"Soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Republic of Georgia fell prey to a series of power struggles, rampant crime and corruption, secessionist movements, and the spillover of the bitter war in neighboring Chechnya. Journalist Thomas Goltz traces these developments... This fast-paced, first-person account is filled with eye-opening details about the ongoing struggles in another little-known region of the former Soviet Union. Featuring memorable portraits of individuals in high places and low, it traces the story from 1992 through the 'Rose Revolution,' the resignation of Eduard Shevardnadze, and the new presidency of U.S.-educated Mikheil Saakashvili."--book jacket.