No comments about Siberian Pictures: Edited, from the Polish, by Major Szulczewski. Volume 2.

5 comments about Highlanders : A Journey to the Caucasus in Quest of Memory.

1. Thank you to Yo'av Karny for writing this book. As a Circassian, this book really hits home. For example, on page 292, when Yo'av writes about the fight at the Amman University, I have cousins that were a part of that dispute. On page 293, Yo'Av writes about the Golan Heights, between Israel and Syria. My family is from that region. My family observed first hand the death and suffering. As a small child, I saw first hand Israeli and Syrian jets in their deadly dance of death. For good or for bad, Circassians are a proud and stubborn people who are trying to retain their culture and history. We are spread out all over the world in countries such as the USA, Germany, Israel, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, and Great Britain. This book brought tears to my eyes. The Circassian and Chechen history is a very sad one, and millions of Circassians, Chechens, and Daghestanis have perished under Russian hands. On the other hands, Yo'av shows how Circassians were also capable of being violent and bloody. The Turkish people have a name for Circassians, and that is CHERKESS, (Neck Cutters). That sad fact is self explanitory. THANK YOU SO MUCH Yo'AV for wrting this book. GOD BLESS YOU......(Y.B.) A CIRCASSIAN.



2. Thanks to Yo'av Karny for such an informative book. I was pleasantly surprised to find such a detailed account of my Circassian History. This book really hit home with me, and I found myself weeping. Weeping because it brought back memories and stories that my grandfather used to tell me as a child. This book even covers the story of the Circassians living not only in the Caucasus, but also in the Golan Heights. Yo'av reveals both the good and bad side of Circassians, and Circassian history. Circassians suffered our own Genocide at the hands of various Russian tyrants. On the other hand, Circassian warriors were known for their ruthless actions during all of our battles. That is why Circassians were chosen by countless of kings and presidents alike to act as body guards. That is also why we were given the name "CHERKESS" (Neck Cutters) by our enemies. When European and Middle Eastern mothers wanted to frighten their childeren, they would warn them that if they weren't good, THE CHERKESS would come for them. Those are the sad facts. This book was a pleasure to read. Thank You Yo'av......Yaz Barsbay



3. First Im 'sorry for my bad English. It's not my native language.

   When we travelled with Yo'av through Caucasus I thought the future book will be the collection of stories in style "Foreigner in Caucasus". And my Russian and Caucasian friends told me: "Be serious, Alex. Your American-Israely journalist is not able to understand us!" But now... I've never read such a kind and clever book on this theme neither in English nor in Russian. Yo'av have seen such points and details, which can make honour to best experts in region. Thank you, Yo'av. Thank for the beautiful book, for your friendship and for I feel no shame telling that I rendered you a little piece of help.




4. Israeli journalist Karny has assembled a massive and somewhat rambling book attempting to capture the history and spirit of the "Highlanders" who dwell in the Caucuses. Part history, part memoir, part travelogue, part contemporary reportage, the book would have benefited from slightly more focus. What we get is 70 pages on the Circassians, who are three tribes spread across several provinces and regions to the north of Georgia (and much of the Middle East and Western world). Then come 125 pages on Daghetsan, which borders the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan, and Chechnya. Part three is 150 pages on Chechnya, which would have brought things to a nice climax. However, Karny leaves the Northern (currently Russian) Caucuses and presses on for a further-comparatively skimpy-55 pages on Armenia and Azerbaijan. This last section is troublesome in that by including it, Karny's book discusses all the major players in the region except Georgia! (Perhaps he felt that country had already been well-covered in Peter Nasmyth's recent book, Georgia: In the Mountains of Poetry) One is left with the impression that he has included it because the Azeri-Armenian conflict is such a vivid illustration of his thesis concerning the use and manipulation of history and memory in the region that he couldn't resist putting it in.

   The subjectivity of history and memory in the Caucuses is one of Karny's main themes, as is the fact that many of the unique cultures and languages are dying out, victims of modernization and Russian schools. Karny exhibits a marked ambivalence about the highlander desire to never forget the past. While he admires this trait for its role in maintaining culture, and resisting invaders, he also sees it as a force of division in contemporary times-sometimes leading to self-destruction (in the case of Chechnya). Of course the history he shares gives plenty of justification for continued anger against the Russians, who invaded first in the 1830s, occupied the area, and under Stalin engaged in mass relocation and killings against many Caucasian nationalities.

   The book emerged from a number of trips Karny took to the region from 1993-1999, and he writes with a steady knowledge of history and contemporary events. He is perhaps a little too fond of reproducing conversations with various officials he meets with, but his flair for describing the everyday people he meets makes up for it. The book is peppered throughout with photos taken on his travels which aren't always the best, but are invaluable for putting a face on the people and places he talk about. If nothing else, one should read the section on Chechnya for a better understanding on why they continue to resist rule from Moscow. Particularly enlightening is his discussions of the various strains of Sufism most Chechens follow, and how they influence the resistance.




5. I have read scores of books on the Caucasus, but no one describes the region the way Karny does. He makes local people talk about their peculiar ambitions, their dreams, their mythologies. Through people's stories, a strange and complex vision of the post-Soviet Caucasian turmoil arises. Though not solely about Chechnya, it contains the key to understand the first Chechen war. A real pleasure to read.

No comments about Travels into Poland, Russia, Sweden, and Denmark: Volume 1.

No comments about Russia (Tintin's Travel Diaries).

No comments about Cool Restaurants: Moscow (Cool Restaurants).

5 comments about The Fire Escape Is Locked for Your Safety: On the Road in the Former Soviet Union.

1. Try to imagine a travelogue authored by a collaboration of Franz Kafka, George Orwell and Mel Brooks.



2. Whether read as adventure, current affairs, or practical guide to
   "Russia" on Five Million Roubles A Day, Molly J. Baier's account of her trek across the former Soviet Union is informative and fun. In the interest of disclosure (and bragging)I attended the same school; Molly was competitive, curious, and excelled at everything she put her hand to. Thus, I am not surprised at the accomplishments that have culminated in her first book. A successful lawyer, fluent in Russian and German, she worked for two years to reform and bolster the rule of law in Ukraine. As if this were just an appetizer, she set off alone - in the daring manner of Victorian trailblazer, Isabella Bird - to discover and uncover the essence of a rapidly changing landscape. In its analyis, wit, and eye for detail, the book is both evocative and provocative. It is a good Christmas present for anyone desiring to learn about other cultures at a time when such knowledge is necessary rather than frivolous.



3. Molly Baier traveled 12,000 miles and kept a daily journal of her experiences as she traveled through the Ukraine, Russia and other countries in the former Soviet Union. She has a wonderful way of sharing her experiences as she had to check into hotels, buy tickets on trains and buses, prevent people from overcharging her for being a foreigner, hold on to her passport, etc. trying to overcome poverty and bureaucracy and petty thievery. She also relates meetings with friends who welcomed her into their homes and shared whatever they had with her. For anyone who wants to gain insight into the real conditions inside Russia today, this is a good place to start. It is filled with humor, honesty and careful descriptions and analysis of current conditions.



4. This was a fascinating, humorous read (from a Western point of view), and I wish it had been a few hundred pages longer! Two highlights: finding an internet connection, and a Russian woman's view of President Clinton. I admire the author's chutzpah; (what a crusader!), armed with a copy of the Russian Consitution, she challenged the unfair and illegal pricing that she met at every stop. Excellent job, Ms. Baier.



5. It's a good book, but not quite what I expected when I made the purchase. The author writes about her trip in 1999 through the Ukraine, Belarus Lithuani, Latavia, Estonia, Finland, and then across Russia to Vladivostok. She writes snapshot views into her journey, and while the snapshots are presented in cronological order they don't always connect. For example, in one chapter she's riding a train. The next opens with her getting off a bus. The book doesn't cover the sites she's there to visit, but instead focuses in on the journey itself.

   If you're looking for some light reading about traveling, this book fits the bill. Only most people are more interested in what happens at each stop on the trip, and don't need to know the details of catching the train, checking into the hotel, or attempting to deal with getting a visa registered or hotels to stamp the visa. Some of the detail is useful, as the process *is* different and could be mind-bending for someone not prepared for it.

   I was also shaking my head as we see the author (who is making the trip after a multi-year business trip to help reform Russia) attempting to use legaleze to force people to give her the same price as a Russian citizen. (It's expected that forigners will pay more for things like hotels, bus tickets, train rides, etc. Forget the clause in the Russian Constitution -- no one abides by it. Which is what the author finally realizes after weeks of arguing.)

No comments about Romanian Language Phrases: Learn to Speak Romanian.

No comments about Travels in the Regions of the Upper and Lower Amoor: And the Russian Acquisitions on the Confines of India and China.

1 comments about Russian Diary.

1. Charlotte Salisbury regularly accompanied her writer husband Harrison ("The 900 Days -- The Siege of Leningrad") to the former USSR. An accomplished author in her own right, she had a number of Russian friends, and it was for them that she published her candid impressions. "Russian Diary" comes from the perspective of a post-War American tourist who dearly loved Russia and her people, but was critical of the bureaucracy and xenophobia of the Soviet system. In those days, visitors' accomodations and activities were closely regulated by the frustratingly oppressive Intourist. Their comings and goings were monitored, not so clandestinely, by the KGB. And Soviet citizens who associated with Westerners did so at risk to themselves. Mrs. Salizar's independently-minded friends occasionally found themselves summoned and questioned about their conversations and correspondence. But the author's interest was more in everyday life rather than the workings of the government. Her diary describes family relationships, housing, shopping, fashion, dining, transportation, education, and careers, with particular regard to the Soviet concept of Women's Equality. "Russian Diary" provides an interesting contrast to modern conditions for citizens and visitors alike. Russia is one of a few countries which still requires an entry visa, but after perfunctory registration with bored OVIR officials, foreign visitors may reside and travel where they wish. Russians are free to host and escort their American friends anywhere, and to exchange correspondence with them. This book is out-of-print, but worth acquiring from Amazon's affiliates.

No comments about Doing Business And Investing in Russia (World Business, Investment and Government Library) (World Business, Investment and Government Library).