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Loading... Russians: The People behind the Powerby Gregory Feifer
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. A little dated now but good overview. ( ) A new look at why Russia doesn't go the way the western world thinks it logically should. Why not? Because there is little or no logic involved in the way Russian leaders think. There is no experience with abiding by rational laws. It's always been "whatever the leader says, goes". And, there is no reason to look for that to change. Whatever is best for Russia is what Russia will pursue. The story of the author's parents' romance--Russian mother, American father-- is woven throughout the book. no reviews | add a review
From former NPR Moscow correspondent Gregory Feifer comes an incisive portrait that draws on vivid personal stories to portray the forces that have shaped the Russian character for centuries--and continue to do so today. RUSSIANS explores the seeming paradoxes of life in Russia by unraveling the nature of its people: what is it in their history, their desires, and their conception of themselves that makes them baffling to the West? Using the insights of his decade as a journalist in Russia, Feifer corrects pervasive misconceptions by showing that much of what appears inexplicable is logical when seen from the inside. And he makes clear why President Putin remains popular even as the gap widens between the super-rich and the great majority of poor. Traversing the world's largest country, Feifer conducted hundreds of intimate conversations about everything from sex and vodka to Russia's complex relationship with the world. What emerges is a rare portrait of a unique land of extremes whose forbidding geography, merciless climate, and crushing corruption has nevertheless produced some of the world's greatest art and some of its most remarkable scientific advances.--From publisher description. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)947.086History and Geography Europe Russia and eastern Europe [and formerly Finland] Russian & Slavic History by Period 1855- 1991-LC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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