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Lara Gelya

Goodreads Author

Born

Ukraine

Website

https://www.laragelya.com

Twitter

lgelya

Genre

Memoir, History, Nonfiction

Member Since

April 2022

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Born in Ukraine and going to school there, Lara Gelya spent the next two decades in the Kyzylkum Desert of the Republic of Uzbekistan, working at geological sites and expeditions of the Mining Industry. At that time Ukraine and Uzbekistan were parts of one country -- the Soviet Union.

In 1989 Lara left the Soviet Union, lived in Austria and Italy before she, at last, found her way to the United States in 1990. Starting her life from ground zero again, and trying on so many hats, she was able to make a lengthy professional career that led to her eventual retirement on the shores of sunny Florida.

Now, enjoying her retirement, Lara fills her days with enriching activities like writing, creating videos and pictures, reading, gardening, cooking, ...more

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Combine Editions
Lara Gelya’s books

Average rating: 4.71 · 117 ratings · 92 reviews · 2 distinct works • Similar authors

	Camel from Kyzylkum 4.70 avg rating — 113 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Camel From Kyzylkum: A Memoir of My Life Journey by Lara Gelya (Goodreads Author), Beth Deehan (Narrator) it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 4 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

* Note: these are all the books on Goodreads for this author. To add more, click here.

11 posts
Lara Gelya's Blog

The Holodomor — the genocide of Ukrainians.

Today, November 22, marks the 92nd anniversary of the Holodomor — the genocide of Ukrainians, a man-made famine created by the leaders of the Soviet Union in the 1930s.

As many of you know, I was born and raised in Ukraine. Growing up, the truth about the Holodomor was never written in books—it lived in whispers. In hushed voices behind closed doors, our parents and grandparents passed down the sto Read more of this blog post »

1 like · Like • 0 comments • flag

Published on November 22, 2025 12:04 • Tags: holodomor-ukraine-laragelya

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Lara’s Recent Updates

Lara Gelya liked Taylor's review of Camel from Kyzylkum: "Camel from Kyzyl-Kum is an extraordinary memoir that captivated me from the very first page. More than just a personal story, it's a vivid journey through Soviet-era Ukraine and the remote Kyzyl-Kum Desert of Uzbekistan, brought to life with remarkab" Read more of this review »
Jul 20, 2026 05:46PM · see review
Lara Gelya liked Greg's review of Camel from Kyzylkum: "Lara Gelya tells the story of her life beginning in Vinnitsa, Ukraine. Living and working in the Kyzylkum desert in Uzbekistan under communist rule provides the backdrop for her life and the incentive to leave for America when she had the opportunity" Read more of this review »
Jun 12, 2026 05:20AM · see review
Lara Gelya is now following Amor Towles Author of A Gentleman in Moscow
Jun 08, 2026 09:09PM · like
Lara Gelya wants to read A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 08, 2026 09:08PM · like
Lara Gelya made a comment on Santiago L.R.’s review of Camel from Kyzylkum " I truly appreciate your thoughtful review—thank you! "
Apr 19, 2026 08:01PM · see review
Lara Gelya liked Santiago L.R.'s review of Camel from Kyzylkum: "What I find most interesting in a memoir is not just what happened, but how an author’s life experiences shape the way they choose to tell the story. What caught my attention right away here is that Lara Gelya began writing during the pandemic, when " Read more of this review »
Apr 19, 2026 08:01PM · see review
Lara Gelya made a comment on Thrifty Geek’s review of Camel from Kyzylkum " Thanks for your thoughtful review! "
Apr 19, 2026 07:49PM · see review
Lara Gelya liked Thrifty Geek's review of Camel from Kyzylkum: "I think Gelya using her first chapter to describe the Kyzylkum Desert and camels is a great idea. It sets the tone and gives the reader insight into maybe why she chose the title Camel from Kyzylkum. She gives us such amazing descriptions of these pl" Read more of this review »
Apr 19, 2026 07:48PM · see review
Lara Gelya made a comment on Seraphina Blake’s review of Camel from Kyzylkum " Seraphina, I'm deeply grateful for your thoughtful review! ...more "
Apr 16, 2026 07:56PM · see review
Lara Gelya liked a quote “Listen: I am ideally happy. My happiness is a kind of challenge. As I wander along the streets and the squares and the paths by the canal, absently sensing the lips of dampness through my worn soles, I carry proudly my ineffable happiness. The centuries will roll by, and schoolboys will yawn over the history of our upheavals; everything will pass, but my happiness , dear, my happiness will remain,in the moist reflection of a street lamp, in the cautious bend of stone steps that descend into the canal's black waters, in the smiles of a dancing couple, in everything with which God so generously surrounds human loneliness.” ...more Vladimir Nabokov
Apr 10, 2026 08:40PM · like · more quotes by Vladimir Nabokov · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Selected Letters, 1940-1977 by Vladimir Nabokov. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Selected Letters, 1940-1977 by Vladimir Nabokov <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Lara Gelya (?)

“A story told is a life lived”
― Lara Gelya, Camel from Kyzylkum

tags: inspirational, life-story, memoir

1 likes

Lara’s Quotes

“My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground on which I stand.”
― Nhat Hanh

tags: inspirational-attitude

1 likes

“Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.”
― William James

tags: inspirational-quotes-about-life

1 likes

“A story told is a life lived”
― Lara Gelya, Camel from Kyzylkum

tags: inspirational, life-story, memoir

1 likes

“Lost is not a hopeless place to be. It is a place of patience, of waiting. Lost does not mean gone for ever. Lost is a bridge between worlds, where the pain of our past can be transformed into power. You have always held the key to this special place, but now you are ready to unlock the door.”
― Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

82 likes

“Listen: I am ideally happy. My happiness is a kind of challenge. As I wander along the streets and the squares and the paths by the canal, absently sensing the lips of dampness through my worn soles, I carry proudly my ineffable happiness. The centuries will roll by, and schoolboys will yawn over the history of our upheavals; everything will pass, but my happiness , dear, my happiness will remain,in the moist reflection of a street lamp, in the cautious bend of stone steps that descend into the canal's black waters, in the smiles of a dancing couple, in everything with which God so generously surrounds human loneliness.”
― Vladimir Nabokov, Selected Letters, 1940-1977