Crossroads of High Asia: A review article—books on Ladakh

Eva K. Dargyay and Ulrich Grüber, Ladakh, Innenansicht eines Landes. Düsseldorf/Cologne: Diederichs, 1980. 300 pp, colour photographs, bibliography, glossary, chronological table, index.

Heinrich Harrer, Ladakh, Götter und Menschen hinterm Himalaya. Innsbruck: Pinguin, 1983. 172 pp, photographs, end paper maps, bibliography.

Andrew Harvey, A Journey in Ladakh. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1983. 236 pp., end paper maps, $13.95.

E. Joldan, Harvest Festival of Buddhist Dards of Ladakh and Other Essays. Srinagar: Kapoor Brothers, 1985. 104 pp., photographs, Rs. 30.

Detlef Kantowsky and Reinhard Sander, (editors), Recent Research on Ladakh: History, Culture, Sociology, Ecology. Munich, Cologne and London: Weltforum, 1983. 282 pp., photographs, diagrams, bibliography, DM 59.

Anneliese Keilhauer and Peter Keilhauer, Ladakh und Zanskar, Lamaistische Klosterkultur im Land zwischen Indien und Tibet. Cologne: DuMour, 1982. 414 pp., maps, diagrams, chronological chart, photographs, index, DM 36.

Sanyukta Koshal, Ladakhi Grammar. Delhi: Mortilal Banarsidass, 1979. 338 pp., index, Rs. 103.

Michel Peissel, Zanskar, the Hidden Kingdom. London: Collins, 1979. 205 pp., maps, photographs, index.

Janet Rizvi, Ladakh, Crossroads of High Asia. Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1983. 224 pp., photographs, glossary, bibliography, end‐paper maps, Rs 140.

Margaret Schettler and Rolf Schettler, Kashmir, Ladakh and Zanskar: A Travel Survival Kit. South Yarra, Victoria, Australia/Berkeley, CA, USA, 1984.203 pp., maps, diagrams, photographs, index, $7.95.     

Book reviews

Muslim Resistance to the Tsar—Shamil and the Conquest of Chechnia and Daghestan Moshe Gammer London: Frank Cass, 1994, 475 pp, £45 hardback

The Resurgence of Central Asia. Islam or Nationalism? Ahmed Rashid London: Zed Books and Karachi, Oxford University Press: 278 pp, appendix, index, £14.95 paperback, £37.95 hardback

An Introduction to the History of the Turkic Peoples. Ethnogenesis and State‐Formation in Medieval and Early Eurasia and the Middle East Peter B. Golden Wiesbaden, Germany: Otto Harrassowitz, 1992, 483 pp, index bibliography, DM198 hardback

Everyday Islam: Religion and Tradition in Rural Central Asia Sergei P. Poliakov Introduction by Martha Brill Olcott, Anthony Olcott (editors) New York: M. E. Sharpe, 1992, xxvi + 156 pp, $39.95 hardback, $14.95 paperback

The end of the Soviet Empire. The Triumph of the Nations Hélène Carrère d'Encausse New York/London: Harper Collins, 1993, 292 pp, $15 paperback

Russia's Muslim Frontiers. New Directions in Cross‐Cultural Analysis Dale F. Eickelman (editor) Bloomington: Indiana University Press/Buckingham, England: Open University Press, 1993, 206 pp, £25 hardback, £11.99 paperback

Central Asia. The Practical Handbook Giles Whittell London: Cadogan Books, 1993, 330 pp, maps, index, £10.99

The Crimean Tatars Andrew Wilson London: International Alert, 1994, 38 pp, free on request

The Warriors of Islam. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Kenneth Katzman Colorado, USA/Oxford: UK: Westview Press, 1993, 192 pp, bibliography, index, £35, softcover

Mission to the Lord Sophy of Persia (1539–1542) Michele Membre (Translated by A. H. Morton) London: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, 1993, glossary notes bibliography, index, xxviii + 109 pp, £8

The Lost Country. Mongolia Revealed Jasper Becker London: Hodder & Stoughton (and Sceptre paperback), 1993, 325 pp, bibliography £16.99 hardback

Fundamentalisms and the State. Remaking Policies, Economies, and Militance Martin E. Marty and R. Scott Appleby (editors) Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993, index, 665 pp     

Russia and the Caucasus

Russia began moving toward the Caucasus at the end of the 16th Century. In the early 19th Century, the Tsars consolidated control over Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, but had to fight a 35‐year war against the North Caucasian mountaineers to secure control of the entire area The three Transcaucasian republics declared their independence before the collapse of the Soviet Union, but have been hard pressed to consolidate it because of Russian interference. In the North Caucasus, the Chechens declared their independence as well. Erratic Russian policies and freebooting by elements of the Russian military have resulted in disruptive intervention in all three of the Transcaucasian countries. In December 1994, Russia launched a military offensive to subdue the Chechens. The Chechens have fought back furiously, and Russia's war against them has become a domestic Afghanistan. Russia has yet to define its national interests in the Caucasus and adopt coherent policies toward the region. Until it does the area will continue to be unstable.     

The great game in Kashgaria. British and Russian missions to Yakub Beg

The modern history of Xinjiang dates from the Mohammedan rebellion of the 60s and 70s of the last century. This rebellion, affecting several provinces of China proper as well as Chinese Turkestan, severely shook the decaying Manchu Dynasty. Millions of Chinese were massacred, and when the reconquering armies advanced they massacred in revenge until wide territories were laid waste that to the present day have not recovered their population.