Imperium

Rating:
Summary: A haunting narrative
Review: It is difficult to classify this book as a memoir or a book of poetic prose. Kapuscinski's tales of his travels truly illustrate the resounding failure that collectivism is and was. The seventy years of waste, and the ongoing economic, ecological, and personal disasters that were created are all poignantly illustrated with a deftness of hand which leaves an indelible impression on the reader. As Radzinsky's 'Stalin' gives an accountant's balance sheet of the Communist disaster, Kapuscinski gives us the artist's.

Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE GREAT TRAVEL BOOKS OF ALL TIME
Review: Kapuscinski is one of the three greatest travel writers that I know of. (The others are Norman Lewis and William Dalyrimple.) Imperium is his best book.

Rating:
Summary: a book you should not miss
Review: Obligatory lecture to anybody, not just Russia fans or haters. Facts, observations, descriptions and information - everything that is so vital in reporters' style presented with skill and fluency.

Rating:
Summary: A bird's eye view of the "Russian" Federation
Review: Yes, this is a great book, but not because it shows disintegration of the Soviet Union. The book shows Russia's drive to depopulate ethnic Russia and plant Russians in various places in Eurasia where they hardly belong (Vorkuta). Russians are a hardy lot, and they have survived so far, but at the expense of incredible misery, lack of human rights, and continuous and unrelenting fear of the state. The book shows Russia's strengths and weaknessess, and it takes an optimistic view: the author suggests that Russia will survive, owing to the fact that Western governments will always help it survive. So far, he has been right.