The Sabres of Paradise: Conquest and Vengeance in the Caucasus

The Caucasus--a region of supreme natural beauty & fiercely proud warriors--has throughout history been characterized by violence & turmoil. During the Great Caucasus War of 1834-59, the warring mountain tribes of Daghestan & Chechnya united under the charismatic leadership of the Muslim chieftain Imam Shamyl, the "Lion of Daghestan," & held at bay the invading Russian army for nearly 25 years. Lesley Blanch vividly recounts the epic story of their heroic & bloody struggle for freedom & the life of a man still legendary in the Caucasus.