Sovietistan explores Central Asia’s five former Soviet republics—Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. The narrative weaves together ancient customs, Soviet-era legacies and modern political upheavals.
Traveling independently across vast steppes, desert ruins and historic cities, the journey uncovers hidden facets of the region: the desolate nuclear test site in Kazakhstan, the dried basin of the Aral Sea and the architectural marvels of Samarkand. In Turkmenistan, where foreign visitors face strict controls, the narrative moves incognito to reveal life beyond official propaganda.
Encounters with shrimp gatherers on the Aral shores, survivors of ethnic conflicts in Osh and German Mennonite communities on Kyrgyz plains highlight the human stories behind geopolitical shifts.
- Nuclear test grounds at the Polygon in Kazakhstan
- Massacre survivors and ethnic tensions in Osh
- Silk Road treasures and brutalist Soviet architecture
- Local customs, from bride snatching to gas-driven economies
Rich in detail and compassion, Sovietistan immerses readers in a world where history echoes across vast landscapes and nations forge new identities.
