Disclaimer: The Friends of Kyrgyzstan is a non-partisan, non-profit group and does not necessarily endorse any link that may be offered below. The links are offered merely as a convenient starting point for further investigation and do not necessarily represent the extent of or the best of available resources.
"Kyrgyzstan: Central Asia's Island of Democracy?" (1999) by John Anderson presents a good overview of post-communist Kyrgyzstan up to 1999.
"The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia" (1994) by Peter Hopkirk is probably the definitive historical account of the Western conflicts in the region during the 19th through early 20th centuries. Other Peter Hopkirk classics include "Setting the East Ablaze," "Foreign Devils on the Silk Road," "Like Hidden Fire," and "Trespassers on the Roof of the World."
"The New Great Game: Blood & Oil in Central Asia" (2003) by Lutz Klevman has a post 9-11 analysis of the region.
"Jihad: The Rise of Militant Islam in Central Asia" (2002) by Ahmed Rashid gives an overview of one of the hot geopolitical topics in the region.
"Mission to Tashkent"
by F. M. Bailey and "Hunted Through Central Asia" by
Paul Nazaroff provide first-hand accounts during the revolutions and civil
war in the 1920s.
"The Lost Heart of Asia" (1994) by Colin Thubron presents a Western viewpoint of the region in the aftermath of the Soviet Union's fall.
Those interested in the musical culture of Central Asia should look for "The Hundred Thousand Fools of God: Musical Travels in Central Asia (and Queens, New York)" (1996) by Theodore Levin, which includes a CD of recordings by native traditional artists. The focus of the book is on Uzbek and Tajik music.
For a more comprehensive listing of Central Asian books, refer to an Amazon.com list.
"Issyk-Kul: 28 Portraits" (1998) by Christoph Shütz is a small stark non-fiction book with photos of the people and places around Lake Issyk-Kul. Statements from a range of local people accompany the photos and are in both Russian and English. This book has only been found in Bishkek bookstores.
Several books have been published specifically for tourists in Kyrgyzstan, and can be found at the Bishkek Tsum or Bishkek bookstores.
The most widely available travel guide on Kyrgyzstan is the Lonely Planet guidebook on Central Asia (2nd., 2000, or 3rd ed., 2004). Purchase the guide book at any retail bookstore or online bookseller.
Alternatively, you can look for "Kyrgyzstan" (1st ed., 2002), an Odyssey Illustrated Guide by Rowan Stewart et al. or the newest version, which has been renamed "Kyrgyz Republic: Kyrgyzstan, the Heart of Central Asia" (2nd ed., 2004). Both are available through retail bookstores or online booksellers. These are good reads to prepare for coming to Kyrgyzstan and also for family and friends because of their plentiful information on Kyrgyzstan's history and culture.
Other Central Asian guidebooks are "The Silk Roads: A Route & Planning Guide" (2003) by Paul Wilson and "Trekking in Russia and Central Asia" (1994) by Frith Maier.
For tourists and short-term visitors, take a look at the pocket-sized Lonely Planet Central Asia phrase book (1998), which contains sections on Kyrgyz, Uigur, Uzbek, Kazakh, Pashto, and Tajik. It is available directly from Lonely Planet online if you cannot find it in your local bookstore.
For those heading into the Peace Corps or looking for in-depth language help, try The Kyrgyz-English Dictionary (details coming).
To Western audiences, the best-known Kyrgyz author is Chingiz Aitmatov. Look for "Jamila," "The Day Last Longer Than a Hundred Years," or any of his other translated novels in a local or online bookstore.
Central Asian Fiction contains modern fiction submissions from various authors in the region. It also contains a small photo gallery
David Gallagher (K-7) has written a novel set in Kyrgyzstan: "Abandon: Love and Communism in Central Asia" (2002) may be browsed and purchased through the iUniverse website.
Robert Rosenberg (K-2) has
written a novel set in Kyrgyzstan, Arizona, and Istanbul: "This is Not
Civilization" (2004). Reviews and additional information are here.
