Russia: A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Russia is a massive book: sprawling, ambitious and richly detailed. Jonathan Dimbleby's subtitle is A Journey to the Heart of a Land and its People, and fears that he might have bitten off more than he can chew (both in this book and its accompanying TV series) are quickly allayed. What is most impressive about the book is its canny synthesis of a variety of genres: travelogue, history, social document: Russia is all of these and more, with the personal voice of the narrative by Dimbleby particularly illuminating, as he struggles to come to terms with the contradictions in this fascinating and infuriating country. It is, as the author says, a country that straddles half the globe, and contains a daunting amount of cultural and religious diversity. All of this is examined here, but any sage judgements are never delivered in sober-sided fashion -- we're always caught up in the drama of Dimbleby's journeys.

The author crossed eight time zones and covered 10,000 miles, from Murmansk in the Arctic Circle to the Asian city of Vladivostok. He travels by every available method: rail, road and sea, and manages to experience all the splendours and the miseries of this amazing country. But although the contours of the locales are conjured up with maximum vividness, there are also fascinating portraits of all the Russians that Dimbleby encounters, from intellectuals and struggling peasants to the new breed of fantastically successful entrepreneurs (many of whom, of course, are now making their home in London). The colour illustrations are well chosen, but it's the text that succeeds in taking the reader on this epic journey -- a journey that will transform completely most people's apprehension of the country. --Barry Forshaw.

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Daily Express, 16th May 2008
'Dimbley's book is a splendid achievement...He constitutes the essence of a good traveller - companionable, thoughtful, sceptical and sometimes wide-eyed with wonder.'

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The Guardian, 28th June 08
fulfils all the requirements of "the book of his journey...After this glimpse of [Dimbleby's] soul, you'll never listen to him hosting 'Any Questions' in the same way again.'

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Book Description
A timely and revealing portrait of modern Russia.

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Synopsis
Winston Churchill famously described Russia as 'a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma'. Even today it remains a country little understood by the West. But as a resurgent world power, with an energy-rich economy, we ignore Russia at our peril. In this timely and revealing portrait, distinguished author and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby crosses eight time zones and covers 10,000 miles, from Murmansk in the Arctic Circle to the Asian city of Vladivostok, in an attempt to get beneath the skin of modern Russia. Travelling by road, rail and boat, his epic journey takes him from the neo-classical splendour of St Petersburg to remote and inaccessible parts of Siberia. At the heart of this magisterial account are Jonathan's encounters with a diverse range of ordinary Russians - from urban intellectuals and the new class of entrepreneurs, to impoverished peasants and Russia's ethnic minorities struggling to cling to their distinctive identities.Jonathan was the only British television journalist to interview President Gorbachev during the Cold War, and, returning to Russia for the first time since those days, he discovers a land transformed.

But despite economic progress, he finds aspects of Russian society deeply troubling, and takes an unflinchingly critical look at the way Russia has been run during the Putin years. For Jonathan, crossing the immense Russian landmass became as much an interior journey as an exterior one, and the book contains painfully honest passages as he struggles to meet the challenges of an arduous film trip against the backdrop of great turbulence in his personal life. Filled with a dazzling array of historical and literary references, "Russia - A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People" is a riveting and illuminating account of modern Russia.

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About the Author
Jonathan Dimbleby is a distinguished broadcaster and author, who has reported from Russia at pivotal moments in the country’s recent history. He has written several bestselling books, including a biography of his father Richard Dimbleby, The Palestinians, The Prince of Wales and The Last Governor. For many years he has presented flagship political programmes for ITV, and he is well known as the presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Any Questions.

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-07-25 rating:
Pizdets...
Of course JD was able to work as a reporter in Russia without speaking any Russian...Re-Odd choice of presenter/writer. British reporters in Russia just follow the BBC/Times party line...so why would they have to speak any of the local language? The present Guardian correspondent speaks Russian like a small dim-witted child (from London). What chance does he have of digging up any good stories?

RE - Erroneous and misapprehending - Khordorkovsky is the hero of the BBC/liberal western media...do you seriously expect them to investigate allegations that he was responsible for murder? (Mayor of Nefteyugansk anyone?)

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review by: davidhazel date: 2008-07-18 rating:
Odd choice of presenter/writer
Jonathan Dimbleby is not a name you associate with travel writing. Having read this book all the way through, and watched all episodes of the series, it's not likely to become a name with such an association.

By his own admission, Dimbleby does not like travelling, does not like having to be away from home, and has a phobia about flying. He also speaks virtually no Russian and cannot read Cyrillic (yet was somehow able to function as a Moscow reporter during the Soviet Union days).

One thing comes across very clearly within the first few pages of this book (and remains evident throughout). Dimbleby's mindset vis-a-vis Russia is stuck in the Soviet era of the 1970s. He makes constant references to the Soviet era throughout the book, and when that doesn't provide him with sufficient material, resorts to harping back even further to the excesses of the Tsars. At almost every point, he quizzed people about their political views and looked deeply into Russia's social problems, rather than focussing on the kinds of everyday matters that a tourist would want to know about. Yet, despite his repeated references to the way ordinary people in Russia live, his main points of contact throughout the book were people of high status (company owners, local community leaders, Tolstoy's descendents, and so on). So much for seeking the hearts and minds of the people.

This book is presents a very negative impression of the world's largest country. (Yet, oddly, Dimbleby doesn't mention the negative impressions that most travellers there would find: the almost complete absence of the concept of "customer service", and bureaucrats who are unhelpful to the point of being downright obstructive. I guess not being able to speak the language does have its advantages - you don't need to face these real-world annoyances.)

This is not so much a journey to the hearts and minds of the Russian people, as a journey to one man's mid-20th-century political prejudices. The only positive thing I can say about it, is that it offers quite a lot of interesting historical background to Russia.

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review by: date: 2008-07-14 rating:
Much ado about nothing
I got this book as a gift- fortunately.
I have a good command of English, but I suspect that Dimbleby swallowed a dictionary before writing this. The content (of his 'adventures') is dull.
Nothing more than the self-indulgent musings of a self-pitying journo.
I only got to page 22 before consigning it to the charity shop.

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review by: date: 2008-06-24 rating:
Erroneous and misapprehending
After quick first reading I have found how difficult it could be for a West foreigner to learn Russia without more or less good knowledge of Russian language. That is good lesson for Russian authorities if especially they want to attract investments more actively and thus to reopen the country, make it easier to be understood.

In many aspects, the book is full with illusions and stereotypes. The author as a representative of older generation tries to find answers for questions which have been relevant to this audience. This book heads into wrong direction. Worst of all, such the attitude is very close to position of official London.

For example, the author describes Mikhail Khodorkovsky as a man who "worked to create genuine multi-party democracy and strengthen civic institutions". But on the contrary, most of Russians consider him as an intriguer, the man who manipulated the state parliament for his own wealth and power. He has been somewhat analogous to Thomas Howard 4th duke of Norfolk in medieval England, whose destiny was to go under axe of executioner.

I wish the author next time learn languages before depicting countries.


review by: Sally date: 2008-06-13 rating:
Not that well presented
For the RRP of £25.00 this is certainly a goodly price. The book is a hardcover interspersed with photographs. I was expecting something more like Palins 'New Europe' ie lots of nice colour photography throughout and beautiful presentation. This is relatively dull in the way it is initially presented and I dont think offers such good value unless it is on sale. However the writing is interesting in places and there are not that many travelogues of Russia at the moment.

The preface outlines what the author believes encouraged him to write the book initially but for me it was a bit off putting as Jonathon comes across as quite selfish ie Having an affair (does he do that often?) finding his new amour is seriously ill so staying with her until she died, tragic but what else would anyone even half decent do? Then he seemed to think he could return to his long suffering wife and was surprised to find she didnt want him back, so sank into misery and despair until lo an behold yet another woman comes to his rescue and fills in gaps. Well enought of that.

Jonathon doesn't really delve as deep as he should into the real Russia and goes for a lot of the obvious, which was a bit of a wasted opportunity. For a really really good read about the USSR read Ryziard Kapucinski's which is absolutely brilliant and offers amazing insights into modern history, all written courageously and at huge risk to the author during a time when westerners were not particularly welcome in that part of the world.

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