Putin Country

A Journey into the Real Russia

By: Anne Garrels

Narrated by: Anne Garrels

Length: 8 hrs and 12 mins

Publisher's summary

Long before the meteor strike, longtime NPR correspondent Anne Garrels had Chelyabinsk in her sights. More than 10 years ago, she began visiting the city in order to understand what life was really like in post-Soviet Russia, beyond the confines of the glitzy Moscow metropolis.

In Chelyabinsk, she discovered a populace for whom the new democratic freedoms were as traumatic as they were delightful. A closed nuclear city throughout the Cold War, Chelyabinsk was thrown into disarray in the early '90s as its formerly state-controlled factories were exposed to the free market. And the next 20 years would only bring more turmoil. The city became richer and more cosmopolitan, even as the forces of corruption and intolerance became more entrenched.

In Putin Country: A Journey into the Real Russia, Garrels crafts an intimate portrait of the nation's heartland. We meet ostentatious mafiosos, upwardly mobile professionals, impassioned activists, scheming taxi drivers with dark secrets, and beleaguered steel workers. We discover surprising subcultures, like the LGBT residents of Chelyablinsk who bravely endure an upsurge in homophobia fueled by Putin's rhetoric of Russian "moral superiority" yet still nurture a vibrant if clandestine community of their own. And we watch doctors and teachers try to do their best in a corrupt system. Through these encounters, Garrels reveals why Putin commands the support and loyalty of so many Russians, even those who decry the abuses of power they encounter from day to day. Her portrait of Russia's silent majority is essential listening at a time when Cold War tensions are resurgent.

©2016 Anne Garrels (P)2016 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books

Critic reviews

"Former NPR reporter Anne Garrels...delivers a terrific narration of her own fascinating look at the current state of the former Soviet Union.... Whatever news she's delivering, it's mesmerizing." (AudioFile)

Very Insightful

I was fortunate to travel to a few places in that area during the nineties. It's sobering to hear about the changes that have come about since then. I've always admired the reporting of Anne Garrels when she covered Russia for NPR. This is a must read to understand the mood in Russia today.

Informative

Balanced insight from a diverse collection of Russian citizens broadly ranging in backgrounds.The real Russia.

Great insight into Russia

Fantastic book. Ms Garrels does an excellent job of narration on this multi faceted, if not disturbing look at life under Putin, as well as an overview of how many thousands of lives have been affected and shortened because of wanton disregard for human life in the old Soviet Union.

comprehensive cross-section of modern Russia

Examines the intricate lives of many Russian people, exemplifying societal changes since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Insight amid repetition

It's always interesting gaining a perspective into the lives of those different than us. Russians are certainly amongst those who have lived markedly different lives.

Anne Garrels spent years in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk getting to the heart of the "Real Russia." The results are fascinating but eventually feel a bit repetitive. More or less everyone we hear from has had the same experiences. Tales of corruption, shakedowns, and brutality abound.

Interesting - even if Russia's tourism board is bound to hate it.

disjointed

Unfortunately, the book sorely lacks a strong coherent unifying thread. It's just a collection of vignettes. The Long Hangover had better writing and did a far better job at using vignettes on individuals to tell a compelling story. It's ok but I cannot recommend this book.

Awesome

This audiobook (read by the author) was very interesting and informative. I was captivated the whole way through, never bored. I loved hearing the stories of the Russians in this book and learning a bit about how they think, it's a great insight. I'm recommending this book to my friends & family.

Tedious writing on an interesting subject

Any additional comments?

I remain very interested in what is happening in Russia and how its people are handling the changes since the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of Putin. However, this book was a struggle for me to finish. The author correctly chose to focus on an out of the way city, but I found her reporting excessively detailed and minute. For me, there were just too many details about poorly educated people trying to live their lives. This book could have been half as long but better edited and made more of an impact.

Great insight into what is happening in Russia today

After reading this you have to ask yourself which way Russia is heading. They tossed off communism, ending the Cold War but what do you call what is happening now? My sympathies to the Russian people. I hope they can sustain their transformation toward a more open society. This book is an invaluable read for Western readers who, maybe for the first time, get to see inside Putin’s Russia. It was for me a real eye- opener.

top notch insight

This book describes the mindsets of the commoners in Russia. Why they do what they do, their thoughts on the outside western world, their inner perspective, etc. highly recommend it.