The Caucasus mountains rise at the intersection of Europe; Russia; and the Middle East. A land of astonishing natural beauty and a dizzying array of ancient cultures; the Caucasus for most of the twentieth century lay inside the Soviet Union; before movements of national liberation created newly independent countries and sparked the devastating war in Chechnya.Combining riveting storytelling with insightful analysis; The Ghost of Freedom is the first general history of the modern Caucasus; stretching from the beginning of Russian imperial expansion up to the rise of new countries after the Soviet Union's collapse. In evocative and accessible prose; Charles King reveals how tsars; highlanders; revolutionaries; and adventurers have contributed to the fascinating history of this borderland; providing an indispensable guide to the complicated histories; politics; and cultures of this intriguing frontier. Based on new research in multiple languages; the book shows how the struggle for freedom in the mountains; hills; and plains of the Caucasus has been a perennial theme over the last two hundred years--a struggle which has led to liberation as well as to new forms of captivity. The book sheds valuable light on the origins of modern disputes; including the ongoing war in Chechnya; conflicts in Georgia and Azerbaijan; and debates over oil from the Caspian Sea and its impact on world markets.Ranging from the salons of Russian writers to the circus sideshows of America; from the offices of European diplomats to the villages of Muslim mountaineers; The Ghost of Freedom paints a rich portrait of one of the world's most turbulent and least understood regions.
#316820 in Books Oxford University Press; USA 2009-03-13Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.00 x 1.00 x 9.20l; 1.10 #File Name: 0195378555352 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. American Revolution: Rebels RisingBy Kim Burdick"Rebels Rising" is a fresh approach to the impact of British imperial policies on post- French and Indian War America. The book presents a thoughtful and complete picture of the civic unrest developing throughout the land and makes a lot of sense.I liked Carp's focus on the urban and social history of pre-Revolutionary America's five largest cities; Boston; Newport; New York; Philadelphia and Charleston. I also liked the way each city is viewed through a different filter based on typical gathering places of the docks; taverns; places of worship; homes; and outside spaces.. Carp is quite right when he states; "The Revolution had begun; not on Paul Revere's lonely road to Concord or amid floating chunks of ice in the Delaware River; but on the waterfront and in the streets; squares and meeting places of the cities."The book is scholarly yet readable; with minimal jargon; an impressive bibliography; careful footnotes and good appendices.Kim BurdickStanton; Delaware0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Rebels rise in the cityBy avidreaderThe author writes; "The Revolution had begun; not on Paul Revere's lonely road to Concord or amid floating chunks of ice in the Delaware River; but on the waterfront and in the streets; squares and meeting places of the cities." Most people see the revolution starting elsewhere - the ride of Paul Revere; the shots at Lexington or Concord or the hanging of Nathan Hale. Here the author gives a great read in telling us a little different slant;0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. goodBy Ann M. Zeukeneeded for a class on Revolutionary America; good read
