Black Earth: A Journey Through Russia After the Fall

A very readable account of post-Soviet life written by a journalist with deep experience in living in in the country before and during perestroika as well as after 1991. The tone of the book is pretty pessimistic, but this is not surprising under the circumstances. The author has visited Moscow, St Petersburg, Chechnya, Norilsk in the far North and Sakhalin in the Far East. He captures the range and the warp and weft of Russian life much better than would an account solely based on experiences of life in the two main cities. A remarkable read and in places, esp. the section on Chechnya, quite horrific.

Although the book is dated (copyrighted in 2003) I learned a lot about the people of Russia during that time. What was it like to survive the gulag? What was it like to survive Communism? Stalinsism? What was it like to live through the Oligarch's raping of Russian resources? Answers to these questions are found in the book. Meier shares answers from the common people. The books is interestingly written and I recommend it. (I bought my copy at a half-price book store.)

Never have I seen such a thorough -- with total understanding -- analysis of that mysterious country, Russia. I am part Russian (although tracing my genealology has produced but vague results), and I can't imagine living there. Now I know why my ancestors left and came here. Meier's excellent work traces the explotative, wild, and absolutely tragic nature and on-going harsh conditions in that vast, mysterious land that never seem to really change in severeity whether it be czarist, Communist, or post-Soviet. I have some knowledge, albeit it scant, of Russia, but Meier has vast knowledge and, bookwise, he DID IT! He pulls no punches. I would recommend the book to anyone who really wants to understand today's and yesterday's Russia. Even show more though I, too, have been a journalist (some 40 years and now retired) and feel some "Russian soul" I'll never begin to understand that land. Congratulations to Mr. Meier, and God b less him. show less

Nonfiction account of Moscow and the former Soviet Union after the fall of the empire. Interesting journalistic account.

Meier travels the lengths of Russia describing events, conditions, and the history of places that make up the character of the new (and old) Russia.