In Search of Kazakhstan: The Land That Disappeared – Christopher Robbins

“Apples are from Kazakhstan.”

A lovely, readable, fascinating, harrowing book*, written in 2007 and drawing much upon the author’s conversations with President Nursultan Nazarbayev who saw Kazakhstan through the transition from Soviet Socialist Republic (exploited as a land for gulags, Kolkhoz and nuclear weapons testing) to an oil/gas-rich independent nation with hope for the future.

Amazon.co.uk link: In Search of Kazakhstan: The Land That Disappeared – Christopher Robbins

* even if my copy – a library book – featured annoying pencil annotations. It’s not your book, so don’t write in it.