Azerbaijan Diary: A Rogue Reporter's Adventures in an Oil-rich, War-torn, Post-Soviet Republic

by Thomas Goltz

Book Overview

In its first years as an independent state, Azerbaijan was a prime example of post-Soviet chaos - beset by coups and civil strife and astride an ethnic, political and religious divide. Author Goltz... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 076560244X
• ISBN13: 9780765602442
• Release Date: August 1999
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Not Just for Those Interested in Azerbaijan!

While I agree with most of the other reviews (I would take the one that trashs his book with a grain of salt as my guess is that he is an Armenian/NK national that is offended by this book which is very critical of Armenia) I also want to stress that this book should be read (and will be enjoyed) by anyone interested in foreign affairs. It's true that this book is essential for anyone interested in the Caucasus (as an American working here it was a great introduction to the recent history), the book, in addition to being an interesting story, is also a fascinating look into the aftermath of the fall of the Soviet Union and the new role of Russia in the region, ethnic conflict, and how international news gets reported and covered. The book definitely opened my eyes and made me a lot more skeptical about everything I read in the paper. If NK is anything to go by, what happens and what gets reported are two extremely different things. While it's probabably true that the book could have used a bit more editing (you can sort of sense that it is collected from news stories he wrote during the years), that's really only a minor problem. Don't let the size of the book daunt you, it's a relatively quick read. I would also recommend that the next edition have a list of names! It was a little hard to keep track of all the names so a listing at the front of the book would have been helpful. Finally, if you want more information on Azerbaijan an the conflict in N-K, check out the following website....

Tells it like it is

I've travelled extensively through this region, and (unlike many of the other "reviewers" listed below), I lack ethnic or financial ties to the Armenians or the Azeris. I found this book to be extremely accurate - from its account of the Armenians' destruction of Xodjali and Kelbajar to its comic description of various Azeri politicos. Aside from being an important historic document, it's a gripping read. Goltz is to be commended for his brave, accurate reporting. It's quite obvious that many of the critics listed below are writing out of ethnic hatred for the Azeris, and didn't even read the book. If you want documentation of Goltz's story, check out Human Rights Watch's reports on the subject.

A Riveting and Important Book, Highly Recommended

The Caucasus has had a tradition of inspiring good writing, and Thomas Goltz's "Azerbaijan Diary" is a worthy addition to this tradition. Goltz writes well, and his story moves at a brisk pace. Indeed, this reviewer had trouble putting the book down. But Goltz provides far more than a good read for those looking for vicarious adventure. He also provides a compelling and insightful account of the early years of the Azeri Republic, and his book will be important source material for future histories of the region, and is already indispensable for those trying to understand the political dynamics of the post-Soviet space.Goltz effectively conveys the absurdities and weirdness that was the former Soviet Union right after the Union's collapse. This in itself is no easy task. But Goltz also does an impressive job of weaving together his personal experiences with an analysis of Azeri politics. His personal narrative is kept within the greater context of the political events unfolding at the time, something Goltz's status as the first accredited foreign journalist in Azerbaijan undoubtedly helped. Goltz was a witness to many of the young republic's formative events, both public and private.In his observations and analysis, Goltz combines a good eye for detail with a shrewd understanding of politics, and of human nature. Goltz does not let naive ideological commitments drive his depiction of events, a very common failing among journalists covering the former USSR. He avoids rigid assignment of black and white hats, preferring instead to show the actors as he sees them -- composites of good and bad traits. Thus the reader comes to understand Abulfez Elchibey as both an Azeri patriot and a less than competent leader surrounded by grasping underlings, and the current president Heydar Aliyev as a cunning and devious politico also surrounded by grasping underlings who has obtained a significant degree of stability for the embattled republic. Even as he eschews ideologically predetermined storylines in favor of complexity, Goltz's moral sense remains acute. In the course of his years in Azerbaijan, Goltz witnessed a good deal of human tragedy and he has done a service in describing first-hand the plight of Azeri refugees, dead and living, at the hands of both the Armenian militias and their own government. Goltz clearly has a love for his fellow human beings, warts and all, and this allows him to find to find small moments of humor even as he describes the many injustices he has witnessed and the significant problems that lie ahead. His is a skillful balance of realism and hope. This is a riveting book, and is very highly recommended.

Captivating, informative, disturbing.

There are few heroes in Thomas Goltz's story of Azerbaijan's difficult birthing process, and his in-your-face record of the history of the new republic reveals much of the darker side of the human soul including, occasionally, his own. By his own description, Goltz doesn't suffer fools and - in his passionate, near obsessive pursuit of a truth that no one else seems to either see nor to care about - is an 'equal opportunity offender', nipping at the heels ( and other parts of the anatomy ) of Azeris, Armenians, Turks, Iranians,Russians and Americans, oil men, fellow journalists and his own editors.Azerbaijan Diary succeeds as history, as analysis, as adventure. It should be required reading for politicians and policy makers, academics, oil executives and any young would-be journalists who wonder whether there are still any fact-driven , swashbuckling hacks out there in this largely electronic media age of underinformed talking heads. Meanwhile, Goltz should go wherever journalistic pit bulls go for a break and let someone turn this excellent book into a film script.

Excellent!

I was going to write a whole long review of this book but then decided that all you need to know is that it is excellent and you should read it. The stories told by Mr. Goltz could only be heard while enjoying a drink and a cigar with the man himself, or by reading this book. Don't worry if you know nothing about Azerbaijan and the region, all you need is the willingness to learn a few names, keep track of a few cities, and imagine what it must of been like to live through some of the more harrowing stories told within. This book served as an introduction to the region for me, and through mentions in the text has introduced me to other excellent authors and books as well.