Press Release
“A beautifully crafted and compelling read, the story is multi-layered and peppered with fascinating insights into the traditions, legends and history of this hidden part of the world.” – Laura Hamilton, Editor.
On 12th May 2015, Hertfordshire Press Publishing House held the book launch of “Land of Forty Tribes” by the Dr. Farideh Heyat, the author of numerous articles on women’s issues in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan.
The presentation was opened by the publisher, Marat Akhmedjanov, followed by the author’s presentation of her book and a Q&A session. The author shared the secrets of writing a book based on her personal experiences.
“A scintillating story of love, adventure and cultural discoveries set in the heart of Central Asia. This is a unique book covering a range of subjects, including the often-neglected historical connection between Iranian civilisation and Central Asia.” – Nick Rowan, Editor-in-Chief, Open Central Asia Magazine.
About The Author:
Farideh Heyat is an anthropologist based in London, but born in Iran. She is the author of numerous articles on women in Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan and also the book, “Azeri Women in Transition”. Her current book, “Land of Forty Tribes” is based on her observations and experiences of working and travelling in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, and her research on the history of Central Asia.
About The Book:
Sima Omid, a British-Iranian anthropologist in search of her Turkic roots, takes on a university teaching post in Kyrgyzstan. It is the year following 9/11, when the US is asserting its influence in the region. Disillusioned with her long-standing relationship, Sima is looking for a new man in her life. But the foreign men she meets are mostly involved in relationships with local women half their age, and the Central Asian men she finds highly chauvinistic and aggressive towards women. Soon after her arrival, one of her students is kidnapped for an arranged marriage and is killed in an attempt to escape. When she questions the girl’s sister and her friend, they respond, “What can we do? It’s our culture”. This impels her to pursue a research journey to the far corners of the country, gaining a shocking insight.
Sima also explores the spread of radical Islam in the country, meeting with fundamentalist women and attending indoctrination meetings at the mosques. These reveal disturbing aspects of Islamisation in Kyrgyzstan and many of the modern issues that concern the disaffected religious youth of today. More generally, her observations illuminate different lives and cultures in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, in particular the position of women and gender relations.
About Hertfordshire Press Publishing House
Hertfordshire Press is an imprint of Silk Road Media, a publishing house which, in 2012, celebrated 10 years of bringing the people, culture, business and wildlife of Central Asia to the world through magazines, travel guides and events. Hertfordshire Press translates, edits, designs and illustrates books, which are also published electronically for e-reader devices and has arranged book launches at venues across the country including the Royal Geographical Society; the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Centre; the Institute of Directors; Denton Wilde Sapte law firm, in London, and the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow.
Titles are available online at: www.amazon.co.uk , www.amazon.com , www.discovery-bookshop.com.
Contacts:
Bishkek – Representative Office in Kyrgyzstan
Manas Avenue 40,
+996555206845
+996555306845
+996312474175
Email: guljamal@ocamagazine.com
London – Anastasia Noskova
Suite 125,43 BedfordStreet
Covent Garden London WC2E 9HA United Kingdom
Tel.:+44 7482619874
Email: kyrgyzstan@ocamagazine.com
