The Ghost of Freedom

A History of the Caucasus

By: Charles King

Narrated by: Michael Page

The Caucasus mountains rise at the intersection of Europe, Russia, and the Middle East. A land of astonishing natural beauty and a dizzying array of ancient cultures, the Caucasus for most of the 20th century lay inside the Soviet Union, before movements of national liberation created newly independent countries and sparked the devastating war in Chechnya.

Charles King reveals how tsars, highlanders, revolutionaries, and adventurers have contributed to the fascinating history of this borderland, providing an indispensable guide to the complicated histories, politics, and cultures of this intriguing frontier. Based on new research in multiple languages, the book shows how the struggle for freedom in the mountains, hills, and plains of the Caucasus has been a perennial theme over the last 200 years - a struggle which has led to liberation as well as to new forms of captivity.

The book sheds valuable light on the origins of modern disputes, including the ongoing war in Chechnya, conflicts in Georgia and Azerbaijan, and debates over oil from the Caspian Sea and its impact on world markets.

©2008 Oxford University Press, Inc. (P)2017 Tantor

An excellent summary of Caucasus History

The book did a phenomenal job of introducing a total stranger to the Caucasus the geography, ethnography, religious makeup, and history of the the Caucasus. It had a balanced approach to understanding Russia’s influence and did not rely on generalities to try to easily explain complex issues. Instead, it presented complex topics like the Russification of the Caucasus and the role of Islam with nuance. Really an excellent work.

Informative & great summary

Great summary of the history of the Caucasus region that is both informative & enjoyable to listen to.

Ghost of the southern tip of Russia

The culture of long serving history of capible forces before it fell to the radicall element.

fascinating story of a messy region

I had no prior knowledge or even interest in the Caucasus and really just decided to branch out to learn something new. I am glad that I did. The content is so interesting and really walks you through the history of this whimsical region. I ended up buying the print version also because it was so interesting and I wanted to have it for reference. This book also opened me up to further topics of interest that I newly discovered while listening to tumultuous history of this land.

Good book - not as organized as I would have liked

Good overview of the Caucasus, including Chechnya and Dagestan. However, I felt that the book jumped around in a less organized fashion than I would have liked. I would have liked more coverage of the Soviet period. Offers good coverage if the post Soviet period and the wars in Chechnya. I learned a lot. Great narrator.