Caucasus: Mountain Men and Holy Wars

Causasus provides insight to an important but rarely visited part of Europe: the mountain region between the Caspian and Black seas. While it is part travelogue, the story of four very different men as they share cars, houses and hotels on this trip, most of the book comprises a synthesis of literary and historical references to the region strung over a framework comprising the life of a particular terrorist/freedom fighter/brigand who resisted the incursion of the Russian empire in the 1800s. Both elements are interesting, but both feel like narrow glimpses into the past and present of a region which is notorious for its very fine scale ethnic and linguistic diversity. So it is hard to gain a sense of the extent to which the text show more provides information as opposed to anecdote. Inevitably, both also include personal comments (Tolstoy's gambling; the author's aggravation with another member of the party) which pad the book while not adding to the book's insights into the region. It is somewhat like Oprah meets John Gunther. Nevetheless, I enjoyed reading the book, and as indicated at the outset of this review - there aren't many books about this region to choose from. show less