This Is Not Civilization

In the tradition of Prague and White Teeth, This Is Not Civilization is an inspired, sweeping debut novel that hopscotches from Arizona to Central Asia to Istanbul with a well-meaning, if misguided, young Peace Corps volunteer. Jeff Hartig lies at the center of this modern take on the American-abroad tale, which brings together four people from vastly different backgrounds, each struggling with the push and pull of home. A young Apache, Adam Dale, forsakes the reservation for the promise of a world he knows little about. Anarbek Tashtanaliev, of post-Soviet Kyrgyzstan, operates a cheese factory that no longer produces cheese. Nazira, his daughter, strains against the confines of their village's age-old traditions.
With captivating insight, realism, and humor, Robert Rosenberg delivers a sensitive story about the cost of trying to do good in the world.

Author: Robert Rosenberg
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Published: 04/12/2005
Pages: 293
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.83lbs
Size: 8.74h x 6.64w x 0.81d
ISBN: 9780618562060

Review Citation(s):
New York Times 05/01/2005 pg. 28

About the Author
Rosenberg, Robert: - ROBERT ROSENBERG held an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a master's in education. He lived in Kyrgyzstan, Istanbul, and Cibecue, a small Apache village.