In this picaresque story of adventure, David Green captures an overlooked, idiosyncratic Russia in the age of Putin. A journalist for National Public Radio in the US, David Greene decides to travel thousands of kilometres from Moscow to Vladivostok on the iconic Trans-Siberian line. On the train and in the many Siberian outposts he stops as he meets a wide range of ordinary Russian people - from a group of Beatles-singing babushkas to soldiers and struggling entrepreneurs - with situations arising that are at times comical, awkward or poignant. Travelling in third class, he learns to adhere to the train's unwritten social codes and to navigate the unfamiliar environment of Siberia, occasionally shadowed by security agents. Conjuring up other famous travellers to the regions such as Anton Chekhov, David Greene manages, through the events he describes and his reflections and conversations on the journey, to construct a complex, compassionate and astute portrait of Putin's Russia, far away from the glamour and prestige of Moscow.
David Greene is co-host of NPR's Morning Edition. He is NPR's former Moscow bureau chief and has spent more than a decade covering politics and events from the White House and abroad. He lives in Washington, DC, with his wife, Rose, a restaurant owner and fellow traveller.
Title: Midnight in Siberia: A Train Journey into the Heart of Russia
Author: Green, David
ISBN: 9781846883705
Binding:
Publisher: Alma Books Ltd
Publication Date: 2015-02-15
Number of Pages: 288
Weight: 0.3811 kg
Glowing in its profound affection for the Russian people. * Kirkus Reviews *
Thought-provoking... Despite the poverty and repression he frequently encounters, Greene remains optimistic throughout his travels, and he reproduces the source of this conviction in this collection of vignettes. * Publishers Weekly *
A diligent reporter and an appreciative guest. * The New York Times *
His account is breezy and readable, a snapshot into a country that people write encyclopedias about. * The Washington Post *
Greene comes out his journey (broken by many stops, some in one-horse towns) with stories of suffering, enduring, and eccentric characters, especially women, and thus builds a picture of a stoic provincial Russian to contrast with the vicious hedonism of the Moscow to which he was posted... this is an amiable and readable account. * TLS *
A humorous guide... [Greene's] enthusiasm, and thirst for adventure, shines through as the train trundles into forests, past cities and through the long nights. * The Good Book Guide *
A very readable, illuminating and insightful account. * Mainstream, Christian Journal *
This is a book that widens your horizons and emphasises the true hopeful spirit of human nature. An extraordinary and satisfying read. * Yorkshire Gazette *
Midnight in Siberia is a breezy, fun travelogue. * The Big Issue *