Putin Country

A Journey into the Real Russia

By: Anne Garrels

Narrated by: Anne Garrels

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.

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.

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.