" ... Surprises abound in Aitken's ... pages as he captures the creative tensions between Old and New Kazakhstan ... [He has] probed the darkest corners of the fading Soviet era, reporting from inside the prisons, the KGB, and the Special Prosecutor's Office. He has also enjoyed the bright lights of the country's cultural renaissance, particularly in Almaty [the capital] with its four orchestras, 19 theatres, 27 concert halls and opera houses. ..."--Jacket.

Index included. Includes maps of: Kazakhstan and Its Neighbors.

Acknowledgements -- Towards a new national identity -- New Kazakhstan v old Kazakhstan -- Reforming the law -- Understanding the president of surprises -- Nuclear past : nuclear future -- A tale of two cities -- After the recession -- Prospects for the economy -- The dragon, the bear and the unstable neighbourhood -- Diplomacy and the OSCE -- The education revolution -- Last word.