own borders, are just greedy and - in a masterful anti-climax occurring when the factions meet - go at each other much as the corporate directors in a hostile buy-out. One wonders how the directors of Time-Warner and Disney would have settled their cable-disputes if they had to fight with guns and soldiers instead of lawyers, bloated stock prices and otherwise empty content. The biggest revelation is the hero himself, who, despite being an expert on the region, is actually more lost than any of his fellow Americans. It's all chaotic, but Peters keeps the novel from falling apart and the chaos only adds scale to a blighted country and those who live there and are set on destroying it.
Reality Hurts--Joint Chiefs Don't Want to Face It.......2000-03-08
Ralph Peters, whom I know professionally, is a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia who has actually walked hundreds of miles through the worst of terrains, and deeply understands--at both a Ph.D. and gutter level, the reality of real war. The Joint Chiefs don't want to face this reality because it bears no resemblance to their nice clean air-conditioned CNN version of war. Devil's Garden is the real thing, and it is also a great novel.
More bang for your buck than any Clancy volume.......1999-11-28
This is a great Ralph Peters story that doesn't cease to evolve - even to the last page. Peters is a brillant story teller that mixes rich adjectives with imaginative plots and subplots, all rooted in a reality that only someone who has acutally lived these events could create.
Books:
- Glitter and Doom: German Portraits from the 1920s (Metropolitan Museum of Art Publications)
- Google Hacking for Penetration Testers, Volume 1
- Government by the People, Teaching and Learning, Classroom Edition (6th Edition)
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Art Fundamentals and CC CD-ROM v3.0
- The Bridegroom: Stories
- Ecological Versatility and Community Ecology
- Introductory Quantum Mechanics
- Hot Seat: Theater Criticism for The New York Times, 1980-1993
- Regulating Toxic Substances: A Philosophy of Science and the Law
- Quick and Easy Goldfish Care
- Disaster Hits Home: New Policy for Urban Housing Recovery
- Gender in Archaeology, Analyzing Power and Prestige, Second Edition
- Trees of Illinois Field Guide
Central Asia (Lonely Planet Travel Guides)
Georgia: Sovereign Country of the Caucasus (Odyssey Illustrated Guide)
Georgian-English/English-Georgian Dictionary and Phrasebook (Hippocrene Dictionary and Phrasebook Series)
Ukraine (Lonely Planet Travel Guides)
The Georgian Feast: The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia
