Russia cover art

Russia

A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People

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Russia

By: Jonathan Dimbleby
Narrated by: Jonathan Dimbleby
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About this listen

 In this timely and revealing portrait, distinguished author and broadcaster Jonathan Dimbleby crosses eight time zones and covers 10,000 miles, from Murmansk in the Arctic Circle to the Asian city of Vladivostok, in an attempt to get beneath the skin of modern Russia.

Travelling by road, rail and boat, his epic journey takes him from the splendour of St Petersburg to remote parts of Siberia. Jonathan was the only British television journalist to interview President Gorbachev during the Cold War, and, returning to Russia for the first time since those days, he discovers a land transformed.

But despite economic progress, he finds aspects of Russian society deeply troubling, and takes an unflinchingly critical look at the way Russia has been run during the Putin years. For Jonathan, crossing the immense Russian landmass became as much an interior journey as an exterior one.

Filled with a dazzling array of historical and literary references, this is a riveting and illuminating account of modern Russia. (Please note: at the author's request some autobiographical material has been excluded from this recording.)

©2008 Jonathan Dimbleby (P)2014 Audible, Inc. Europe Politics & Government Travel Writing & Commentary United States World Russia Soviet Union Imperialism Socialism

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All stars
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brilliant insight in to the lives and history of the Russian people at times trying too much to push the democratic agenda but the people and places Jonathan spoke to were real characters.

brilliant read, a bit too pro democracy

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Mr Dimbleby is as great as ever in this part history / part travelogue of the wonderful country of Russia.

Fascinating Listen

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If you ever wanted to understand what's happening in today's Russia and why, this is the book for you. Framed within an authoritative historical context, Dimbleby explains why this huge and still powerful country is wracked with contradiction, hostility towards outsiders and a sense of unease about its modern place in the world.

Dimblebly shows that corruption is rife and debilitating and that democracy under Putin is little more than a cynical sham. Yet through his encounters with Russians of all types, Dimblebly also reveals the commonly held view that freedom without democracy is possible. And that strength and stability matter far more.

From the cold wastes of Siberia to the throb of an 'aggressive' Moscow, Dimblebly paints an expert picture of the realities of today's Russian empire. Compelling, engaging, fascinating and thoughtful, this book shows the real Russia of today and what the future may hold for a behemoth that affects us all.

A real tour de force - thoughtful and revealing

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This is an enchanting journal of David's journey across one of the most underestimated countries in the world. Every chapter brings excitement, intrigue, history, culture and David's own personality. If you want to know what the REAL Russia is like, this is a must read. This is probably the closest a Western journalist has got to discovering the elusive Russian soul.

Enchanting!

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I dip into this voluminous memoir frequently and always find more. Jonathon's modulated tone and mastery of the English language coupled with his genuine curiosity to understand the Russian Federation of many ethnic backgrounds is admirable.
At the same time the listener feels some sympathy for the enormous task he has taken on and his human vulnerability which he does not disguise.

The Revalatory History

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Nice narrative, beautifully read, gives a nice insight to the emerging mess in Russia at a time when governments and business was blinkered.

Excellent

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I hadn't read any of Jonathan Dimbleby's books before so didn't know what to expect - having last visited Russia/USSR is 1990 and fell in love with the place (and now I can't go) I found this to be a brilliant alternative; he's very descriptive but beautifully so. He incorporates everything you'd want in to learn on a journey across Russia, the good, the bad, the very bad, the ugly, the beauty, the people, the enormous differences, the sheer size, the culture and the history. He conveys it all and beautifully narrated. Well done Mr. Dimbleby.

Was very pleasantly surprised how good this was.

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I was expecting more than a travel log. A posh English man’s travel story. It does get me to sleep though.

Dull and very posh English view

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