cover image Georgia

Georgia

Peter Nasmyth, Nasmyth. Palgrave MacMillan, $100 (322pp) ISBN 978-0-312-21524-8

An enthusiast for his subject, Nasmyth discovers Georgia precisely at the moment of the tiny democratic republic's post-Soviet reawakening. Notable for its hospitality, its wines, its intellectual tradition and a remarkable ability to preserve its national identity under successive occupations, Georgia appeals wildly to the senses even while its people face immense political and economic challenges. Nasmyth shows how this early Christian kingdom, once nestled between the Russian, Turkish and Persian empires, casts a spell over all those who visit. As he portrays Georgia's regions with descriptions of landscape and customs, Nasmyth also refers to a rich tradition of epic and religious writing and storytelling. While the interviews with people he encounters capture a portrait of Georgia in transition, there is a disappointing reliance on obvious metaphors to reflect the death of the Soviet order: rust, rickety buses, decrepit buildings and prostitution. Likewise, Nasmyth's digressions into the meaning of Soviet history and his occasional personal revelations are superficial and distract from an otherwise strong exercise in observation. Certain reminiscences are rewarding, however: wandering the twisting streets of Tbilisi, or imbibing a cold drink from a sacred pool in ancient cave dwellings. The author's occasional failure to provide profound commentary makes Georgia no less attractive as a destination. 170 b&w photos and illustrations. (Feb.)