THE BOOK
"Writing about Kazakhstan is like making a journey into unexplored territory, for it is one of the least known yet most surprising nations of the post Soviet world."
Kazakhstan's journey from infant post-Soviet state to one of the most strategically important and economically diverse countries makes riveting reading in Jonathan Aitken's unique portrait of the country.
Thrust into independence amidst the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Kazakhstan was seen by many as too poor and too unstable to survive on its own as it teetered on the brink of economic and political collapse.
Yet in the face of international pessimism, the people of Kazakhstan rallied. Twenty years ago, Kazakhstan was an impoverished and backward Central Asian state. Today it is the powerhouse of the region, rising in economic performance and international respect. Following interviews with over one hundred sources, including President Nazarbayev, Jonathan Aitken has probed the darkest corners of the fading Soviet mentality in areas such as the prisons, the KGB stations and the torture cases. He has also enjoyed the bright lights of the country's cultural renaissance, particularly in Almaty with its four orchestras, 19 theatres, 27 concert halls and Opera Houses. He gives an acute analysis of a country that has weathered all storms and leapt to international prominence.
Aitken is at his best unravelling the economic and political surprises which are flowing from the Caspian oil boom with its knock-on effects on foreign policy, GDP, and political reform. "Kazakhstan is the newest powerhouse of Asia. From its President to its painters, poets, economists and entrepreneurs, this is a nation confidently on the move" says Aitken. "We need to understand the new national identity of this increasingly successful player on the world stage."
Aitken's portrait is that of a young and optimistic country as it passes the milestone of its twentieth anniversary as an independent state. This is the story of Kazakhstan's political, economic and cultural rebirth. In Kazakhstan: Surprises and Stereotypes after 20 years of Independence, Aitken has discovered an intriguing new spirit and national identity of Kazakhstan, as well as a country full of warmth, good humour, and unshakeable optimism.
Kazakhstan: Surprises and Stereotypes after 20 years of Independence will be released in the UK on 12th January 2012, price £20, and in the US on 15th March 2012, price $29.95. ISBN 9781441116543.
