Sovietistan, Erika Fatland

Central Asia is a region of the world that has always fascinated me. A thousand years ago, this region was the intellectual and mercantile heart of the world. Today, after centuries of steppe invasions and foreign colonisation, it has become an ill understood backwater still struggling with its Soviet legacy. For those of us looking to learn more about this remarkable part of the world, Sovietistan offers unparalleled, almost accidental insider access to some of the most secretive countries today.

One of the best aspects of the book is that Fatland mostly recounts events that at first might appear mundane or common. While there are certain episodes which definitely have an element of spectacle to them, such as the incident when the Turkmen president fell off his horse during a race, the majority of stories she tells are of interactions like talking to her driver or sharing a cup of tea in some random villager’s house. The beauty of focusing on everyday events is that it really makes you feel like you are there seeing life not as a tourist but as a local, as much as that’s possible through a book. So whether it’s the hushed criticism of the ruling dictator by her driver, a wedding in the remote mountains of Tajikistan, or a young man casually mentioning how he will move to Europe and get a second wife there, Sovietistan gives you an authentic insight into the lives and thoughts of people on the ground.

A testament to how successful Fatland has been is the fact that on various occasions I felt quite startled and surprised at learning about the customs she saw that no tour guide would ever talk about. The best example of this was when she was in Kyrgyzstan and learned about the tradition of ala kachuu or bride kidnapping. It’s not so surprising to learn that it exists – plenty of cruel customs still exist in the world – but that it’s de facto normalised in society. Almost a third of Kyrgyz weddings stem from the husband just randomly kidnapping his bride and bringing her to his house, where his family puts immense pressure on her to accept her fate by symbolically accepting a white scarf.

One aspect that I particularly love is how Fatland weaves her story with the history of the region. Whether she’s visiting the ruins of Merv in Turkmenistan or the former Soviet nuclear test sites Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan, she always goes deep into the history of the locations she is visiting, which helps the reader learn about this remote region. Even for someone like me who’s spent a lot of time reading about Central Asia, these historical interludes have much to teach.

Overall Sovietistan is a wonderful read that is light, enjoyable yet incredibly informative. Fatland’s ability to weave together history with contemporary stories is remarkable and makes the reader feel like they are truly getting a full view of this region, its people, and its intricate history.