rlk7m's review against another edition
4.0
Truthfully, this book probably deserves 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up because:
1. David Greene is my favorite NPR host, and
2. He mentions the Penguins and Steelers numerous times
So, looking past the repetition that seemed a little rampant and separating Greene's smooth radio voice from his choppy writing voice...
I really enjoy reading travel narratives (and I have a strange obsession with rail transportation), and I love meeting a cast of characters you'd swear were made up. But everyone in the book is real and so are their struggles. This is an honest portrayal of Russia that you won't get by rewatching NBC's coverage of Sochi, and that is refreshing in and of itself.
1. David Greene is my favorite NPR host, and
2. He mentions the Penguins and Steelers numerous times
So, looking past the repetition that seemed a little rampant and separating Greene's smooth radio voice from his choppy writing voice...
I really enjoy reading travel narratives (and I have a strange obsession with rail transportation), and I love meeting a cast of characters you'd swear were made up. But everyone in the book is real and so are their struggles. This is an honest portrayal of Russia that you won't get by rewatching NBC's coverage of Sochi, and that is refreshing in and of itself.
athenany's review against another edition
3.0
This isn't a bad book, but I would have preferred it to be more of a travelogue and less of the author's political commentary. Plenty of travel authors (Bryson, Theroux) work in their political commentary without taking away from the travel aspect. It's all about balance and this one is not quite even. It does have some interesting insights though.
chelseadarling's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
3.25
milanliu's review against another edition
4.0
This book is very hit or miss: if you're looking for something profoundly insightful, it's sure to disappoint; yet, for me, the picture it painted of Russia deeply enriched my understanding of the culture of a country whose politics and people I'd studied. It does read like a morning talk show–and even made me chuckle, when I wasn't slightly irked by it. I went in with low expectations and was impressed, but this certainly won't be the case for all.
optimaggie's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this on audio and I really enjoyed it. Years later I still think about it.
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
2.0
While there are some interesting stories about daily life in Russia and some history, the tone of the book was unpleasant. Given that the author works for NPR, I should have expected his writing to come across as pretentious. However, I was not prepared for the arrogance and constant judging of Russian culture, attitudes or way of life.
laurend's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent! Listen on cd for best experience. Author reads and can do some Russian.
kahale's review against another edition
1.0
I skimmed through this book and it didn't catch my interest. the author did seem to try and get into the psyche of the Russian people. The best part of the book was the map at the front.