Those who are interested in history and culture of the peoples inhabiting the countries of the Great Silk Road, who plan to travel along the trails of this centuries - old highway and to get to know wise and humane oriental traditions, will certainly find rather helpful two recently published books by Rustam Mirzaev.

RUSTAM MIRZAEV
"TOURIST GEMS OF UZBEKISTAN"
Photo by author.
Uzbekistan, Tashkent: Publishing Joint Stock Company "Sharq";
Thailand, Bangkok: Phongwarin Printing Ltd., 2005. - 88 pp.

        Lavishly illustrated album-book "TOURIST GEMS OF UZBEKISTAN" is a kind of invitation to see with your own eyes the unique monuments and unexplored nature sites, to make an exotic journey on camels across the desert, to be on a visit to a hospitable Uzbek family. The author takes the readers to ancient cities, where until present day there have preserved true gems of architecture - minarets, madrassahs, mausoleums, ruins of Buddhist temples; he introduces the readers to silk carpets manufacture the artistic handicraft having centuries-old history.

        RUSTAM MIRZAEV
"THE SUN TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD TO DRIVE THE SHADOWS AWAY"
Travelers and explorers on the Great Silk Road.
Russia, Moscow: "Muravey" Printing House, 2005. - 232 pp.

        Over the centuries, thousands of people had trodden along the paths of the Great Silk Road: merchants' caravans and diplomatic missions, scientific expeditions and squadrons of warriors, pilgrims and adventurers. But only a few of them managed to leave a mark on history with the aid of their travel notes, records in the travel journal, scientific reports. In the book "THE SUN TRAVELS AROUND THE WORLD TO DRIVE THE SHADOWS AWAY" the author portrays outstanding travelers and explorers who at different times set out on a journey along this great ancient road and who left invaluable first-hand account for posterity.

        The author, RUSTAM MIRZAEV (www.RustamMirzaev.com), graduated in Journalism from Moscow State University; he is awarded Ph.D. degree on History. For many years he has worked in tourist industry of Uzbekistan being the head of a well-known tourist company Sairam Tourism (www.sairamtour.com) and the chairman of the Great Silk Road Tour Operators Group (www.silkroadtog.com).