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Soon after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, Keith Rosten
leaves the United States to be a Fulbright Lecturer in newly-independent
Kazakhstan. In Once in Kazakhstan, Rosten draws
a sometimes humorous portrait of a critical period in the emergence
of this Central Asian country, interweaving the challenges and
exhilaration of living in Kazakhstan with the historical backdrop
of a nation grappling with its independence.
From horse heads in the Central Market, to guns on the ski
slopes, and to the first-ever parliamentary elections, Rosten takes
you on a whirlwind tour of the country. He vividly recounts the
change in currency from the Soviet ruble to the tenge and travels
with a candidate for parliament to a rural village near Semipalatinsk.
Using his knowledge of local language and customs, Rosten
provides access to native sources on the history, politics, traditions,
and spirit of Kazakhstan. Complete with photographs of the
people, places, and monuments of the country, Once in Kazakhstan
is an invaluable resource for anyone who is interested in learning
more about, or traveling to, the fascinating landscape of this
emerging nation.
