Russia
A Journey to the Heart of a Land and Its People
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
£0.00 for first 30 days
Buy Now for £16.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jonathan Dimbleby
About this listen
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.What listeners say about Russia
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- M
- 28-04-15
brilliant read, a bit too pro democracy
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.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- richard keane
- 29-09-22
Excellent
Nice narrative, beautifully read, gives a nice insight to the emerging mess in Russia at a time when governments and business was blinkered.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Phil A.
- 14-05-13
A real tour de force - thoughtful and revealing
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.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
- Mr BW
- 26-10-09
Enchanting!
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.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Allan McInnes
- 09-12-23
The Revalatory History
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.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
- Marcin
- 26-07-11
waste of time
It could be an ineresting story for someone who knows nothing about Russia, its politics and history otherwise it is trivial.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Sileny Tata
- 08-02-24
Dull and very posh English view
I was expecting more than a travel log. A posh English man’s travel story. It does get me to sleep though.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!