After reading Tajikistan: The Trials of Independence (see review), my perspective of this region was broadened immensely with Calming the Ferghana Valley. An in-depth study of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan (with particular focus on Northern Tajikistan) and Kyrgystan, the book acts as more of a petition, or call to action, to secure stability in these regions before the continued fragility, confusion, and disintegration of the political and social structure influences an irreversible course toward explosive upheaval.

The recent events in Afghanistan have demonstrated how far-reaching the effects of socio-political unrest can be. They have also demonstrated how strategically valuable these countries can be, being located in the middle of the tumultuous Asian continent. This book is a first attempt at staving off the violent actions and reactions that may or may not occur as a result of the unrest. But with the bombings in Osh, Kyrgystan; the kidnappings and "disappearances" in Tajikistan, and the secret unrest in Uzbekistan, it does not take much influence to convince one that the unrest may be more violent than diplomatic.
I'm just a guy from Minnesota, USA. I have never been to any of these places and probably never will go. Reading this book, however, gives me an apprecation for the struggles that these people encounter every day--both on an individual level and on the governmental level.
The land is a beautiful land, ranging from deserts to spectacular mountains. The people there have a desire to succeed and, with a little of our help, as proposed in this book, perhaps they will.
Read it--Learn a little about this world that you live upon!

As a teen worker I found this be a useful guide into the minds of teens. It didn't surprise me as much as it confirmed or validated my experiences working with teens. Be warned, if you are not ready to hear the truth in graphic detail, then this book is not for you. But, if you have an open mind, a caring heart and a willingness to really understand teens then this book is a must!

I have used Ask Me If I Care for four years in my classes in teacher education and adolescent development. My students, who are finishing college and about to enter the teaching credential program or are currently completing their teaching credential, have consistently said they "cannot put the book down". Inevitably, students finish the book in days, completely absorbed in the powerful, sometimes painfully honest words of the adolescents in Nancy Rubin's book. Ask Me If I Care gives my students what they cannot get from a textbook on adolescent development; namely, the truth, the range of experiences and feelings and thoughts and opinions and needs and so much that this age group has to tell us. As a professor of secondary education, I am very grateful for this book.

With the Christmas season upon us, the search for meaningful gifts for our teens can be as frustrating as grasping for ways to communicate with and guide our children through the treacherous waters of adolescence. ASK ME IF I CARE may be the perfect solution. Written by Nancy Rubin, a Social Living teacher of 17 years, it is a riveting collection of letters written by teens about the issues facing them today. Problems that we as parents never had to deal with in our day. The short first person entries by their own peers will gain and hold the attention of even the most reluctant reader. It's one engaging short story after another, all true, all relevant, all brutally honest. Your teen cannot help but identify and learn from the very identifiable experiences of people trying to navigate through the same waters with the same emotional tools as themselves. This is the gift that can change, even save lives.

Although I would like to see a new, updated edition, this is still a great book on llama packing. It is concise and easy to read. It even comes with some good recipes.

I've read every book on llama packing that I could get my hands on. This one gets my nod. It is more concise and well-written than other texts on the subject, and deals with the details of food, equipment, and pannier organization quite well. The pack-trip checklist at the end of the book is well conceived. This book is probably the most up-to-date of the books on the subject, but it does have one bit of outdated information: it states that llamas can begin to carry packs at the age of two, when in fact the new consensus is that they should not begin to carry significant weight until at least the age of three-and-a-half.