Full Text of Editorial Reviews for
‘Stone Garden Guide to Armenia and Karabagh’

Buy This One!, September 18, 2004

I really appreciate the perspective of the authors, who have written a text for people who are somewhat environmental-conscious and perhaps looking for some experiences that may be slightly off the beaten path. I particularly like the book's organization, impressive photos and the authors' practical insights. I like it when guidebook authors actually offer opinions and don't just list information that may turn out to be a poor choice. Well done!

Phenomenal!, October 27, 2004
Reviewer: Paul Carp (San Francisco, CA)

This book is tremendous. It has extremely detailed history sections which provide an excellent overview of Armenia and Karabagh. The photos are worthy of being framed. It also provides good cultural explanations for an area that needs much clarification. It is very easy to navigate and has a detailed Armenian language guide for those of us who are Armenian clueless. The Karabagh section is excellent and details the complicated conflict. It's a must buy for a trip to Armenia and Karabagh.

Expanded Guide to Armenia, Karabagh
Stresses Ecology, Brims with New Info

By Daphne Abeel
Armenian Mirror-Spectator
September 10, 2004

If you are traveling to Armenia and Karabagh or just want to browse through an informative description of the region, the new and expanded Stone Garden Guide to Armenia and Karabagh should be on your reading list.

Even if you own a copy of Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian’s first guide, Edge of Time, you’ll want the current edition, which contains much more information, additional colorful maps and photographs and important information on Armenia’s ecology.

Karanian and Kurkjian have spent 10 years traveling in Armenia and Karabagh. As the Foreword notes, “They have traveled, eaten and slept at virtually every location they recommend, and their individual educational backgrounds allow them to make excellent and insightful commentary about the environmental issues within Armenia.”

Ronald Suny’s introductory chapter presents a concise history of Armenia from 6000 BC, the earliest times, when the country was ruled by kings, up to the present day, when Armenia exists as an independent, democratic republic. Readers will also find brief descriptions of the economy, architecture, politics, population and religion.

Basic information, such as airlines, national holidays, embassy locations, public transportation, safety, are covered in the chapter on “Essentials.”

A special feature of the book is the chapter titled “Ecology,” which notes the consequences of independence and development which have hampered Armenia’s environmental policies. Nevertheless, Armenia has passed a number of laws to protect its water, air, flora and fauna and to fight global warming.

Eco-tourists will welcome directions to Armenia’s forests, parks and birding areas and the list of ecological tours and hiking expeditions. At the same time, the authors make the point that Armenia’s resources need more protection.

Diaspora organizations such as the Armenia Tree Project are helping reforest the country, but, the authors point out, the Armenian government also needs to champion conservation. There is a helpful list of ecological organizations in Armenia at the end of the book.

The book is divided into several sections, beginning with Yerevan, and covering central Armenia, the Lake Sevan area, northeastern Armenia, northwestern Armenia, southern Armenia and Karabagh. Each section is packed with up-to-date facts about what to see, how to get there, restaurants and where to stay.

Whether you want to visit museums and more, you’ll find what you are looking for here. Every map and brilliant color photograph contributes to the reader’s knowledge.

Each section of the book contains highlighted paragraphs of information on commonsensical aspects of Armenia that the reader and traveler will want to know. For example, bring bottled water on long trips, and pedestrians should be especially watchful of cars.

Karanian and Kurkjian have turned what was a basic, skeleton guide into a full-fledged and researched and illustrative volume that is a must for anyone considering a trip to the region. And it will still fit into a handbag or coat pocket.

For further information on Armenia, Karabagh, contact Stone Garden Productions, PO Box 7758, Northridge, Calif. 91327 or email info@StoneGardenProductions.com.

‘Intelligent’ New Armenia Travel Guide Features
‘Exquisite’ Photographs, ‘Meticulous’ Research

By Neil C Scott
Yerevan Times (Armenia)
September 24, 2004

Armenia has become increasingly visited over the last decade so that this Guide, which is beautifully illustrated by the authors’ own photographs, is particularly welcome.

It is authoritative and highly informative, and written by authors who have explored the country thoroughly with intelligent and observant eyes. Their coverage of environmental issues adds significantly to the value of the book.

The Guide starts with three introductory chapters covering the history of Armenia, the basics of getting to the country and travelling around it, and its ecology and environment.

Useful historical summaries by Robert Suny set the political scene, while two other excellent contributions by Jason Kauffeld and Daniel Klem on the forests and birds of Armenia respectively, emphasise the fragile state of the country’s ecology and the measures that are being taken to try to protect it. As in other parts of the book, useful links are provided to stakeholders and other interested organisations.

A further seven chapters describe Yerevan, the regions, and Nagorno Karabagh. The chapter on Yerevan provides an excellent summary of where to stay and what to see, including those intriguing parts that nobody else knows about – such as the city’s oldest religious centre, the Katoghikeh Chapel, tucked away behind the Linguistics Institute in Abovian Street. This chapel is so small that many worshipers have to stand outside it during services!

The authors also draw attention to the development challenges that Yerevan is facing and commendably highlight the absence of planning controls that have allowed unwelcome incursion into the city’s fast-diminishing greenbelt, as in the area adjacent to the monumental Opera House.

The bulk of the Guide is devoted to the country’s regions, with emphasis on sites of historical interest. As might be expected, these focus on monasteries and other religious artefacts but the authors set these in the context of contemporary social and political life, thereby making their coverage relevant to Armenia today. For instance, the problem of emigration and the legacy of the 1988 earthquake are discussed, and attention drawn to the strange, isolated Russian Molokan communities in the Dilijan area, where Armenian is not spoken or understood.

More attention could have been paid to the changing industrial scene and of the country’s Soviet and contemporary architecture. This could be included in the enlarged Guide that the authors are planning for the future, which will provide a more complete coverage of historical Armenian sites in Eastern Anatolia. These are discussed in Appendix in this Guide.

The chapter on Karabagh is particularly welcome since this Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan has only recently been accessible to tourists from Armenia. Throughout the book, detailed information is provided on how to get to places of interest and where to stay, based on Matthew Karanian and Robert Kurkjian’s own meticulous on-the-ground research in their trusty Niva jeep.

Useful maps and plans of the principal cities as well as many exquisite photographs support the lucid text, while the book’s layout is clear and easy to follow. The Stone Garden Guide: Armenia and Karabagh is priced at less than $25, making it exceptionally good value. It will undoubtedly become the standard reference volume for travellers to Armenia for many years to come.