Until recently, few westerners have ventured into the former Soviet republics of Central Asia; but there is a lot to see here: the Registan of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva, Alamaty, the fading Aral sea, and remote (and possibly dangerous) Tajikistan. While some of the travel information is dated, this is the most comprehensive of the guidebooks to this area that is available. So, if you venture on the Golden Road to Samarkand, this is the one to take!