This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
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, traveling, and immersing herself in nature or entertainment. Her diverse interests and active lifestyle after retirement show a deep appreciation for life’s pleasures and a continuing curiosity about the world around her.
Reviewed by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
The collapse of the Soviet Union is one of the most significant events of the twentieth century. Camel from Kyzylkum is the story of the author, Lara Gelya, an immigrant from the Soviet Union who left her motherland in the late ‘80s and arrived in the United States in search of a better life. However, before she could carve out a life for herself in America, Gelya had to navigate some overwhelming obstacles along the way. Born in Vinnytsia, Ukraine, she completed her studies at the Geological College in Kyiv. From 1968 to 1988, Gelya spent twenty years as a geophysicist working in the Kyzylkum Desert in Uzbekistan to explore and excavate uranium and gold. After a failed marriage, escalating political turmoil forced her to undertake a dangerous journey through multiple countries before her eventual arrival in the land of dreams.
Camel from Kyzylkum is an inspiring real-life story of a woman's pursuit of a better life against all odds. Lara Gelya provides a vivid account of her experiences as a Soviet Union immigrant who managed to overcome extraordinary challenges and struggles to finally find her dream home. With an unflinching narrative, Gelya lays bare her life story. Her tale showcases the resilient spirit of the human soul and proves that one should never give up hope, even in adversity. Overall, I found Camel from Kyzylkum a thoroughly riveting read and a memoir that I will highly recommend to everyone.
