- Hardcover: 528 pages
- Publisher: Allen Lane; First Edition edition (4 Mar 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1846141419
- ISBN-13: 978-1846141416
- Product Dimensions: 23.6 x 15.8 x 3.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 350,547 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Let Our Fame Be Great
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
Two centuries ago, the Russians pushed out of the cold north towards the Caucasus Mountains, the range that blocked their access to Georgia, Turkey, Persia and India. They were forging their colonial destiny, and the mountains were in their way.
The Caucasus had to be conquered and, for the highlanders who lived there, life would never be the same again.
If the Russians expected it to be an easy fight, however, they were mistaken. Their armies would go on to defeat Napoleon and Hitler, as well as lesser foes, but no one resisted them for as long as these supposed savages.
To hear the stories of the conquest, I travelled far from the mountains. I wandered through the steppes of Central Asia and the cities of Turkey. I squatted outside internment camps in Poland, and drank tea beneath the gentle hills of Israel. The stories I heard amplified the outrages I saw in the mountains themselves. As I set out, in my mind was a Chechen woman I had met in a refugee camp. She lived in a ragged, khaki tent in a field of mud and stones, but she welcomed me with laughter and kindness. Like the mountains of her homeland, her spirit had soared upwards, gleaming and pure. Throughout my travels, I met the same generosity from all the Caucasus peoples.
Their stories have not been told, and there fame is not great, but truly it deserves to be.
About the Author
Oliver Bullough was born in 1977 and grew up on a sheep farm in mid-Wales. He studied modern history at Oxford University and moved to Russia in 1999. He lived in St Petersburg, Bishkek and Moscow over the next seven years, working as a journalist first for local magazines and newspapers, and then for Reuters news agency. He reported from all over Russia and the former Soviet Union, but liked nothing more than to work among the peoples and mountains of the North Caucasus.
He moved back to Britain in 2006, and has spent the following years travelling for and writing this book.He now lives in east London. He likes to travel, to take photographs, to watch Welsh rugby, to cook and to read.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is an excellent book, written from a particular viewpoint, but none the worse for that. The author has clearly managed to gain the trust of the many people he visited and spoke to, and has an excellent background in Russian and Caucasian history. It is selective: the Northern Caucasus (very little about the fascinating history of the countries and peoples to the South - Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and so on), and primarily three nations of the Northern Caucasus. Despite being selective, it is a fine and thought provoking read. No-one will read it and fail to learn more about the interaction of Russia with these peoples.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
For those of us who have travelled extensively in the region the rhythms of this text are unmistakable. It captures so well the spririt of those who have inhabited the Caucasus for centuries. The detailed reseach that Bullough undertook means that there is much here you will not read in comparable books.
However it speaks well to those with little knowledge as I then passed it onto my wife who knows little of the area and she adored it and could not put it down. The illuminating and unpatronising tone allows experts and novices alike to enjoy it.
However it speaks well to those with little knowledge as I then passed it onto my wife who knows little of the area and she adored it and could not put it down. The illuminating and unpatronising tone allows experts and novices alike to enjoy it.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I read this book during a hot summer in Russia; it was curious to think that 'Let Our Fame Be Great' is set in the same country. I'd recommend it, with the following points:
1) The book focusses on the North Caucasus, so don't expect coverage of Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan.
2) It takes a surprising (though welcome) turn in the last section, changing from a historical perspective, to reporting on events from the last decade. Overall, the book is a rich blend of history, reporting, with travel writing and folklore. The few pages of colour photographs add to the account, evoking the people and places that Bullough encounters.
3) It's not a complete, 'academic' account of the region - it's more like a colourful taster, leaving you wanting to read more about the Caucasus. That is the secret of this book's charm.
1) The book focusses on the North Caucasus, so don't expect coverage of Georgia, Armenia or Azerbaijan.
2) It takes a surprising (though welcome) turn in the last section, changing from a historical perspective, to reporting on events from the last decade. Overall, the book is a rich blend of history, reporting, with travel writing and folklore. The few pages of colour photographs add to the account, evoking the people and places that Bullough encounters.
3) It's not a complete, 'academic' account of the region - it's more like a colourful taster, leaving you wanting to read more about the Caucasus. That is the secret of this book's charm.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Fascinating
A brilliant insight into a region which is often misunderstood,and sometimes misrepresented. It tells the story of the Circassians and Chechens, of Daghestan and Abkhazia, of war... Read more
Published 1 month ago by JonP
Informative, well paced and difficult to put down
There are now a considerable number of books that mix history with travel journalism dipping between history and modern politics. This book is no different in that respect. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Spilsbury
Required Reading
Bullough takes us through the history of the area, bringing a wide variety of historical sources together and offering his own perspective on Russia's attitude to the Caucasus both... Read more
Published 20 months ago by T. R. Cowdret
Cecilia Harvey
Fascinating! I would recomend this book to anyone, I very much enjoyed this book. I've learnt so much from reading it and I very much look forward to reading the next book by Mr... Read more
Published on 10 April 2010 by Mrs. C. E. J. Harvey
Fantastic
Sublime book - moving, exquisitely written and an absolute gem for anyone with an interest in the peoples of the Caucasus. This is a much-needed piece of work. Read more
Published on 5 Mar 2010 by Ms. Farrah Jarral
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