The Big Red Train Ride

Eric Newby and his wife, Wanda, embarked on an epic journey across Siberia back in the late 1970s. All along the way, Newby peers into the habitations of USSR locals with curiosity and humor. His words could be lyrical in addition to being sarcastic and humorous.
It is interesting to read Fear by Anatoli Ryabakov at the same time as The Big Red Train Ride. Reading about Stalin from the fictional and historical perspectives, especially during 1936 - 1938 and the rein of Great Terror. Both books report the arrest of seven million people (not including the criminals) and the death toll during Stalin's time to be somewhere around twenty million souls. When talking about the Siberian exiles Newby did not mention the Russians who were show more perceived to have made fun of Stalin and were banished or murdered simply as a result of his paranoia.
It goes without saying that Big Red Train Ride is a bit dated. Written in 1977, there is a great deal of "this will be done" statements. For example, he used the future tense when talking about a railway to be finished in 1980. show less

One reviewer suggests that the reader would want to just pick up and go after reading Eric and Wanda Newby’s account of their ride through Russia on the Big Red Train.

It certainly did not have that affect on this reviewer, even if by reading it I did become a ‘fellow traveler’ for a while. Instead it developed a growing sense of sheer relief that never again would one have to try, and usually fail, to contain those towering rages of sheer frustration and the resulting bad manners that the Russia of this trip and time created in this visitor.

Now mostly passed and gone, like one of Newby’s Siberian stations with the attendant Station Mistress overseeing departures at the full attention, that Russia was as full of obstructions show more and stupidities as this book is full of interesting facts, apt and forbidden photographs and sparkling descriptions. Showing far more toleration than we could ever have managed and using his wit as a rapier sharp foil to fight off visits to wire factories, to parry multiple obstructions and carve up inedible meals Eric Newby passed through a Russia that is also now mostly and thankfully past.

His book’s dedication is a doubled-edged plea from the author for empathy … "to the Peoples of Siberia who have to live there". show less

The premise for this book is very interesting, but in the end it falls short.

Eric Newby rides the Trans-Siberian Railway, which is the longest Railway in the world. He goes from Moscow, Russia, across Siberia, ending in Vladivostok at the Sea of Japan, spanning over 5,772 miles (9,289 kilometers).

Newby rode the train in the 70s during the existence of the USSR. His group was accompanied by a KGB man and many places were off limits to Newby.

I enjoyed learning about the history of Russian, the construction of railroad, and the history of each city/town passed. However, most of the book was dull. A lot of time just riding on a train. Add in Newby's obvious sexism in his descriptions of men vs his descriptions of women.

Will say this book show more was interesting, but that was about it. show less

A classic travel book but a disappointing one. Eric Newby has a good reputation but this is a lazy book. Large sections of it are culled from encylopaedias, atlases and other travellers. As with many visitors to the USSR at the time Newby was determined to challenge the system and put cynicism to the fore. Rarely does he display any sense of enjoyment or discovery. It reminded me of later Theroux's in its display of ill temper. On the other hand it is a book of its time and a good wallow in nostalgia for the old Soviet Union.

This is the story of Eric Newby's journey on the Trans-Siberian Railway—5900 miles from Moscow to Nakhodka taking 192½ hours and covering seven time zones. That's 2500 miles longer than the longest U.S. train ride (New York to Los Angeles via New Orleans).

Newby mixes up sight-seeing, history, and colorful descriptions of the people he meets to present a pair of portraits. The first is of Siberia. The second is an illuminating view into the Cold War-era Soviet Union. His obvious sense of humor served him well on this trip which was, at times, appalling...sometimes from the environment, sometimes from the Soviet bureaucracy. Their adventures trying to find decent food, a decent temperature for their cabin, or even just a place they're show more allowed to take a picture, make for entertaining reading.

I'm looking forward to trying some of Newby's other travel books in the future. show less

Newby is one of my favourite travel writers, and this book is no disappointment.

http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4566613 or http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/4614124