FEW have heard of Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. Saffia, from Tockington, hadn't; but she agreed to move there when she was fifteen weeks pregnant with her first child. Her husband's work took her there: Matthew is a water engineer, working on aid projects. In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, his project was to pipe clean drinking water to remote villages.

As reported in the Gazette recently, when the couple returned, with their baby Tom, Saffia Farr wrote a book: Revolution Baby: Motherhood and Anarchy in Kyrgyzstan.

An event at Under the Edge Arts, the community arts centre in Wotton, will give people the opportunity to find out more about this fascinating account of Saffia's experiences - all are welcome, on Saturday, January 19 (7.30pm).

Saffia will be reading extracts from her book Revolution Baby and showing a photographic presentation illustrating in dramatic pictures how the apathetic Kyrgyz descended into the anarchy of the revolution.

There will also be Kyrgyz costumes and refreshments, a stall of traditional felt crafts handmade in Kyrgyzstan and a yurt, brought all the way from a remote village in the mountains.

Saffia has been described as "vivacious"; and Revolution Baby "an engaging, vivid and often hilarious account" and "a great read". The book has also been favourably reviewed here in the Gazette.