Behind Putin's Curtain

April 1, 2019
Journalist Orth (Couchsurfing in Iran) delivers a jaunty description of his travels through what feels like “enemy territory.” Following a mostly beaten path across Siberia, with excursions into the Caucasus, in late summer 2016, Orth sets two goals: discovering what is on young Russians’ minds and attempting to understand “the Putin phenomenon.” The result is more an amusing travelogue than a deep investigation. His commentary pays the standard homage to vodka-drenched soulfulness in a post-Soviet hinterland and quippily weaves together trivia, generalizations (“North Caucasian men are not as tough as they seem”), and vague statistical references (“according to surveys the number of people regretting the breakup of the U.S.S.R. has risen from 2013”). But he does offer amusing details, such as his first breakfast in Moscow of oatmeal topped with “banana slices, meringues, chocolate cookies... a clump of frozen yoghurt and some lime,” and sketches of such characters as Sasha, a 28-year-old engineer from Sevastopol, who laments living in a country without ideals, and Nadya, who “likes motorbikes, fast cars... sleek yachts and knows all the barkeepers in Novosibirsk.” Armchair travelers will enjoy this sojourn, but those seeking a serious analysis of Russian culture today can pass this by.

April 1, 2019
An intrepid German journalist recounts his 2016 adventures in the far-flung reaches of Russia. Orth (Couchsurfing in Iran: Revealing a Hidden World, 2018, etc.), who served for nearly a decade as the travel editor at Der Spiegel, seems to crave learning about places other people would never dream of visiting--e.g., Mirny, Sakha Republic, in the far east of Russia, affectionately termed "the asshole of the world" due to its massive diamond-mine operation. The author is clearly unafraid of confronting "anti-aesthetics on a scale that makes you faint," and he is determined to look deeper than the information provided by official Russian sources. In this quirky, subtly revealing work, Orth provides a useful snapshot of the character and tone of Vladimir Putin's Russia. The author's 9,500-kilometer journey began in Moscow, where his host was Genrich (from couchsurfing.com), a hypereducated polyglot with dozens of pages of initial interview queries who turned out to be an ideal conversationalist. Other hosts proved intelligent and keen, as well, such as when Orth visited the chess capital, Elista, in the autonomous Republic of Kalmykia; Astrakhan, on the Volga River; a farming community in Volgograd, in the southwest; or Sevastopol, the home port of the Black Sea Fleet, in the newly annexed Crimea. Orth also traveled to former Russian president Boris Yeltsin's hometown of Yekaterinburg; there, the author reports that "in 1991, 71 percent of Russians considered themselves European...by 2008 the figure was only 21 percent." From the Altai Republic in Siberia, where the author ventured for a week of crazy car travel with Nadya, to a retreat near Lake Baikal to the remote Olkhon island in Siberia, Orth manages to bring forth a side of Russian life rarely seen. Amazing reporting, generous pictures, and the author's true sense of connection with the locals add up to a truly honest view of Russia today.

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May 1, 2019

In 2016, German journalist Orth (Couchsurfing in Iran) embarked on a ten-week expedition to Russia, determined to go below the surface, to discover the real Russian people beyond their politics; he certainly succeeded. Perhaps because Orth couchsurfed across the country (free stays often in people's homes), he was able to connect with people on a very personal level. His memoir is full of stories, incredible encounters, bizarre sites, and lessons learned. In Moscow, the author stays with Genrich, a curmudgeon with an incredibly elaborate set of rules for his guests. In Volgograd, 15 minutes of watching his host's three-year-old son Grisha leads to utter chaos. Khabarovsk involved so much vodka experimentation that Orth does not remember anything. He also visits Zharovsk to seek enlightenment and an audience with Vissarion, a possible reincarnation of Jesus. Throughout these quirky, delightful encounters and connections, Orth also gets at the Russian people's political views, cultural traditions, religious beliefs, and more. Photos and ABC sections (focused looks at aspects of culture or society in Russia) included. VERDICT Highly recommended for fans of travel memoirs or those seeking a deeper look at Russia and its people.--Katie Lawrence, Grand Rapids, MI

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