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A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
19th February 2023

‘A compelling insight into Kazakhstan and the environmental problems facing the world today.’ A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review

REVIEW
I must say, this is a totally absorbing book! The author has worked so hard (and succeeded) in offering readers a fascinating insight into a part of the world few ever visit whilst, at the same time, exploring the many environmental disasters facing humanity today. Although the book looks at cultural history and even the ethics of the Western missionary, there is specific focus on the disaster of the Aral Sea.
I spend two days working my way through Ships in the Desert (wonderful title by the way), and fully enjoyed exploring the author´s thoughts, feelings and facts on so many subjects. Written in the form of essays, I never felt overwhelmed, the writing style descriptive but never overly so – and always accessible. I was fully engaged from start to finish and, on finishing the book, I felt considerably wiser – the author, it seems, did his job.
All in all, I´m very happy to recommend this book to anybody interested in the cultural history of this part of the world. I would particularly recommend it to geography students and anybody studying the environmental impact of human activity. I think they´ll find this author´s work engaging and, most importantly, enlightening.

A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
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