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Thomas de Waal

The Caucasus: An Introduction 1st Edition

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In this fascinating book, noted journalist Thomas de Waal--author of the highly acclaimed Black Garden--makes the case that while the Caucasus is often treated as a sub-plot in the history of Russia, or as a mere gateway to Asia, the five-day war in Georgia, which flared into a major
international crisis in 2008, proves that this is still a combustible region, whose inner dynamics and history deserve a much more complex appreciation from the wider world.

In The Caucasus, de Waal provides this richer, deeper, and much-needed appreciation, one that reveals that the South Caucasus--Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, and their many smaller regions, enclaves, and breakaway entities--is a fascinating and distinct world unto itself. Providing both
historical background and an insightful analysis of the period after 1991, de Waal sheds light on how the region has been scarred by the tumultuous scramble for independence and the three major conflicts that broke out with the end of the Soviet Union--Nagorny Karabakh, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia.
The book examines the region as a major energy producer and exporter; offers a compelling account of the Rose Revolution in Georgia, the rise of Mikheil Saakashvili, and the August 2008 war; and considers the failure of the South Caucasus, thus far, to become a single viable region. In addition, the
book features a dozen or so "boxes" which provide brief snapshots of such fascinating side topics as the Kurds, Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, the promotion of the region as the "Soviet Florida," and the most famous of all Georgians, Stalin.

The Caucasus delivers a vibrantly written and timely account of this turbulent region, one that will prove indispensable for all concerned with world politics. It is, as well, a stimulating read for armchair travelers and for anyone curious about far-flung corners of the world.

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9780195399776
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978-0195399776
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1st
Publisher

Oxford University Press
Publication date

September 9, 2010
Language

English
Dimensions

9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches
Print length

259 pages
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"Thomas de Waal has written one of the most vivid, clear-minded accounts of the history and current troubles of the lands between Russia and Turkey. The Caucasus defines easy explanation, and de Waal deftly untangles the webs of mystification and obfuscation that have so often marred our understanding of why this rich and beautiful region, a cradle of diverse civilizations, has failed so miserably to realize its promise."--Ronald Grigor Suny, Professor of Social and Political History, and Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan
"Europe and Asia, mountains and flatlands, Christians and Muslims, ancient cultures and modern states--the Caucasus has long been a classic borderland in many senses. Blending first-hand reporting, historical narratives, and original research, The Caucasus is an indispensable guide to the fractious politics and complicated histories of the region's nations and peoples."--Charles King, Professor of International Affairs and Government, Georg

"A compact but rich book examining the southern side of the range, where combustible difficulties afflict three small post-Soviet countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. ...If ever there was a place that needed a competent and even-tempered guide, this was it. Mr. de Waal provides one. Currently an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he has traveled through and written of the Caucasus more than most any outsider since the Kremlin's grip over the region loosened during the Soviet collapse. His book contains history and knowing flair: ..will likely have many lives. Why? The wars that broke out in the 1990s are not over. Mr. De Waal's book is welcome now, and most useful. If one of the wars flares up again, it will be essential."--The New York Times War Blog

"Assiduously researched and lucid primer. While it may be easier for the distant academic to be dispassionate, de Waal is more than that. Through the past two decades, he has written extensively on, and from, the region for British newspapers and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. He is also the co-author of Chechnya, probably the best contemporary volume on that violent Russian republic. The Caucasus reflects a depth of understanding of the region that doesn't stray into the didactic. In recent years, other volumes have appeared on the South Caucasus, notably Charles King's The Ghost of Freedom, and Thomas Goltz's diaries of Georgia and Azerbaijan. But de Waal has produced the most important work. And, as with any good book, it leaves the reader hungering for more."--Foreign Policy

"Nobody has dealt with today's Transcaucasia as lucidly as Thomas de Waal."--Times Literary Supplement

"Well-written, accessible and engaging...[De Waal's] magisterial histories are an essential part of a comprehensible explanation of the intractable problems that beset the region."--International Affairs

"Thomas de Waal has written one of the most vivid, clear-minded accounts of the history and current troubles of the lands between Russia and Turkey. The Caucasus defines easy explanation, and de Waal deftly untangles the webs of mystification and obfuscation that have so often marred our understanding of why this rich and beautiful region, a cradle of diverse civilizations, has failed so miserably to realize its promise."--Ronald Grigor Suny, Professor of Social and Political History, and Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan

"Europe and Asia, mountains and flatlands, Christians and Muslims, ancient cultures and modern states--the Caucasus has long been a classic borderland in many senses. Blending first-hand reporting, historical narratives, and original research, The Caucasus is an indispensable guide to the fractious politics and complicated histories of the region's nations and peoples."--Charles King, Professor of International Affairs and Government, Georgetown University, and author of The Ghost of Freedom

"This is the definitive text for anyone interested in this complex region. De Waal describes the deep roots of current conflicts and his analysis of the present situation is right on target. It should be required reading for anyone involved in Caucasian affairs."--Richard Miles, former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Georgia

"The Caucasus is a mini-encyclopedia, and de Waal a peerless guide for navigating this mountainous maze of tangled enmities and ethnicities."--Andrew Meier, author of The Lost Spy: An American in Stalin's Secret Service

"A compact but rich book examining the southern side of the range, where combustible difficulties afflict three small post-Soviet countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. ...If ever there was a place that needed a competent and even-tempered guide, this was it. Mr. de Waal provides one. Currently an analyst at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, he has traveled through and written of the Caucasus more than most any outsider since the Kremlin's grip over the region loosened during the Soviet collapse. His book contains history and knowing flair: ..will likely have many lives. Why? The wars that broke out in the 1990s are not over. Mr. De Waal's book is welcome now, and most useful. If one of the wars flares up again, it will be essential."--The New York Times War Blog

"Assiduously researched and lucid primer. While it may be easier for the distant academic to be dispassionate, de Waal is more than that. Through the past two decades, he has written extensively on, and from, the region for British newspapers and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting. He is also the co-author of Chechnya, probably the best contemporary volume on that violent Russian republic. The Caucasus reflects a depth of understanding of the region that doesn't stray into the didactic. In recent years, other volumes have appeared on the South Caucasus, notably Charles King's The Ghost of Freedom, and Thomas Goltz's diaries of Georgia and Azerbaijan. But de Waal has produced the most important work. And, as with any good book, it leaves the reader hungering for more."--Foreign Policy

"Nobody has dealt with today's Transcaucasia as lucidly as Thomas de Waal."--Times Literary Supplement

"Well-written, accessible and engaging...[De Waal's] magisterial histories are an essential part of a comprehensible explanation of the intractable problems that beset the region."--International Affairs

"Thomas de Waal has written one of the most vivid, clear-minded accounts of the history and current troubles of the lands between Russia and Turkey. The Caucasus defines easy explanation, and de Waal deftly untangles the webs of mystification and obfuscation that have so often marred our understanding of why this rich and beautiful region, a cradle of diverse civilizations, has failed so miserably to realize its promise."--Ronald Grigor Suny, Professor of Social and Political History, and Professor of Political Science, University of Michigan

"Europe and Asia, mountains and flatlands, Christians and Muslims, ancient cultures and modern states--the Caucasus has long been a classic borderland in many senses. Blending first-hand reporting, historical narratives, and original research, The Caucasus is an indispensable guide to the fractious politics and complicated histories of the region's nations and peoples."--Charles King, Professor of International Affairs and Government, Georgetown University, and author of The Ghost of Freedom

"This is the definitive text for anyone interested in this complex region. De Waal describes the deep roots of current conflicts and his analysis of the present situation is right on target. It should be required reading for anyone involved in Caucasian affairs."--Richard Miles, former U.S. Ambassador to Azerbaijan and Georgia

"The Caucasus is a mini-encyclopedia, and de Waal a peerless guide for navigating this mountainous maze of tangled enmities and ethnicities."--Andrew Meier, author of The Lost Spy: An American in Stalin's Secret Service

About the Author

Thomas de Waal is a Senior Associate on the Caucasus at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of Black Garden and co-author with Carlotta Gall of Chechnya.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0195399773
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; 1st edition (September 9, 2010)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 259 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780195399776
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0195399776
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.02 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 9.1 x 6 x 0.8 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #1,570,035 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #2,250 in Human Geography (Books)
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- #7,638 in History & Theory of Politics

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4.3 158 ratings

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Thomas de Waal is a Senior Associate on the Caucasus at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He has worked on Russia and the Caucasus as a journalist, author and expert for almost 20 years.

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VA

A breath of fresh(er) air

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on October 18, 2010

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In the stench of crude state-sponsored propaganda war surrounding the region's modern history De Waal's book is a much needed breath of fresh(er) air. The Author rightly mentions in the beginning of the book that "The whole picture is deeply complex and makes the Balkans seem simple by comparison". Indeed, way too often we witness overly amateurish and simplistic (thus mostly wrong) views on the region expressed in various publications - both online and in print - as well as on some international forums from OIC through EU up to UN. De Waal's book - despite all its drawbacks (some highlighted below) - is one of the best independent references for anybody who is genuinely interested in the region and its immediate future.

To all fairness to the Author, he seems to get closer to "calling a spade a spade" in "The Caucasus: An Introduction" compared to his previous landmark publication "Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through Peace and War". For example, he seems to have adjusted his somewhat simplified view of Karabakh conflict as a war between "Russian-supported" Armenian and "pro-Turkish" Azerbaijan. Instead, in "The Caucasus..." he calls Russian assistance "erratic" and highlights important facts about Azeris inheriting from the Soviet Army substantially more weaponry and ammunition than Armenian side did.

However, De Waal still misses three fundamental factors shaping the core essence of the current Armenian-Azeri conflict which in turn determines the division of the region.

1) The Big Elephant in the room - which De Waal chooses not to notice - is perceived imbalance in force - in terms of wealth, population, unconditional political, diplomatic, economic and military support from at least one local power - between Azerbaijan and Armenia. This imbalance was the real driver behind Azeri central government's decision to attack the rebel province in 90-ies, and it will probably play the same role if war breaks out in future (without doubt it would be again started by Azeri side). Needless to say that while back in 90-ies the imbalance was both real and much wider than it is today - it proved to be misleading as Azeris never matched the determination of ethnic Karabakh Armenians consequently losing the war.

2) Out of three major Caucasus nations only Armenians stood on the brink of a total physical annihilation. While it's great that the Author doesn't dodge the fact of Armenian Genocide (confirmed in the book in highly diplomatic manner: "...the Armenians have a strong case"), unfortunately, he rarely mentions it elsewhere. However, the Genocide - still not apologized for let alone compensated - occupies a pivotal role in Armenian national consciousness - similar to, if not bigger than, the role of the Holocaust for Jews. The feelings experienced by Armenians around the World during Karabakh war and Armenian pogroms of 80-ies and 90-ies could hardly be properly described leaving the Genocide out of the context. Yet, for some reason, Author chooses to do exactly that.

3) One other key factor which didn't deserve proper attention in "The Caucasus..." is another "disputed territory" - Nakhichevan (Armenian for "the place of descent" referring to Noah's Ark). While Nakhichevan was mentioned several times the dots were never connected leaving a gaping hole in the big picture. While writing about the infamous destruction of the legendary Armenian medieval cemetery by Azeri military in 2006 De Waal doesn't say anything about scores of Armenian churches razed to ground by Azeris since independence (search wikipedia on subject of Nakhichevan for more details). The Author writes about "clear Azeri majority" in Nakhichevan when it was granted to Azerbaijan SSR, without actually saying that back in 1915 about 40% was still Armenian. Why Nakhichevan is so important? Because it represents a vivid reminder of what would have happened to Karabakh - that is complete and final de-Armenisation both in terms of population and all historic monuments - had it lost the war with the Azeri central government. I refuse to believe the Author - after so many years of studying the conflict - is not aware of this simple truth. Yet, once again, he decides to conveniently "forget" about it in apparent pursuit of falsely understood "neutrality".

At the same time, unlike Armenian-Azeri conflict, the author seems to speak more freely about Abkhazian and Ossetian conflicts. He doesn't shy away describing the assimilation policy against Abkhaz during Soviet years, mentioning that Abkhazians fought with their "backs against the wall", and reprimanding Georgian nationalists for their "reflex" of calling the rebel regions "Georgian lands". He also is very clear pointing out on the side which started the infamous war in Ossetia in 2008. One can only guess that such directness of Author is enabled by Georgian authorities being more receptive (or at least less "allergic") to information they don't like compared to their Azeri counterparts.

While the Author is arguably the best-known independent expert in the modern history of the region, more distant past is hardly his forte. When describing the history of Armenians and Georgians he writes "the first tangible chain of continuity form the past comes with the arrival of Christianity" (!) although several pages later he mentions Armenian's golden age dating back to 1st century BC of King Tigran's ruling. At the same time the real value of the book undoubtedly lies in the core part describing the modern history of the region. Here, considering the current "noise" surrounding the subject, De Waal did a remarkable job.

The last but not least - I can't but support the book's underlying vision - however Utopian it may sound today - that the only chance for the Caucasus in truly unlocking its huge potential both in talent and natural resources lies in the united region with transparent borders and its nations working and living together in peace resisting both outside influence and inside nationalist forces. However distant that perspective is - the book is a small step towards promoting that vision. I'd like to believe De Waal's next steps will be bolder. But for that he needs to start distinguishing the difference between "neutral" and "neutered".

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Graham H. Seibert

A wonderful introductory overview of a very complex place

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 4, 2011

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Geography is destiny, as de Waal lays out in his opening chapter. The Caucasus is defined by the so-named mountain range, and the Lesser Caucasus which runs through Armenia and western Azerbaijan.

The mountains have historically presented a formidible barrier. Only in the last couple of centuries, under the Russians, has there been a road passage north to Russia, or even an east-west internal link within Georgia. There is water to the east and west, mountains to the southwest, desert to the southeast. These natural boundaries frame an area which corresponds in size and population to Florida.

These barriers have limited trade, warfare and migration. The result is numerous pockets of small populations of diverse people. De Waal says the Arabs called it Djabal al-alsun, the "mountain of the languages." They include the remanants of once widespread ancient peoples such as the Sarmartins and several others which have resisted, in their hidden valleys, the sweeps of armies and empires. On the other hand, however, seaborne trade has been a dominant factor along both the Black Sea and Caspian coastlines. The waters brought pockets of trading peoples such as Pontic Greeks and Jews.

It is the meeting place of civilizations and religions: the southern boundary of the Russian Empire, the Western boundary of the Ottomans, and the northern boundary of the Persians. It is a patchwork of Christian and Muslim. Although each has claimed political authority off and on over the centuries, and traces of their influence linger, de Waal makes a strong case that the peoples of the Caucasus have retained their own individual characteristics, and that there are several traits unique to the Caucasus which characterize many or most of the peoples.

Having provided this background, de Waal leads us fairly quickly through ancient and medieval history up to the czarist conquest of the 3 countries, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, in the 19th century. He describes their efforts to integrate them into Empire and the abortive attempts to establish independent states before the Bolsheviks took over.

Then we get to modern times. Problems in the Caucasus prefigured the fall of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev was unwilling to use extreme force to subdue internecine warfare among the Soviet Socialist republics of the Caucasus, and they unraveled. Abkhazia, Armenia, and Georgia spun themselves free, after which South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh spun free from them, generally with bloodshed.

Other reviewers have focused on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, and the treatment of Armenians in general.. I will only note that Armenians, like the Jews, are singularly articulate in their own defense. De Waal gives quite colorful descriptions of the national characters of the three nationalities. As an anecdote, he says that the Georgians claim that once Jew can cheat three Greeks, but one Armenian can cheat three Jews.

The late 1990s and early 2000's were a period of economic development and peace, but not peace treaties and normal relations. It came apart again in 2008 with the war between Russia and Georgia. I find de Waal's treatment of this conflict especially valuable. Contrary to what the American press reported, but consistent with what I read in Europe, the Georgians started the hot war. They had had ample provocation from Russia, but they ignored advice from Americans and others to avoid conflict.

Here in Ukraine we read about the "Georgian miracle" whereby they have supposedly gotten rid of the communist era corruption and invented a new society. Either de Waal hasn't heard about it or he finds it not worth reporting. He describes Michael Saakshavili as a strongman, albeit intelligent and sophisticated, of the more typical post-communist mold. He is not very sanguine about the progress of the other two countries in reducing corruption, either. This will be a major issue for them if and when they want closer integration with Europe.

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F Henwood

Excellent introduction to the region

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 27, 2014

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This book is an excellent introduction to the complexities of a little-known region. Parallels can be found with the Balkans - a rugged topography, ethnically heterogeneous and history of intra-communal strife. But the Caucasus are a lot more complex: at least 10 major ethnic groups with many subdivisions and among them, and dozens of mutually unintelligible languages. But there are degrees of mutuality, such as the shared legacy of Russian/Soviet rule and, in some places, the glue of Islam. These commonalities mean that the Caucasus is not just an arbitrary geographical designation, unrelated to facts on the ground. This ought to be a basis for some sort of consensus among political actors for compromise but it isn't. Instead, the author laments, `zero-sum thinking prevails. The region suffers from a lack of inclusive thinking.' (p. 226). So what is perceived to be an opportunity in one part of the region is perceived as a threat elsewhere. For instance, the beginnings of a Turkish-Armenian rapprochement in 2009 provoked anger in Azerbaijan, which promptly stopped selling Turkey gas.

What is the root of all this? The old chestnut that used to come up in discussions about the wars in the ex-Yugoslavia in the 1990s was `ancient hatreds', the incorrigible tribal irrationality of the peoples themselves. In relation to the conflicts described in this book, de Waal shows that relations between communities were often cordial. In the breakaway Georgian province of South Ossetia, Georgian and South Ossetian villagers had cordial relations based on networks of mutual interests, right up until the 2008 Russian-Georgian war; Azeri-Armenian community relations in Nagorno-Karabakh record a great deal of concord. Having noted that, the author notes that moves by Armenian and Azeri leaders to resolve the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh has no popular constituency in either country, and that `without a wider constituency pressing for change, the presidents have no mandate for peace in their negotiations.' (p. 129). So neither the `popular hatreds' nor the `politicians-stir-it-up' view convincingly summarises what the roots of the conflicts in the region are. An explanation probably requires a description that traces the volatile and dynamic interplay between popular passions from below, and political manipulation from above. Such a book would be fiendishly difficult to write.

Aside from internal dynamics, there is the role of external powers. Armenia is a good example of the vagaries of the interaction between internal and external forces. Armenia has good relations with Russia, the latter sponsoring and arming that country's take over and de facto annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh but, through skilful lobbying on the country's behalf by its expatriate population, has curried favour with Western countries like the USA and France. Energy plays in part in the geopolitical mix although Caspian oil reserves are not what they were cracked up to be, hence the perception of the strategic values of the region's natural resources is likely to shrink accordingly (and anyway, resource-poor Georgia and Armenia only figure in these calculations as possible transit routes for oil and gas pipelines).

As an epitome of the machinations of outside powers, the Russian-Georgian war might be apposite. De Waal writes that the main culpability rests, strangely enough, with the one actor that did not fight and that sought to stop the violence: the West. Not because the West goaded Georgia into trying to seize back South Ossetia by force. They did nothing of the kind. But because the West promised more than it could deliver: that is, supporting Georgia's territorial integrity without considering workable strategies to recover lost territories. This is an odd conclusion to draw, for the evidence he presents does not support it. First, he presents evidence to show that mistakes by Georgian politicians contributed to the South Ossetia's and Abkhazia's desire to break out of Georgia in the first place. Second, he shows that Russia, under Putin, exploited the situation from 2000, in entrenching the separatists (e.g. offering Russian passports to residents of these territories, despite the fact that none of these people are Russian) and doing nothing since then to promote a peaceful reconciliation. Third, the author notes that western-funded efforts at reconciliation failed 'because the mood was against [these efforts].' This begs the question: whose mood was against them? The answer is obvious. The separatists. The Russians. The Georgians. The protagonists of the conflict, in the other words. If the actors on the ground were not interested in promoting compromise, then what could the west have done? Alas, too many people in the Caucasus do not think like well-meaning, reasonable policy analysts at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

Despite this, I still rate the book five stars as it succeeds in doing what it says on the tin, one hundred per cent. It is an introduction to the Caucasus, and covers all the salient points and issues succinctly, which is no mean feat given the complexity of the region. If you start out knowing nothing about the region, then by the time you have finished the book, you will have a primer that will teach you about all the fundamental issues. Also, the author is non-dogmatic and presents the evidence so that you can draw your own conclusions about the assessments he makes. Therefore, five stars.

14 people found this helpful

Nicholas Rees

Lucid, Balanced, Relevant and Well Informed.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 19, 2014

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The caucasus - an unknown and exotic area, but still part of Europe; we should all understand it better, I told myself. Also, I collect antique rugs from this part of the world so have a special interest for that reason. So I bought this book, thinking that it dealt with both North and South Caucasus and despite initial disappointment that it did not cover such interesting areas as Chechnya and Dagestan, really enjoyed reading it. de Waal manages to transcend many of the complexities, historical, geographic and religious to present the three modern republics in a clear context and illuminates the internecine nature of the various wars and feuds that are, sadly, the most distinguishing characteristic of this region.
A few take-aways from me included the revelation that the Russkies are not, generally nowadays, the bad guys though there is some deeply unpleasant history in (Georgian) Stalinist times involving ethnic cleansing/forced migration of entire peoples and consequential genocide - what a tyrant that man was, arguably the most evil that ever lived. Later Russian regimes seemed positively enlightened about their treatment of these areas. The modern Georgians come across as the main instigators of a number of the problems in this area - Abkazia, South Ossetia, bickering with the Russians etc. - and are trying to up the stakes by involving the West in an area that is really Russia's backyard. This is relevant to the West for a number of reasons, not least being that this has partly given rise to the increasingly problematic nature of Chechnya. One has most sympathy with the Azeris who have been consistently outmanouevred by their Armenian rivals and one wonders why the West is not a little more careful about who it chooses as an ally. The fact that Georgia is Christian and Azerbaijan is Shi'ia is hardly the best basis for a foreign policy.
Through it all de Waal writes in a style which is a delight, presenting things with great clarity and making this book a joy to read. I'd recommend it very highly and am quite happy to look for another book to read as a complement to this covering the Northern (Russian) Caucasus. Just a shame that the same author didn't write one!

2 people found this helpful

Martin1400

and especially good on the evolving relationship over two centuries with the ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 24, 2016

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A superb and balanced introduction, clearly, concisely and engagingly expressed, to the complications of the history and development up to 2009 of the three countries of the south Caucasus. Simply essential for anyone wanting to know anything about the region, and especially good on the evolving relationship over two centuries with the Russian Empire/Soviet Union/Russia. Also surely the most appallingly copy-edited book ever published by a major publisher (OUP) - the number of omitted words, typos and erroneous word substitutions (e.g. "community" for "commodity", "sizes for sides") is shameful for a text of only 227 pages. Unfair on the author to knock a star off for it, but one must hope there will be a new, updated edition at some point to both reflect more recent developments and put the copy-editing problems right.

3 people found this helpful

Craig Campbell

For this part of the world, Thomas De Waal is the expert

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on April 9, 2014

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I AM coming to love this man's straightforward writing, and his explanations of very complicated issues.
I also like that he ends this book on an optimistic note, that perhaps the three main nations involved will eventually give up on the EU, Turkey, Iran, USA and Russia, and somehow sort out their issues by themselves.
It is tiring and frustrating to read about the countless signs of hope in the South Caucasus, always seemingly dashed by one or the other, and not often helped by the outsiders who get involved.
But hopefully they will come out of all this bad history with something more hopeful for the future.
And hopefully Mr De Waal will write more books about it.

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Mike

Excellent Guide to Political History of the Region

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on December 16, 2013

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The politics and history of this region are complicated but De Waal guides you through in a very readable and engaging style. Highly recommended. My only complaint - the title is misleading this is about Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan - the northern Caucasus are barely mentioned. Nonetheless its still a 5 star volume for what it does cover.

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