Thomas de Waal’s book on the South Caucasus, The Caucasus: An Introduction gives the general reader a fascinating tour of the history and contemporary politics of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Its second edition brings the story up to date with a new chapter which takes in Armenia’s Velvet Revolution.

As well as giving us an authoritative guide to the politics and conflicts of the region, de Waal finds time to tell us about Georgian wine, Baku Jazz and how the coast of Abkhazia was known as “Soviet Florida.”

Stimulating and rich in detail, The Caucasus is the perfect guide to this incredible region. 

Thomas de Waal is a Senior Associate on the Caucasus at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. He is the author of Black Garden and co-author with Carlotta Gall of Chechnya.