Azerbaijan With Georgia

by Mark Elliott

Release Date: August, 1999

Edition: Paperback

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A Must-have for Azerbaijan

If you're going to Azerbaijan you must have this book - in fact, several companies issue this book to their international staff here. It is extremely comprehensive and thorough and very accurate (though there have been some changes). As someone that has lived in Azerbaijan for the past year and a half, I continue to be impressed with this book and have relied on it many times. It is an essential guide to exploring Azerbaijan - a country that has a lot more to offer than most would expect. Buy this (and avoid the Lonely Planet one - it does a really bad job for Azerbaijan!).

Best Travel Guide to Anywhere!

I picked up this book shortly before I left to come to Azerbaijan for a year. It has been my constant companion while living in Baku (the capital) and in making countless excursions out of the city. Having been here almost a year, I can safely say it's the best travel book I've ever read for any place. It is delightful to read and its author's warm and quirky sense of humor make it a constant source of entertainment.

Perhaps the best recommendation for this books comes not just from the many expatriots who rely on it, but from the native Azeris who are astounded at how well Mark Elliott (native of UK) knows their country. Azeris are famous for assuming (perhpas rightly so) that the rest of the world knows nothing about their country. So, when Azeris recommend a book about their country, written by a foreigner, it is a pretty good endorsement.

By far the best aspect of the book are the scores of maps and illustrations--all done by the author. As a trained geographer, I appreciate the excellent maps loaded (almost overloaded) with information. They are easy to read maps that make it difficult for the traveler to get lost. I am particularly impressed by how a map can simultaneously accurate and amusing! My favorite entry is the map of the fascinating town of Quba that includes "Old Men" sitting in the park. Damned if they weren't still sitting there. On another map, the author suggests looking for grey beards at the point where you're supposed to make a particular turn. Sure enough, there they were.

Living in Baku, my family and often make use of Elliott's recommendations for restaurants. Of course restaurants come and go, but the information is nearly always accurate and detailed.

My eight-year-old son and I have enjoyed taking his "scavenger hunt" for artistic architectural oddities in the city. I think we've now found all the objects in the second edition, but a third one is already on the drawing boards.

Mark Elliott has a delightfully respectful attitude towards Azerbaijan and the Azeris. This is different form many travel books (Including the Lonely Planet Guide to the South Caucasus) which often take on a preachy attitude which tends to poke fun at the local cultures rather than respectfully describing them as Elliott does.

In addition to being a good travel book, this book also is a worthy source of information on the country for anyone interested in learning about it.

Having lived or traveled extensively in over fifty countries I can recommend this book most highly.