Joanna Lillis
@joannalillis.bsky.social
Almaty-based journalist reporting on Central Asia, author of Dark Shadows: Inside the Secret World of Kazakhstan (2019) and Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in Uzbekistan (out in November 2025)
Join me for Silk Mirage launch events in London, Oxford and online
November 17, 2025 at 2:35 PM
Join me for Silk Mirage launch events in London, Oxford and online
A pleasure to talk to Peter Leonard about my newly-published book Silk Mirage at the brilliant Clifton LitFest
November 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A pleasure to talk to Peter Leonard about my newly-published book Silk Mirage at the brilliant Clifton LitFest
Gearing up to talk about Silk Mirage at Clifton LitFest with @peterleonard1.bsky.social
November 15, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Gearing up to talk about Silk Mirage at Clifton LitFest with @peterleonard1.bsky.social
Silk Mirage spotted in the wild! Excited to be in Bristol for Clifton LitFest - in illustrious company!
November 14, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Silk Mirage spotted in the wild! Excited to be in Bristol for Clifton LitFest - in illustrious company!
Excited to be in Bristol for @cliftonlitfest - in illustrious company!
November 14, 2025 at 12:54 PM
Excited to be in Bristol for @cliftonlitfest - in illustrious company!
Silk Mirage is out today with @bloomsburypol.bsky.social - get your copy! Order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... or buy in all good bookshops!
November 13, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Silk Mirage is out today with @bloomsburypol.bsky.social - get your copy! Order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... or buy in all good bookshops!
Silk Mirage is gearing up for publication by @bloomsburypol.bsky.social this week! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here substack.com/inbox/post/1...
November 10, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Silk Mirage is gearing up for publication by @bloomsburypol.bsky.social this week! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here substack.com/inbox/post/1...
Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in #Uzbekistan - out one week today with @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here joannalillis.substack.com/p/silk-mirag...
November 6, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in #Uzbekistan - out one week today with @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here joannalillis.substack.com/p/silk-mirag...
Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in #Uzbekistan - out one week today! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here joannalillis.substack.com/p/silk-mirag...
November 6, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Silk Mirage: Through the Looking Glass in #Uzbekistan - out one week today! Pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... and sign up for launch events here joannalillis.substack.com/p/silk-mirag...
Last chance! Only 4 in-person tickets left to join me + BBC journalist Ibrat Safo to talk about my book Silk Mirage - out next week - + more about #Uzbekistan, 18 November 1900 London or join us online
www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
November 4, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Last chance! Only 4 in-person tickets left to join me + BBC journalist Ibrat Safo to talk about my book Silk Mirage - out next week - + more about #Uzbekistan, 18 November 1900 London or join us online
www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
"Silk Mirage is a valuable historical document that will still be read decades from now for its deep research, unique testimonies and on-the-ground reporting on a country that has had so little of all that" - Caravanistan. Out 13 Nov w @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social caravanistan.com/uzbekistan/b...
November 3, 2025 at 11:19 AM
"Silk Mirage is a valuable historical document that will still be read decades from now for its deep research, unique testimonies and on-the-ground reporting on a country that has had so little of all that" - Caravanistan. Out 13 Nov w @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social caravanistan.com/uzbekistan/b...
"Silk Mirage is a valuable historical document that will still be read decades from now for its deep research, unique testimonies and on-the-ground reporting on a country that has had so little of all that" - first review from Caravanistan. Out on 13 Nov with @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social
November 3, 2025 at 11:10 AM
"Silk Mirage is a valuable historical document that will still be read decades from now for its deep research, unique testimonies and on-the-ground reporting on a country that has had so little of all that" - first review from Caravanistan. Out on 13 Nov with @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social
Countdown to Clifton LitFest, starting 2 weeks today! I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan. Between us we have 4 decades of experience covering Central Asia - come and join us! Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
October 31, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Countdown to Clifton LitFest, starting 2 weeks today! I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan. Between us we have 4 decades of experience covering Central Asia - come and join us! Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
Silk has ancient roots in #Uzbekistan, but the industry is still thriving in the modern day - check out my latest on Substack open.substack.com/pub/joannali...
October 30, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Silk has ancient roots in #Uzbekistan, but the industry is still thriving in the modern day - check out my latest on Substack open.substack.com/pub/joannali...
Silk Mirage will be published two weeks today! www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... Pre-order here and sign up for launch events in London or online in November here joannalillis.substack.com/publish/post...
October 30, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Silk Mirage will be published two weeks today! www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira... Pre-order here and sign up for launch events in London or online in November here joannalillis.substack.com/publish/post...
Silk Mirage IRL! Excited to hold a copy in my hands. Out on 13 November - pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira...
October 30, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Silk Mirage IRL! Excited to hold a copy in my hands. Out on 13 November - pre-order here www.bloomsbury.com/uk/silk-mira...
Only a handful of in-person tickets left - join us 18 Nov for a discussion with Ibrat Safo about my new book Silk Mirage and #Uzbekistan - tune in online if you can't make it in person! Tickets www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
October 24, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Only a handful of in-person tickets left - join us 18 Nov for a discussion with Ibrat Safo about my new book Silk Mirage and #Uzbekistan - tune in online if you can't make it in person! Tickets www.gbrussia.org/silk-mirage-...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
www.pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/eve...
Starting three weeks today - join us at @Clifton LitFest where I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage and all things #Uzbekistan. Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even... Plenty more great events going on too.
October 24, 2025 at 1:20 PM
Starting three weeks today - join us at @Clifton LitFest where I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage and all things #Uzbekistan. Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even... Plenty more great events going on too.
Countdown to Clifton LitFest in one month! I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social
on 15 Nov about my book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan - join us! Loads more great events eg
@edentravels.bsky.social @peterfrankopan.bsky.social
Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
on 15 Nov about my book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan - join us! Loads more great events eg
@edentravels.bsky.social @peterfrankopan.bsky.social
Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
October 17, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Countdown to Clifton LitFest in one month! I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social
on 15 Nov about my book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan - join us! Loads more great events eg
@edentravels.bsky.social @peterfrankopan.bsky.social
Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
on 15 Nov about my book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan - join us! Loads more great events eg
@edentravels.bsky.social @peterfrankopan.bsky.social
Tickets here foccal.com/litfest-even...
Edda Schlager presenting her brilliant #book about the #architecture of #Almaty at the Tselinny arts centre - a very appropriate venue given the recent relaunch of this historic building in a beautiful revamped form
October 12, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Edda Schlager presenting her brilliant #book about the #architecture of #Almaty at the Tselinny arts centre - a very appropriate venue given the recent relaunch of this historic building in a beautiful revamped form
Join Silk Mirage on tour! Just over a month to publication of my book on #Uzbekistan by @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social, and some great events are coming up: Clifton LitFest w @peterleonard1.bsky.social, Pushkin House with Ibrat Safo, Royal Society for Asian Affairs with Sophie Ibbotson + much more!
October 9, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Join Silk Mirage on tour! Just over a month to publication of my book on #Uzbekistan by @bloomsburyacad.bsky.social, and some great events are coming up: Clifton LitFest w @peterleonard1.bsky.social, Pushkin House with Ibrat Safo, Royal Society for Asian Affairs with Sophie Ibbotson + much more!
Please join us at Clifton LitFest in Bristol, UK on 15 November, where I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social Leonard about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage - and there are lots of other great events going on at the festival too! Tickets to our event here foccal.com/litfest-even...
October 6, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Please join us at Clifton LitFest in Bristol, UK on 15 November, where I'll be in conversation with @peterleonard1.bsky.social Leonard about my forthcoming book Silk Mirage - and there are lots of other great events going on at the festival too! Tickets to our event here foccal.com/litfest-even...
The sleek lines of the new Tselinny arts centre in the old Tselinny cinema. I used to live on this street when I first moved to Kazakhstan in 2005 and often used to go to the cinema here. Great to see it revamped and back in action with a new remit! #almaty #Kazakhstan #arts #culture
October 5, 2025 at 11:01 AM
The sleek lines of the new Tselinny arts centre in the old Tselinny cinema. I used to live on this street when I first moved to Kazakhstan in 2005 and often used to go to the cinema here. Great to see it revamped and back in action with a new remit! #almaty #Kazakhstan #arts #culture
Roll up, roll up: Pushkin House GB Society Russia event with me + Ibrat Safo talking about my new book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan has moved to larger venue due to popular demand, tickets selling fast. Register to attend in person/online on 18 Nov pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/event…
October 3, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Roll up, roll up: Pushkin House GB Society Russia event with me + Ibrat Safo talking about my new book Silk Mirage + all things #Uzbekistan has moved to larger venue due to popular demand, tickets selling fast. Register to attend in person/online on 18 Nov pushkinhouse.org/whats-on/event…
Excitement building in Almaty - "capital of the world", according to the slogan on the billboard, but I already knew that! - for tonight's match between @fc_kairat and Real Madrid. Alga, Kairat! #Kazakhstan
September 30, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Excitement building in Almaty - "capital of the world", according to the slogan on the billboard, but I already knew that! - for tonight's match between @fc_kairat and Real Madrid. Alga, Kairat! #Kazakhstan