Product Description

Beginning with a look at all the people of the Caucasus and then focusing on the Chechens and their particular plight, this book provides a consideration of nationalism and the fight of the Chechens to preserve their freedom and autonomy against Russian rule.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #106305 in Books
• Published on: 1998-07-10
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 576 pages

Customer Reviews

The human face of Chechnya
I am probably the least qualified person to review this book, but I was touched by its humanity and empathy for ordinary people caught up in an avalanche of evil. The portrait of Chechens as a brave, decent and beautiful mountain people is an unusual one that deserves attention. Especially good for cynical journalistic minds!

A personnel journey to the heart of the Chencen conflict
The author gives a detailed account of her time spent in Russia and the Caucasus' during the first of the 2 recent Russian 'invasions' of Chechenya. While there is little doubt which side the author's sympathies lie she still manages a certain level of objectivity in presenting a very complicated subject in a way which is understandable to the average westerner. Starting with a brief history of the various conflicts along the old USSR's southern border that followed the break up of the union, and a more detailed exploration of Russian-Chenchen history,the author examines the ordinary Russian peoples atitude to the 'blacks' from the Caucasus before embarking on a journey to the, by then, war thorn region to see exactly why the Russian people fear the Chechens so badly. Once there she gives several gripping accounts of encounters with fighters and ordinary people on all sides in the war. Unfortunatly the author was transfered out of Moscow as the war reached it's stalemate stage and Lebed negoiated a peace deal, so this time period is covered rather briefly, leading to a rather hurrid feel to the last few chapters. In all this is a very readable and fasinating exploration of the war and should have been read by the Russian leadership before embarking on their current assult on Chechenya.