Georgian-born author, journalist, and activist Tsisnami "Sissy" Sakvarlishvili has seen her global platform expand rapidly since her book, Georgia After the Collapse of the Soviet Union, was featured on a towering digital billboard in Times Square on Easter 2026. The campaign, which played her cinematic video trailer and book cover over 50 times, marked her as one of Franklin Publishers' "Top 5 Spring Authors." This dual feature has cemented her status as a premier voice in political history and human rights, with readership continuing to grow.
For Sakvarlishvili, the Times Square feature represents the culmination of a deeply personal and political journey. Rising from an abandoned child raised by blind adoptive parents to a migrant caregiver in Italy, she eventually earned a Master's degree in Political Science from the University of Florence and immigrated to the United States in 2013. Today, she remains an active leader in the fight for Georgian democracy, having personally led protests against pro-Russian forces in her homeland.
"Seeing my story—and the story of my country—lit up in the center of the world is a profound honor," says Sakvarlishvili. "Georgia is an ancient, beautiful nation that has been tested by empire and has paid a very high price for its freedom. I wrote this book so the world will finally understand our history and our ongoing fight for democracy."
The book, Georgia After the Collapse of the Soviet Union, provides an emotionally detailed and data-driven account of the nation's first decades of independence. Sakvarlishvili weaves her own journey of resilience into a rigorous analysis of Georgia's transformation, examining the leadership of post-Soviet presidents and the sweeping reforms that followed the 2003 Rose Revolution. It details the shift from a centrally planned command economy to a liberalized market system and confronts the structural realities of rebuilding a nation under pressure, caught between integration with Western institutions and systemic external pressure from Russia.
The book is available for purchase globally through platforms such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble, as well as the official author website. Sakvarlishvili's writing blends personal resilience with geopolitical history, giving a voice to the quiet heroism of ordinary people and her homeland's ongoing fight for freedom. She lives in Amagansett, New York, with her husband and son.
