Georgia – through Earth, Fire, Air and Water is a collection of translated fairy-tales co-authored by Michael Berman, Manana Rusieshvili and Ketevan Kalandadze. The tales come from different regions of the Caucasus with an accent on Georgian pieces that include direct translations from Georgian. The approach, different from an earlier practice of rendering Georgian literary works via Russian versions, has enabled the translators to preserve not only the flavor of Georgian thought and wisdom in English, but also the idiosyncrasy of the language. To illustrate, He opened it and entered the room and lo! (p. 11) for the Georgian “SeaRo kari da ras xedavs”, the daughter of the sun for “mzeTunaxavi” (p. 24), I’ll appear in front of you (p. 24) for “SenTan gavCndebi”, Go and walk as far as you can for “ iare sadamdec Tvali migiwvdeba” (p. 26), who don’t value kindness and do wrong instead (p. 81) for “sikeTes borotebiT uxdian”, I will do you great service (p. 36) for the Georgian phrase “bedsa gwev”, etc. Clearly, the synergy of the team is a remarkable example of translating any Georgian work including scholarly pieces.

The selected tales are grouped into five sections with the last four belonging to the cosmic elements of earth, fire, air, and water. Each part demonstrates the involvement of supernatural powers in an endless battle of evil and virtue, a constant enquiry of man’s function in the universe, or a quest for immortality. The problems are not new; vice versa, they reach down to the very beginnings of our civilization – Sumerian mythology and the hero-king of the city-state of Uruk – Gilgamesh.

The fifth, or rather the first part of the book entitled The Hermit Philosopher, precedes the main corpus and, at first glance, seems disconnected and far-fetched. However, this is a deceptive impression as the segment is loaded with a dual function of its own. First, it is a lead into the entire simple, and at the same time, complex imagery of the content, and secondly, it is a mirror reflecting the organization of the material based on the authors’ philosophical maxima: fairy-tales with their labels of childish, naïve, entertaining and fantastic narratives can actually be a repository ancient lore. The Hermit Philosopher together with another tale (Walnuts and Pumpkins) from the Caucasian region, in my view, outlines just such a frame of metaphoric reading.

And indeed, there is a lot of reading the reader has to do on a meta-linguistic level for a vast knowledge of the universe, its unpredictable nature and the role it plays in determining human destinies are spread out into vertical (underworld – middle world – heaven) and horizontal (imaginary geography) patterns and condensed formulas. The latter, so familiar to us as simple sequences of events are interpreted as shamanic journeys to the other world – the aspect not many dare to approach. The concisely and skilfully measured out information on all relevant issues, be it the concept of the trinity or number three, shamanism as a phenomenon or St. George’s historical or mythological figure are all there to aid the reader to perceive the hidden depths of the tales.

Moreover, it is not just cultural commentary that the reader can find in the book. For the western public that is just finding out Georgia, the authors offer some key historical and geographical facts about the regions the fairy-tales come from. Thus, one can get brief but useful information on Georgia, Abkhazia or South Ossetia, as well as a glimpse of the so-called Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts, whose true roots, in my opinion, are unfortunately not mentioned. Special reference should be made of the commentary on the Georgian alphabet which apart from scholarly circles is practically unknown abroad. Writing, and alphabet in particular, acknowledged to be the top indicator of the degree of civilization, carries the entire cultural history of the nation in potentia. Therefore, even this concise account of a huge controversial problem will do good service to the reader.

In brief, Michael Berman, Manana Rusieshvili and Ketevan Kalandadze’s Georgia – through Earth, Fire, Air and Water is a book not to miss to bring back sweet childhood memories and learn about the rich and fascinating world of Georgian folk-tales.

Michael Berman has produced a fine collection of stories from a part of the world that deserves to be better known for its rich culture. The stories cover a wide range of topics, and make an important contribution to our understanding in the West of this treasure store of European culture.

"Georgia through Earth, Fire, Air and Water" presents a wonderful way of getting acquainted with the country’s rich culture and traditions. This book is for those who are keen to discover a rich diversity of myths and legends interwoven with history, and are eager to explore and reflect on the powerful messages each myth carries.

From my own pedagogical perspective, Georgia through Earth, Fire, Air and Water is a rich and varied source of inspiration for classroom activities and teacher reflection. Reading these tales of Georgia, and the Caucuses. students will love and learn from the vibrant cultural heritage of a fascinating region.

Michael Bermans gift to the reader is a personal melding of myth and originality, making these wise stories fresh and interesting. Myth and fable hold the tradition of great wisdom, taught and heard with expectancy, and their enjoyment is made deeper by their connection to our ancestors.