Fatal Red Poppies

Restless Valley

This award-winning foreign correspondent’s vivid account of Central Asia’s recent history “reads like a novel but is the stuff of hard-won journalism” (Gary Shteyngart, author of Absurdistan). Here are the stories of two revolutions, a massacre of unarmed civilians, a civil war, a drug-smuggling highway, brazen corruption schemes, contract hits, and larger-than-life characters who may be villains, heroes, or possibly both. Restless Valley is a gripping, contemporary chronicle of Central Asia from a veteran journalist with extensive experience in the region. Both Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have struggled with the challenges of post-Soviet, independent statehood, and both became entangled in America’s Afghan campaign when the United States built military bases within their borders. Meanwhile, the region was becoming a key smuggling hub for Afghanistan’s booming heroin trade. Through the eyes of local participants—the powerful and the powerless—Shishkin reconstructs how Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan have ricocheted between extreme repression and democratic strivings; how alliances with the United States and Russia have brought mixed blessings; and how Stalin’s legacy of ethnic gerrymandering continues to incite conflict today. “The weird, the strange, the corrupt, and the grand are all evident . . . [Shishkin] relentlessly pursues and then tells the stories of the most corrupt and powerful and also the most sincere and admirable characters who inhabit these mountains.” —Ahmed Rashid, The New York Review of Books

The Household Physician

Legacy of Poppy

""Legacy of Poppy"" presents a fascinating exploration of how the humble poppy flower has profoundly influenced human civilization across three critical domains: military remembrance, artistic expression, and medicine. This comprehensive study traces the flower's journey from ancient Mesopotamian healing practices to its powerful modern symbolism as an emblem of wartime sacrifice and remembrance, particularly following World War I and the famous poem ""In Flanders Fields."" The book skillfully weaves together military documents, artistic masterpieces, and medical records to reveal the poppy's remarkable cultural impact. Through detailed analysis of works by renowned artists like Monet and Van Gogh, alongside examination of battlefield accounts and pharmaceutical history, readers discover how this single flower came to simultaneously represent both the horrors of war and the hope of healing. The transformation of the poppy from a common wildflower to a powerful international symbol of remembrance is particularly compelling, as the book reveals how battlefield conditions in WWI created perfect growing conditions for poppies, leading to their adoption as a memorial symbol. Drawing from diverse sources including military archives, art museum collections, and medical journals, the narrative progresses chronologically while maintaining clear connections between different fields of study. The interdisciplinary approach offers unique insights into how cultural symbolism influences scientific research and artistic representation, making this work valuable for military historians, art enthusiasts, and medical professionals alike. The book's examination of the poppy's dual nature as both healer and potential destroyer provides crucial context for contemporary discussions about pain management and war commemoration.