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Sovietistan: A Journey Through Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan Paperback – October 1, 2020

by Erika Fatland (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 336 ratings
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"A mesmerising trip across Central Asia . . . A fascinating travelogue" Financial Times

SHORTLISTED FOR EDWARD STANFORD/LONELY PLANET DEBUT TRAVEL WRITER OF THE YEAR 2020

An unforgettable journey through the former Soviet Republics, by a prizewinning author of international reportage

Erika Fatland takes the reader on a journey that is unknown to even the most seasoned globetrotter. The five former Soviet Republics' Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan all became independent when the Soviet Union fell apart in 1991. How have these countries developed since then?

In the Kyrgyzstani villages Erika Fatland meets victims of the widely known tradition of bride snatching; she visits the huge and desolate Polygon in Kazakhstan where the Soviet Union tested explosions of nuclear bombs; she meets Chinese shrimp gatherers on the banks of the dried out Aral Sea and she witnesses the fall of a dictator. She travels incognito through Turkmenistan, a country that is closed to journalists. She meets exhausted human rights activists in Kazakhstan, survivors from the massacre in Osh in 2010, German Menonites that found paradise on the Kyrgyzstani plains 200 years ago. During her travels, she observes how ancient customs clash with gas production and she witnesses the underlying conflicts between ethnic Russians and the majority in a country that is slowly building its future in Nationalist colours.

In these countries, that used to be the furthest border of the Soviet Union, life follows another pace of time. Amidst the treasures of Samarkand and the bleakness of Soviet architecture, Erika Fatland moves with her openness towards the people and the landscapes around her. A rare and unforgettable travelogue.

Translated from the Norwegian by Kari Dickson

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  1. Language
    English
  2. Publisher
    MacLehose Press
  3. Publication date
    October 1, 2020
  4. Dimensions
    5.04 x 1.42 x 7.72 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    085705774X
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0857057747
  7. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ MacLehose Press (October 1, 2020)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 085705774X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0857057747
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.04 x 1.42 x 7.72 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 336 ratings

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Erika Fatland

Erika Fatland

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
336 global ratings
Not packaged carefully,
1 Star
Not packaged carefully,
Everyone expects a new book to be in a new condition, not bent anywhere or marks. However, I am disappointed that either it was not delivered properly or packaged, or the back of cover was initially damaged. In addition, some pages were not print properly. I will think twice before ordering books from this bookshop next time.
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Top reviews from the United States

Steven J. Kalish
5.0 out of 5 stars Is travel/ history your cup of tea?
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2021
Verified Purchase
Love combination travel and history books. A truly adventurous author. Her parents must have been worried sick.
3 people found this helpful
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Matt Lerner
4.0 out of 5 stars Personal look at Central Asia
Reviewed in the United States on March 24, 2020
Fatland traveled through the five Central Asian republics in two separate trips in 2013 and 2014. In her travels she looks at how the people there live, and how the post-Soviet governments have handled the transition to the modern era. It proves a quick, easy read, and can at times be quite captivating. However it at times feels lacking in places, and it doesn't give a full immersive feeling. This of course may be because I have also spent time in Central Asia and thus am familiar with the region, so for someone who is not aware of the area it would certainly make a great, personal introduction.
2 people found this helpful
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On The Road
5.0 out of 5 stars Central Asia Insights
Reviewed in the United States on July 21, 2020
Verified Purchase
Excellent review of the five Central Asia nations A little pricey book.
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Chris Waldorf
5.0 out of 5 stars Very engaging
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2024
This book somehow sat for a year on my bookshelf. I friend had recommended this but somehow I was skeptical that a book on central Asia would be interesting. I'm now so glad to have read this. This is a fun travelogue that is instructive too. The author, Erika Fatland, weaves in her experiences along with easy to digest histories of different things she experiences. Her writing style is also fun and witty. I definitely understand now why this was highly recommended by the Financial Times as well.
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Amazon Customer
3.0 out of 5 stars I expected more.
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2023
I was looking forward reading this book. She writes well. I am halfway done, still reading. Have not even started reading about my country Uzbekistan, I am not too pleased with the book. I know Stans have a lot of problems but I felt like author was very negative. Have not talked much about how people are welcoming. She has not talked about food and culture so much. If you are planning to travel this book will help a bit but not much. Countries are rich in culture, hospitality, history, architecture, markets but she has not touched that much. I feel like after this book discourages people to travel to that part of the world. So disappointed.
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Ahmad Qodirov
1.0 out of 5 stars Not packaged carefully,
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022
Verified Purchase
Everyone expects a new book to be in a new condition, not bent anywhere or marks. However, I am disappointed that either it was not delivered properly or packaged, or the back of cover was initially damaged. In addition, some pages were not print properly. I will think twice before ordering books from this bookshop next time.
Customer image
Ahmad Qodirov
1.0 out of 5 stars Not packaged carefully,
Reviewed in the United States on April 20, 2022
Everyone expects a new book to be in a new condition, not bent anywhere or marks. However, I am disappointed that either it was not delivered properly or packaged, or the back of cover was initially damaged. In addition, some pages were not print properly. I will think twice before ordering books from this bookshop next time.
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Aaron Lai
2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing and a sterile read
Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2020
Personal stories were ok. But overall, this was no sweeping narrative. I trudged through all 420 pages on my kindle and in the end, didn’t feel like I knew the Stans any better.

A lot of “extra” fActs that I had to wade through to get to points of interest scattered across the book.

Felt very interpersonal and the writing was sterile.

Disappointing.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Telfer Wegg
5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable travelogue.
Reviewed in Canada on September 18, 2021
Verified Purchase
I learned a great deal about a part of the world where I have not travelled and am less likely to visit.
Well written. Readable. Informative.
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Anna Blaser
5.0 out of 5 stars Reisereportage
Reviewed in Germany on March 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Ein sehr interessantes Buch über die zentralasiatischen Länder. Eine Region von der ich bisher nur sehr wenig wusste. Unterhaltsamme und kurzweilige Reisereportage mit geschichtlichem Hintergrundwissen gemischt.
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Amit Kelkar
5.0 out of 5 stars The story telling is wobbly, but sheer 5 stars for the subject matter
Reviewed in India on June 25, 2023
Verified Purchase
This is an area of the world which was really important, but given the last 100 years, has become less influential and also less understood, so kudos to Erika Fatland for it.
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 4, 2023
Verified Purchase
Probably the best travel book I've ever read. Engaging, well written, full of interesting and unique stories. It's given me so much knowledge and insight as I am preparing for my own journey through Central Asia next month. Absolutely loved it. A great balance of history and travelogue. Highly recommended.
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Josep Cornet
5.0 out of 5 stars un buen análisis de países poco conocidos
Reviewed in Spain on October 4, 2021
Verified Purchase
Estuve en Uzbekistan como turista. L'autora ha conectado bien con los cinco países de ASIA CENTRAL, catalogados como Sovietistan por su pasado sovietico.
En mi opinión mejor la situación actual que una posible islamizacion agresiva teniendo como país limítrofe Afghanistan.
Detalles muy interesantes de todos los países. Erika conociendo ruso ha podido conectar con gente de cada nación, extrayendo información de mucho valor. Buena traducción inglesa
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