Odyssey Uzbekistan: The Golden Road to Samarkand

Gave a really good overview of the country's history and culture. Last Spring I was on a tour and had an opportunity to see a couple of the other available guidebooks from fellow travelers. This one was by far the best tour guidebook of Uzbekistan. A great way to see the country is with [...]

If you are going to spend a lot of time in Uzbekistan, this book is a better buy than the Lonely Planet which covers each Central Asian country briefly in the regional "Central Asia" guide. However, there's too much focus on culture and history in this book and not enough focus on things to do. If you want to read a fiction/thriller that takes place in Uzbekistan and accurately captures the people and culture, check out The Opportunists, by Yohann de Silva. Here's the link: The Opportunists: A Novel

I live and work in the heart of Central Asia. Of all the guide books available, this one is the best yet. Not only does it have beautiful color photos and maps, the history articles are excellent. Beware: when you open up this book on the streets of Samarkand, Bukhara, or Khiva, people will gather around to view it! It's so good, I am ordering a full class room set for my students to use in the Uzbekistan studies part of our curriculum at Tashkent International School.

I got this book from a friend while in Uzbekistan - it is absolutely fantastic! It has some great historical anecdotes in addition to the typical where to stay/eat stuff of normal travel guides. If you're going to Uzbekistan, YOU MUST BUY THIS BOOK!

This is not just a great book on Uzbekistan, but is a wonderful introduction to Central Asia. I feel that it is a labor of love, not a hackneyed travel guide. Visiting Uzbekistan is not easy -- having this book in your hand will make it all seem worth it.