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morgainlafeye's review against another edition
3.0
This was a fascinating read, I really enjoyed the micro stories and view into a world I've heard very little about.
thepeachmartini's review against another edition
4.0
You can read my full review here - http://www.thepeachmartini.com/?p=832
Midnight in Siberia is a lively travel narrative filled with humor, adventure, and insight. It opens a window onto that country s complicated relationship with democracy and offers a rare look into the soul of twenty-first-century Russia.”
I must disclose the fact that I am a big fan of David Greene…or, more precisely, I’m a big fan of David Greene’s voice as he talks to me in the mornings on Morning Edition. I am a fan of his reporting style, and I enjoy the way he tells a story. I did in fact read the book, rather than listen to the audio version (that’s next on the agenda) because I didn’t want to be distracted :) My husband and I purchased this book at an event hosted by our local NPR radio station (WBOI 89.1) in which we listened to Mr. Greene share stories and tales of how and why he reports in the manner he does, and we were able to have our book signed by “Big Sexy” (his words…not mine!).
Now that that’s out of the way…
Overall, I really enjoyed “Midnight in Siberia” and found it though-provoking and entertaining. Bonus for the section of pictures Greene included – it was nice to see if my mental picture of the singing Babushkas matched the real-life image :) It is hard for me to choose a favorite section of the book – I thoroughly enjoyed the details about riding in the train cars, the etiquette in bringing someone flowers, and I loved the scenes set in the remote villages – the places that have the richest heritage and people who have survived things we can’t imagine. My hope was that it would dispel any misconceptions I had…and while I still feel a bit like the whole of Russia is a time warp and people are still pegging their jeans, I have reaffirmed my belief that Russia is a country of very proud and very strong people, filled with hope that one day things may change for the better…even though they aren’t quite sure what that entails.
Midnight in Siberia is a lively travel narrative filled with humor, adventure, and insight. It opens a window onto that country s complicated relationship with democracy and offers a rare look into the soul of twenty-first-century Russia.”
I must disclose the fact that I am a big fan of David Greene…or, more precisely, I’m a big fan of David Greene’s voice as he talks to me in the mornings on Morning Edition. I am a fan of his reporting style, and I enjoy the way he tells a story. I did in fact read the book, rather than listen to the audio version (that’s next on the agenda) because I didn’t want to be distracted :) My husband and I purchased this book at an event hosted by our local NPR radio station (WBOI 89.1) in which we listened to Mr. Greene share stories and tales of how and why he reports in the manner he does, and we were able to have our book signed by “Big Sexy” (his words…not mine!).
Now that that’s out of the way…
Overall, I really enjoyed “Midnight in Siberia” and found it though-provoking and entertaining. Bonus for the section of pictures Greene included – it was nice to see if my mental picture of the singing Babushkas matched the real-life image :) It is hard for me to choose a favorite section of the book – I thoroughly enjoyed the details about riding in the train cars, the etiquette in bringing someone flowers, and I loved the scenes set in the remote villages – the places that have the richest heritage and people who have survived things we can’t imagine. My hope was that it would dispel any misconceptions I had…and while I still feel a bit like the whole of Russia is a time warp and people are still pegging their jeans, I have reaffirmed my belief that Russia is a country of very proud and very strong people, filled with hope that one day things may change for the better…even though they aren’t quite sure what that entails.
ewormuth's review against another edition
4.0
I wonder whether some of the one-star reviewers and I read the same book. I enjoyed the glimpse into the lives of Russian people, into their towns, their jobs, their lives. I feel as though I learned some things and gained insight into some of the problems Russia and Russians have and even, to a certain extent, why Russians and Ukrainians have the relationship that they do. To those who think he's arrogant, it seems to me that whenever he makes a statement that could be seen as America-centric (e.g. why aren't they fighting for democracy?), he immediately follows it up with an explanation of why they are not more like Americans and why that makes sense, in terms of their history and personal experiences over the course of their lives and those of their parents and grandparents. If it's not the best-written book ever, I found the author's voice interesting and the book readable. If you have an interest in Russia and Russians, give it a try. I'm going to look at some of the other books on Russia he recommends.1
shannon_jayne1's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
reflective
4.0
Really enjoyed this book as it provided me with a new insight into Russia and the Russian people.
alundeberg's review against another edition
4.0
"Stalin nostalgia": two words I never thought would be paired together. However, it's real, and for this American, it ranks at the top for oxymorons. But my attitude belies the perils of American hubris and a lack of understanding of contemporary Russian life, the life that David Greene peels back in this travel memoir. Greene and his friend Sergei take a five-week train trip through the heart of Russia to understand this enigmatic, contradictory country; what they learn reveals that Russia and its people are complex, with a complex history and beliefs, and Putin is doing nothing to help the matter. In one rather prescient moment, especially as our president seems to kowtowing to Russia and is openly advocating that white supremacists are okay and football players who take the knee to protest injustice be fired, Greene interviews a professor of political philosophy: he asks, "What is the political philosophy Russia has in place?" She answers, "They are trying separate people... Because when people are separated, they don't care deeply for anything-- except for themselves" (283).
Today Russians are separated by class, drugs, alcohol, a corrupt police administration that can and will arrest, detain, and torture you for no reason, a system that has no clear-cut guidelines and leads to rampant extortion and bribery, and a stability that has a tenuous hold at best. Greene's book underscores the importance of travel, not to just see the sights, but also to develop a greater understanding of the world, to see that American democracy is not a one-size-fits-all solution as we are wont to think. I highly recommend this book.
Today Russians are separated by class, drugs, alcohol, a corrupt police administration that can and will arrest, detain, and torture you for no reason, a system that has no clear-cut guidelines and leads to rampant extortion and bribery, and a stability that has a tenuous hold at best. Greene's book underscores the importance of travel, not to just see the sights, but also to develop a greater understanding of the world, to see that American democracy is not a one-size-fits-all solution as we are wont to think. I highly recommend this book.
slelswick's review against another edition
2.0
While this book is rather captivating at first; unfortunately, it didn't hold my interest, so I stopped reading it. The book felt like David Greene was stretching some of his NPR news coverage into a full length book, which made it redundant, "forced," and less interesting to read the further and further along I got in the book.
bhsmith's review against another edition
4.0
Truth be told, the likelihood of me picking up a book about Russian culture and politics is pretty slim. However, a perfect storm of sorts came together for Midnight in Siberia. First, I read a short but glowing review of the book (in Traveler magazine, perhaps?) as an engaging travelogue through wild, snow-covered Russia. Then, I noticed that a familiar voice - David Greene from NPR's Morning Edition - was the author. Those two reasons put the book on my "To Read" list, and I'm glad they did.
There are certainly points in this book where the history of the Russian government is piled on pretty thick, and there is a lot of discussion about Russian history and culture over the past decades. But, the book is far more charming than any of that would lead you to believe. Greene decides to step on to the Trans-Siberian railroad for a journey across the country - from one end to the other - in search of stories about Russians. Not stories about Russia, but stories about Russians. Each stop along the way, and even while aboard the train, he meets some very interesting people with remarkable backgrounds and stories to tell.
Common threads certainly weave through each story, no matter how similar or different from the last. Greene paints the people and the nation as being pretty beaten down and worn out, having to fight just to survive and very unsure of what the future holds for them. In fact, besides the train, this theme really holds the entire book together.
Greene's writing is personable and approachable. His introductions to each person in the book are usually pretty quick, but the conversations are meaningful and provide some great insight into their lives.
So, sure enough, I really enjoyed a book about Russian history and culture and politics precisely because of the two reasons this book made my "To Read" list: it was an amazing travelogue starring the people of Russia, and it was told by the truly engaging voice of David Greene.
There are certainly points in this book where the history of the Russian government is piled on pretty thick, and there is a lot of discussion about Russian history and culture over the past decades. But, the book is far more charming than any of that would lead you to believe. Greene decides to step on to the Trans-Siberian railroad for a journey across the country - from one end to the other - in search of stories about Russians. Not stories about Russia, but stories about Russians. Each stop along the way, and even while aboard the train, he meets some very interesting people with remarkable backgrounds and stories to tell.
Common threads certainly weave through each story, no matter how similar or different from the last. Greene paints the people and the nation as being pretty beaten down and worn out, having to fight just to survive and very unsure of what the future holds for them. In fact, besides the train, this theme really holds the entire book together.
Greene's writing is personable and approachable. His introductions to each person in the book are usually pretty quick, but the conversations are meaningful and provide some great insight into their lives.
So, sure enough, I really enjoyed a book about Russian history and culture and politics precisely because of the two reasons this book made my "To Read" list: it was an amazing travelogue starring the people of Russia, and it was told by the truly engaging voice of David Greene.
rlk7m's review against another edition
4.0
Truthfully, this book probably deserves 3.5 stars but I'm rounding up because:
1. David Greene is my favorite NPR host, and
2. He mentions the Penguins and Steelers numerous times
So, looking past the repetition that seemed a little rampant and separating Greene's smooth radio voice from his choppy writing voice...
I really enjoy reading travel narratives (and I have a strange obsession with rail transportation), and I love meeting a cast of characters you'd swear were made up. But everyone in the book is real and so are their struggles. This is an honest portrayal of Russia that you won't get by rewatching NBC's coverage of Sochi, and that is refreshing in and of itself.
1. David Greene is my favorite NPR host, and
2. He mentions the Penguins and Steelers numerous times
So, looking past the repetition that seemed a little rampant and separating Greene's smooth radio voice from his choppy writing voice...
I really enjoy reading travel narratives (and I have a strange obsession with rail transportation), and I love meeting a cast of characters you'd swear were made up. But everyone in the book is real and so are their struggles. This is an honest portrayal of Russia that you won't get by rewatching NBC's coverage of Sochi, and that is refreshing in and of itself.