Wednesday, April 19, 2006

BOOK: Presentation Of Walking In The Caucasus-Georgia Book Held

In Georgia Embassy To UK
Tbilisi. April 19 (Prime-News) – Presentation of Walking in the Caucasus-Georgia by Peter Nasmyth was held in the Georgian Embassy to the UK under the aegis of the Embassy and the Georgian British Society on April 18th.
Peter Nasmyth has been engaged in research of history of Georgian culture for eighteen years ... more >>>
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Georgia; In the Mountains of Poetry (Caucasus World S.) (Paperback)
"All voyages are searches in disguise, and this one to the nation of Georgia has turned out as no exception..." (more)
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
An enthusiast for his subject, Nasmyth discovers Georgia precisely at the moment of the tiny democratic republic's post-Soviet reawakening. Notable for its hospitality, its wines, its intellectual tradition and a remarkable ability to preserve its national identity under successive occupations, Georgia appeals wildly to the senses even while its people face immense political and economic challenges. Nasmyth shows how this early Christian kingdom, once nestled between the Russian, Turkish and Persian empires, casts a spell over all those who visit. As he portrays Georgia's regions with descriptions of landscape and customs, Nasmyth also refers to a rich tradition of epic and religious writing and storytelling. While the interviews with people he encounters capture a portrait of Georgia in transition, there is a disappointing reliance on obvious metaphors to reflect the death of the Soviet order: rust, rickety buses, decrepit buildings and prostitution. Likewise, Nasmyth's digressions into the meaning of Soviet history and his occasional personal revelations are superficial and distract from an otherwise strong exercise in observation. Certain reminiscences are rewarding, however: wandering the twisting streets of Tbilisi, or imbibing a cold drink from a sacred pool in ancient cave dwellings. The author's occasional failure to provide profound commentary makes Georgia no less attractive as a destination. 170 b&w photos and illustrations.
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
From Library Journal
"All voyages are searches in disguise," says Nasmyth as he opens this disquisition on his travels through the former Soviet republic of GeorgiaAand at first readers may find this too annoyingly true. Nasmyth concedes that he's partly searching for himself here, and we hear rather too much about him as he weaves together impressions from his travels with the history of the country. But at least he's honest enough to admit it, and readers will learn a lot about Georgia from reading his book, though it's not really a comprehensive cultural and historical introduction, as it's billed. Rather, it is one slightly pushy but still pretty keen-eyed reporter's account of how the country opened up to him, with a somewhat stronger (and certainly welcome) focus on the arts than one typically finds in books of this sort. Nasmyth has been reporting on the Caucasus for 11 years (he currently runs a charity for children in the area), and though more of this material dates from early in his travels than one might like, he does vividly show us a society in flux. Recommended where Soviet/Russian studies, cultural studies, and unusual travelogs are popular.ABarbara Hoffert, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
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All voyages are searches in disguise, and this one to the nation of Georgia has turned out as no exception.

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