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Daily Life in Turkmenbashy's Golden Age: A Methodologically Unsound Study of Interactions Between the Tribal Peoples of America and Turkmenistan
In 2004, Sam Tranum moved to Turkmenistan, an isolated, totalitarian petrostate bordering Iran and Afghanistan, to serve as a Peace Corps Volunteer. That same year, the Economist magazine predicted his new home would be the worst place in the world to live, despite the fact that its leader, known as Turkmenbashy, insisted that his country was experiencing a Golden Age. This is the story of Tranum's nearly two years in Turkmenistan, dodging secret police, exploring ancient Silk Road cities, covertly teaching classes on democracy and human rights, and learning to appreciate fermented camel's milk.
256 pages, Paperback
First published May 30, 2009
7 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
About the author
Sam Tranum
12 books17 followersOriginally from Massachusetts, I worked as a staff reporter at the Charleston Daily Mail, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, and Energy Intelligence in Washington DC. I also served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Turkmenistan, and taught journalism at the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan. I have an MA in international relations from the University of Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 31, 2022
3.5 stars
Expectations are everything. For a self-published Peace Corps memoir,* this is great! I liked it a good bit, though it’s not one I expect many people would want to go out of their way to read.
Tranum, who has also worked as a journalist, spent about two years in Turkmenistan as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2004-2006. He was officially assigned to teach health classes, but quickly found all his duties and initiatives bound up in red tape; the totalitarian government exercises a high level of control over everything (simply driving around required constantly presenting documents at checkpoints) and seemed to want him there more as a PR statement of legitimacy than to do any actual work. This book chronicles his attempts to get something done, his life with several host families (he eventually transfers from an urban to a rural posting, resulting in much better quality of life), and some travels around the country.
And it’s an interesting book. Turkmenistan is little-known to most outsiders, a lightly-populated petrostate still struggling to find its way after the fall of the Soviet Union; between the decline of the Silk Road in the late middle ages and the late 19th century Russian conquest, its people largely lived traditional nomadic or subsistence agricultural lives. It’s not as poor as many countries featured in Peace Corps memoirs (the others I’ve read were all set in destitute rural areas in Africa), but the absurdly imposing bureaucracy plus government corruption makes it near impossible to get ahead. In trying to accomplish anything, Tranum finds himself harassed by the secret police (though they’re usually polite about it)! But I had the sense that his having some cultural—or perhaps economic—common ground, around basic things like what a home is and how it is used, expecting to have a job or small business rather than exclusively farming, etc., made it easier for Tranum to build friendships than for volunteers in some other places.
So it’s a nice on-the-ground view of a little-known country, and I appreciated that Tranum has also researched Turkmenistan’s history, which he weaves into the text. His stories are interesting, and the short chapters make it easy to dip in and out; I found reading about 30 pages a day to be the right pace. As befits a journalist, the writing is solid: besides having a bit more than its share of typos, there’s nothing about it that screams “self-published” and it’s quite similar to the other Peace Corps memoirs I’ve read. I empathized with Tranum’s difficult position and appreciated his self-awareness and his willingness to engage with and listen to those around him. His forging ahead with weaving a carpet despite the discouragement around doing women’s work was also cool.
Not a mind-blowing book, but a solid read. A fun Easter egg for me was that a relative of mine, who is no longer living, visited Turkmenistan roughly around the same time as the author, and I recognized her descriptions of the capital city in Tranum’s. Huge imposing architecture but creepily empty, it sounds like more a vanity piece for the then president-for-life than anything else.
* Peace Corps memoirs get a bit of a bad rap, I suspect because it’s the rare subgenre disproportionately read by people who don’t actually like it: many people read these books only because of their own Peace Corps affiliation. Personally, I have none. It was the first self-published book I’ve ever read, to my knowledge, and for that reason carefully chosen.
Expectations are everything. For a self-published Peace Corps memoir,* this is great! I liked it a good bit, though it’s not one I expect many people would want to go out of their way to read.
Tranum, who has also worked as a journalist, spent about two years in Turkmenistan as a Peace Corps volunteer in 2004-2006. He was officially assigned to teach health classes, but quickly found all his duties and initiatives bound up in red tape; the totalitarian government exercises a high level of control over everything (simply driving around required constantly presenting documents at checkpoints) and seemed to want him there more as a PR statement of legitimacy than to do any actual work. This book chronicles his attempts to get something done, his life with several host families (he eventually transfers from an urban to a rural posting, resulting in much better quality of life), and some travels around the country.
And it’s an interesting book. Turkmenistan is little-known to most outsiders, a lightly-populated petrostate still struggling to find its way after the fall of the Soviet Union; between the decline of the Silk Road in the late middle ages and the late 19th century Russian conquest, its people largely lived traditional nomadic or subsistence agricultural lives. It’s not as poor as many countries featured in Peace Corps memoirs (the others I’ve read were all set in destitute rural areas in Africa), but the absurdly imposing bureaucracy plus government corruption makes it near impossible to get ahead. In trying to accomplish anything, Tranum finds himself harassed by the secret police (though they’re usually polite about it)! But I had the sense that his having some cultural—or perhaps economic—common ground, around basic things like what a home is and how it is used, expecting to have a job or small business rather than exclusively farming, etc., made it easier for Tranum to build friendships than for volunteers in some other places.
So it’s a nice on-the-ground view of a little-known country, and I appreciated that Tranum has also researched Turkmenistan’s history, which he weaves into the text. His stories are interesting, and the short chapters make it easy to dip in and out; I found reading about 30 pages a day to be the right pace. As befits a journalist, the writing is solid: besides having a bit more than its share of typos, there’s nothing about it that screams “self-published” and it’s quite similar to the other Peace Corps memoirs I’ve read. I empathized with Tranum’s difficult position and appreciated his self-awareness and his willingness to engage with and listen to those around him. His forging ahead with weaving a carpet despite the discouragement around doing women’s work was also cool.
Not a mind-blowing book, but a solid read. A fun Easter egg for me was that a relative of mine, who is no longer living, visited Turkmenistan roughly around the same time as the author, and I recognized her descriptions of the capital city in Tranum’s. Huge imposing architecture but creepily empty, it sounds like more a vanity piece for the then president-for-life than anything else.
* Peace Corps memoirs get a bit of a bad rap, I suspect because it’s the rare subgenre disproportionately read by people who don’t actually like it: many people read these books only because of their own Peace Corps affiliation. Personally, I have none. It was the first self-published book I’ve ever read, to my knowledge, and for that reason carefully chosen.
September 17, 2019
Sam Tranum, joining the Peace Corps, was sent to Turkmenistan to work with Red Crescent (the Red Cross in Muslim countries) in 2005. He worked primarily in Abadan, now a part of Ashbabat, the capital of Turkmenistan. Later he spent time in a rural village.
I have read several Peace Corps memoirs for an Around-the-world reading challenge, and found Tranum's book to be one of the better ones. He had this tendency to get into trouble a lot with the police because he wouldn't follow the rules. Every time he tried to do something beneficial for Turkmenistan, he was shut down, whether it was to teach English, repair a school's heating system or put together an internet center, he was thwarted. He began to wonder what he was doing in the country since no one wanted his help. The authorities claimed there were no problems in Turkmenistan. I thought Tranum's assertion about the country wasn't developing, it was degenerating.
Having read a few other books on Central Asia, I am not surprised by what Tranum found, but a thought struck me: 1. Most of the knowledge people in Central Asia during the Tsar's time and the Soviets, were Russian who moved back to Russia when the Soviet Union fell, and the Turkmen were not well versed in governing a country, so a lot of the infrastructure that was built by the Soviets have fallen apart and no one to repair it.
One aspect of this book that I really liked was the history Tranum included as well as footnotes.
I have read several Peace Corps memoirs for an Around-the-world reading challenge, and found Tranum's book to be one of the better ones. He had this tendency to get into trouble a lot with the police because he wouldn't follow the rules. Every time he tried to do something beneficial for Turkmenistan, he was shut down, whether it was to teach English, repair a school's heating system or put together an internet center, he was thwarted. He began to wonder what he was doing in the country since no one wanted his help. The authorities claimed there were no problems in Turkmenistan. I thought Tranum's assertion about the country wasn't developing, it was degenerating.
Having read a few other books on Central Asia, I am not surprised by what Tranum found, but a thought struck me: 1. Most of the knowledge people in Central Asia during the Tsar's time and the Soviets, were Russian who moved back to Russia when the Soviet Union fell, and the Turkmen were not well versed in governing a country, so a lot of the infrastructure that was built by the Soviets have fallen apart and no one to repair it.
One aspect of this book that I really liked was the history Tranum included as well as footnotes.
April 4, 2012
When I began reading Sam Tranum's Daily Life in Turkmenbashy's Golden Age I was completely unsympathetic to the author's troubling encounters in Turkmenistan. His language conveyed a typically American hegemonic worldview and I looked forward to his continued frustration at the hands of Turkmenistan's post-soviet bureaucracy. His increasingly desperate attempts to accomplish anything was going to be delicious. As the story progressed I underwent a seamless transition from smirking outsider to captain of the Sam Tranum cheer-leading squad. I was in the offices and apartments with him experiencing the good an bad alongside him. The transition was so seamless that I hadn't realized that it had occurred until I began to gather my thoughts for this review. When a story can pick you up from one side of the fence and deposit you on the other side without wrinkling your trousers then you must call such a story a success. Sam Tranum's Daily Life in Turkmenbashy's Golden Age is an unqualified success.
July 29, 2016
Recommended reading before visiting Turkmenistan,
In 2004 Sam Tranum went to Turkmenistan as an American Peace Corps volunteer and this is his record of nearly two years spent in the country.
While I accept some of the criticisms given by other GoodReads reviewers, I found this book fascinating for the purpose for which I read it. Nearly 10 years after Mr Tranum's trip, I had the great fortune to visit Turkmenistan as a tourist and I read this book to give myself some background into the way of life of the Turkmen people, given that I did not want to put my guide in an awkward position by asking questions that he was not comfortable answering.
As we toured the great marble-faced area of the capital, Ashgabat, I could picture the situation in which these stunning, but apparently deserted buildings were erected. As we drove over rutted, atrocious roads in other parts of the country Sam's experiences also explained this total contrast.
We were able to visit some of the sites that the author had mentioned, particularly the flaming crater, and we spent a night in a family home, somewhat reminiscent of the places Sam stayed.
This book was a fascinating adjunct to our trip to a country that boasts very little literature in English. Sam came up against the fear, bureaucracy and lack of ingenuity that was the legacy of the Soviet system, and found even the smallest plan required endless permissions. Well worth reading if you are visiting Turkmenistan.
In 2004 Sam Tranum went to Turkmenistan as an American Peace Corps volunteer and this is his record of nearly two years spent in the country.
While I accept some of the criticisms given by other GoodReads reviewers, I found this book fascinating for the purpose for which I read it. Nearly 10 years after Mr Tranum's trip, I had the great fortune to visit Turkmenistan as a tourist and I read this book to give myself some background into the way of life of the Turkmen people, given that I did not want to put my guide in an awkward position by asking questions that he was not comfortable answering.
As we toured the great marble-faced area of the capital, Ashgabat, I could picture the situation in which these stunning, but apparently deserted buildings were erected. As we drove over rutted, atrocious roads in other parts of the country Sam's experiences also explained this total contrast.
We were able to visit some of the sites that the author had mentioned, particularly the flaming crater, and we spent a night in a family home, somewhat reminiscent of the places Sam stayed.
This book was a fascinating adjunct to our trip to a country that boasts very little literature in English. Sam came up against the fear, bureaucracy and lack of ingenuity that was the legacy of the Soviet system, and found even the smallest plan required endless permissions. Well worth reading if you are visiting Turkmenistan.
September 30, 2020
This is a fun, honest and heart-on-sleeve take on Sam's time in Turkmenistan as Peace Corps volunteer with the Red Crescent (Red Cross). Don't let the ranty start derail you from the wonderful journey that it is.
This seems more of a memoir than a travelogue - you read more of his experiences in the hinterlands of Central Asia, yet has some very good tips if you do travel to Turkmenistan. A seemingly ultra-bureaucratic and authoritarian state with an almost caricatured dictator (back when Sam had travelled and at present too) convinced me never to go there. But the uniqueness of the place and people seems endearing enough to reconsider.
Filled with nice anecdotes and eccentric characters - read this!
This seems more of a memoir than a travelogue - you read more of his experiences in the hinterlands of Central Asia, yet has some very good tips if you do travel to Turkmenistan. A seemingly ultra-bureaucratic and authoritarian state with an almost caricatured dictator (back when Sam had travelled and at present too) convinced me never to go there. But the uniqueness of the place and people seems endearing enough to reconsider.
Filled with nice anecdotes and eccentric characters - read this!
September 15, 2011
Sam was a Peace Corps volunteer in Turkmenistan in the around 2005. I liked the way he likes and enjoys people and liked his energy even if it is at times a bit adolescent (e.g., crazy trips to places that he isn't supposed to go). I enjoyed his interactions with regular Turkmen people and his short accounts of Turkmen history. His encounters with the bureaucracy are as nearly as frustrating for the reader as for him.
I suspect this was a self published book. He is an engaging writer, but there are a lot of omitted words and other errors. Still it was fun to read.
I suspect this was a self published book. He is an engaging writer, but there are a lot of omitted words and other errors. Still it was fun to read.
August 20, 2020
Read it out of boredom because the author was my very pervy teacher a long time ago. I was hoping he would become a famous writer so i could #metoo him, but having read some of his book I'm confident thats not going to happen!
May 16, 2020
I read this for a returned Peace Corps Volunteer book club and vacillated between three stars and four. I believe its appeal will be limited to those who like to read PC memoirs and those who are interested in Turkmenistan — or perhaps some of the neighboring ‘stans. It’s a tale of what Sam did for two years in the PC, interspersed with a lot (a bit too much for my taste) of history of the country. To his credit, he’s provided extensive references for anyone who wants to know more or challenge his rendition. Three stars means I liked it, but I gave it four because there is really some very nice prose in here. He was a journalist before joining PC and the training and skill from that experience elevate the book above some other PC memoirs I’ve read. His opening scenario made me think he was going to be yet another arrogant young American, behaving stupidly overseas (and sometimes he was) but he redeemed himself by the end with several instances of honest self appraisal. He went into PC at age 29 (2004) and published the book in 2010. So I figure he was in his early thirties when he wrote the book. I imagine, like most of us, he’d see his behavior differently now.
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June 1, 2020A truly funny book that is a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning more about this mysterious country called Turkmenistan... or for anyone who just wants a good laugh. Sam's writing style is both honest and humorous. I would be quite curious to see how (or if!) Turkmenistan has not changed over a decade later.
November 2, 2022
Great title. The book is missing the pizzaz of uncertain international travels
April 30, 2013
This is a memoir of a fellow who spent two years in Turkmenistan as a Peace Corp volunteer beginning in 2004. I read it because I am going to visit Turkmenistan and wanted some background. There isn't much written about the country. -- This was an interesting log of the people he met, confusion involved in working between the administrations of the Peace Corps and Turkmenistan. -- The country is interesting because it had been under the Russians since 1880, under the Soviet Union since the Bolshevik revolution, then casually became independent following the fall of the Soviet Union. The country is mostly desert. There are valuable oil and natural gas reserves. However, it has not translated into real wealth for the country. Most of the book deals with daily life and the decrepit infrastructure. The Soviet Union invested a lot into the country and loss of its direct support was a blow.
The book has increased my interest in visiting. I need to learn more. But the people and places sound fascinating. I hope I get to see a lot. I was invited by the government to a festival for Akhal-Teke horses. The book did not say much about them, but they are central to the national identity. Indeed, the last Saturday in April is a national holiday in honor of the horse. It is one of the oldest populations or breeds of horse. The affinity of the Turkmen for their horses is reported to exceed that of Arabs for their horses. Akhal-Teke horses are superb endurance racing horses and are known to have been foundation stock for the Thoroughbred and possibly the Arab. It might be the other way around with the Arab.
Interesting book. I enjoyed it but don’t particularly recommend it. It was good preparation for my trip but I there certainly must be better books about the culture and history of Turkmenistan
The book has increased my interest in visiting. I need to learn more. But the people and places sound fascinating. I hope I get to see a lot. I was invited by the government to a festival for Akhal-Teke horses. The book did not say much about them, but they are central to the national identity. Indeed, the last Saturday in April is a national holiday in honor of the horse. It is one of the oldest populations or breeds of horse. The affinity of the Turkmen for their horses is reported to exceed that of Arabs for their horses. Akhal-Teke horses are superb endurance racing horses and are known to have been foundation stock for the Thoroughbred and possibly the Arab. It might be the other way around with the Arab.
Interesting book. I enjoyed it but don’t particularly recommend it. It was good preparation for my trip but I there certainly must be better books about the culture and history of Turkmenistan
September 29, 2014
As a future Peace Corps Volunteer, I have been looking around for books written by former volunteers. While many service memoirs take place on the African continent, it was refreshing to read one that is set in Central Asia. Tranum's writing is highly entertaining and makes for an easy, yet enjoyable, read. It was a treat to read about life in one of the world's least known and accessible countries, Turkmenistan. Through all of the expected difficulties of a volunteer (and perhaps even more unexpected challenges), Tranum is able to provide a great overview of his service, challenges that the country faces, and his own rewarding experiences.
February 3, 2013
An ostensibly well-meaning Peace Corp volunteer ends up in Turkmenistan where he finds that teaching the locals basic health lessons is "like going to a plane crash with a box of band-aids" and is forced to question if anyone wants his help at all.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews