Coming of Age — The Book Roads

Days in the Caucasus

Banine

Days in the Caucasus is Banine’s memoir of growing up in a wealthy Azerbaijani family in Baku during the turbulent early twentieth century. Born into a family whose fortune came from the oil industry, she experiences a childhood shaped by material privilege, complicated relatives, and contrasting cultural influences. Her German governess introduces her to one world, while her strict Muslim grandmother represents another, creating a household where tradition and modernity coexist uneasily. The Russian Revolution and the collapse of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic eventually transform her family’s circumstances, forcing Banine to confront loss, uncertainty, and the limitations imposed on women. Recalling her first love and an unwanted marriage, she recounts her eventual escape from her homeland. The memoir combines wit and personal reflection with a portrait of a vanished society, exploring independence, cultural identity, and the experience of exile.

Azerbaijan 2025