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Rating: 
Summary: Fascinating story, well-constucted and believable
Review: A well-written account of one Canadian's attempt to cut through the left-over soviet-style bureaucracies of five Central Asian countries. Ferguson was employed by the World Bank to develop a PR strategy to convince wasteful water users on the Aral Sea's two main feeder rivers to change their practises, which are dooming the once-massive inland sea to eventual disappearance. However, his project is locally headed by the man who was originally responsible for the Soviet's collosal irrigation schemes that caused the problem. The book is an entertaining, and suspenseful, account of the intricate scheming and nationalist jockeying amongst the nnumerable teams and factions trying to either save or undermine the whole PR project, while skimming off as much of the project money as they can. The struggle finally results in a murder which forces Ferguson to flee the region. Ferguson gives lively descriptions of the character of the people he works with, or against, as well as providing a wry historical and travel commentary for the whole region. His text is filled with verbatim dialogue and he uses no fictional names. The whole account is very believable, and completely damning to the autocratic regimes that rule the five countries where he worked. After this book, it is unlikely Ferguson will be visiting Central Asia again any time soon.
Rating:
Summary: Limits of optimism
Review: Truth is stranger than fiction - This age-old adage could not more aptly describe the amazing tale of a Canadian trying to bring his communications skills to the political quagmire in Central Asia. The reason is the disappearing Aral Sea and the urgent need to face the threat and, hopefully, launch a regional campaign to reverse the dangerous trend. The story is also about the politicians who have taken(or maintained control) over the running of the five neighboring states after the collapse of the Soviet system, their politics now and then to plan away this precious water and biodiversity resource. Add to that situation the ambitions of the World Bank and international consultants to guide the process you get a dangerous mix. Ferguson's account of his one-year stint in Tashkent is a fascinating read that brings to light scenarios that are as hilarious as they are infuriating. It is not giving anything away to hint at the danger to persons: the author gets under suspicion to have been involved in the murder of one of the local recruits. As the story unfolds one can understand why - and it is a lot more complex than it appears on the surface. One major thread is the interaction of the team of local bureaucrats and experts with the international group brought in to work with them. Ferguson's characterization of the people involved is excellent. They come alive off the page, in particular those of "the other side". The sides of friend and foe are not always clear and can change more or less overnight. All the main characters are engaged in this World Bank-financed grand scheme to save the Aral Sea. It should be added that the Aral Sea once was the world's fourth largest inland body of water. Now only 20% of its 1960 size, experts fear that it will have disappeared by 2020. Urgent action was required and the Bank, with a team of foreign experts, stepped in to move the program forward. How much the local water leadership has been behind the project is another question to explore. Ferguson was hired to advise the public education component, meaning to get the publics to understand the dangers of the disappearing water and to engage them in possible remedies. Following him on his mission to connect with the five public education teams, to share ideas and to get them moving towards the common goal, the reader is drawn into mesh of intrigue, suspicion, greed and much more. On his travels, Ferguson takes time out to visit historic cities like Samarkand and Bukhara (both in Uzbekistan), major centres on the ancient Silk Road from China to the West. His knowledge of the region's fascinating history is solid and he conveys what is useful without overburdening the reader. He has a gift for observation of places and ambiance just as much as of people. Having visited these cities many years ago and forgotten many details, I found Ferguson's vivid description brought them all back with ease. Whether he explores more remote spaces, climbs mountains or drinks tea with village elders; his astute observations and ability to put his impressions into words make this also a reliable travel guide. Rich in culture and tradition based on a long and multifarious history of Kyrgyz, Kazakh, Tajik, Turkmen and Uzbek peoples, this region was artificially divided into five states by the Soviet regime in disregard of where the different peoples lived. The underlying regional rivalries and resentments have remained major traits of their relationships, at least as far as the soviet-style bureaucrats are concerned who still are in control of the water management systems. Yet, the real and underlying issue of this book are the dangers to the region's fragile ecosystems. Exacerbated by Soviet-controlled industrial development paralleled by mismanagement of its water resources, the dangers to the Aral Sea and its environment have been ignored for decades. The region is fast running out of water to sustain its growing population. It is an object lesson for similar emerging crises elsewhere. Yet, politics and power games continue to overrule environmental protection requirements. Increased international interests in the region, not only due to its position close to Afghanistan but also because of its natural gas reserves, have brought international agencies like the World Bank on the scene. Reading Ferguson's honest account of their involvement raises important questions and one has to wonder whether this venture was a good choice. [Friederike Knabe, Ottawa Canada]
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