Best book on Russians EVER!!!

Strongly recommend to anyone interested in Russia/Russians. I am Russian. And I am all ears when it comes to foreigners trying to explore and explain the essence of this enormous country and its controversial folk. That is why I try not to miss such kinds of books. Mostly what I fish out is just a crusade for confirmation of deep rooted stereotypes/myths or very shallow account a-la Marco Polo.

I must say this book is a precious exception. With surprising astuteness she slices open the notorious "Russian soul" and identifies motives underlying many Russian behavior modes, views, philosophy etc.

All during the journey to the most godforsaken (or government/Moscow forsaken) places.

I am impressed! Many of her conclusions really stroke me and find the whole account astonishingly trustworthy.

Of course exposing some unpleasant features of current (or ancestral) mindset and collective unconscious might hurt some purists or idealists, but isn't bitter truth better than sweet fables?

I strongly recommend the book to all my foreign friends and for you as well. ( )

A marvellous and inspirational account of Dervla's travels in Siberian Russia in 2002. She describes the place and the people with such warmth and sympathy and clearly has so much fun travelling there; despite her age and many years of travelling she is not jaded, but always interested in new places and keen to make new friends. She has some difficulties on this trip, but is generally positive. She always writes very well; she makes her accounts personal and engaging, with enough history and a sense of the wider context. A good read. ( )