A post long-overdue: I chipped away slowly at this 560pp beast. Overall, would strongly recommend for anyone deeply interested in the minutiae of central Asian history.
Liked: the flow and tone of the narrative; the range of stories included; the authors’ effectiveness in bringing the central characters to life.
Maybe Not For Everyone: while I’d recommend this book to history buffs, for those looking for a more direct tie to today, there are other, better reads (see posts below). This is a fun book, and one with great detail, but if you’re looking for a first primer on how central asia got the way it is not a good starting point.
