Putin Country: A Journey into the Real Russia

I was hoping that a book titled "Putin Country", would give me a sense why the Russians love Putin--in 2014, while Garrels was gathering material for this book, Putin's approval rating topped 80%. And in March, 2018, two years after the copyright of this book, Putin won the presidency with over 70% of the vote.I knew before reading the book that Russia has fallen on some hard times of late. When the US falls on hard times, the usual response is to vote the currently ruling party out ("It's the economy, stupid."). This book talks about Russian hard times and makes a pretty convincing case that Russia's Rust Belt is worse off in some ways than the USA's Rust Belt; the corruption in even the lowest levels of Russia's government is amazing, if the people interviewed by Garrels are to be believed.Checking the usual NPR journalist boxes, the book runs on interminably on the problems of groups such as gays, Muslims, women and convicts, or the heroic activity of human rights activists, environmental activists, journalists, etc., etc. Most (although by no means all) of the people to whom Garrels has talked are intellectuals; all are unhappy with the current state of affairs. But if she ever talked in any depth with a Putin supporter, I missed it.Hence, Garrels never answers what for me is the central question: If things in Russia are so bad, how come Putin enjoys such broad and deep support? Or putting it another way, why is it that the rule, "It's the economy, stupid" doesn't apply in Russia? Or am I simply incorrect, and Putin is NOT popular--where are the statistics on this?In failing to explore Ivan Sixpack's feelings about Putin and his regime, the book fails, for me at least, its essential purpose.Bottom line: if you like to read about disaffected Russians, this book merits five stars. If you are looking for an explanation or even an exploration of Putin's popularity, this book merits one star. I give it one star.

This is a brilliant book. I have read hundreds of books, papers and articles that attempt to give the reader insight into on society or another. I recall no other account, that so gave me a feel for the heart of a country, the heart of a people.Ms. Garrels shows us much of Russia, humanizing a distant, murky and menacing place. The drug addicts, scientists, mayors, social workers and all the rest mostly speak for themselves, but the author is not afraid to frame someone's statement with historical context or offer a tart or sympathetic personal observation. As an American Foreign Service Officer (career diplomat), I lived in eight countries. I wish I could have read a book like *Putin Country* about each of them before I got there.

Russians are an enigma to most Americans. Most know little about the history of the Russian people and their sufferings during World War II. A few more are aware of the privations the Russian people suffered under the Soviet system. I have even met people who still think the Communists are in charge in Russia. The tendency is to cast all Russians as some how anti-Western, anti-Capitalist and anti-American. This books gives a realistic picture of one slice of post-Communist Russia in the Age of Putin by a respected journalist who knows Russia well.Modern Russia and contemporary Russians are a product of a complex history. Russia has no real traditions of Western style democracy, at least during the historical eras, Renaissance, Enlightenment and the modern Industrial Revolution within which representative democracy emerged. Instead, Russians knew autocratic rule by Tsars, revolution and Communist Dictatorship. Democracy does not spring out of nothing. From an evolving parliament in England to the town hall meetings of New England, our ancestors slowly built traditions of self-government. Russia has little of that sort of tradition upon which to build. Most westerners seem unaware that the Russian suspicion and even hostility to the west grows from the real historical experience of being invaded by various Western Countries determined to seize Russian territory and at least in the Middle Ages force the Russian people to convert from Russian Orthodoxy to Roman Catholicism. Swedes, Germans, Poles, Lithuanians, Napoleon, Finns and Hitler have all had a go at Russia and all left a legacy of great suffering and misery. The view of many Russians is that no good comes to Russia or its people from the West.Anne Garrels has covered Russia as a correspondent for many years. She speaks Russians. She has Russian friends who both respect and trust her. Garrels not only interviews Russians she offers a sympathetic picture of their lives. Her work of interpreting their lives attempts to offer insights into why some Russian tolerate Putin though they may dislike him while others consider him the God sent savior of Russia from collapse and the wicked intentions of the Western Powers to dominate their country politically, economically and culturally. It is a complex world that Russians inhabit and Anne Garrels opens a window that is both empathetic to the needs of the people while critical of the failings of their political and so called "State Capitalist" systems. Some of her friends are pro-Western while others are suspicious of Western intentions. Some have achieved success in the new Russia while others struggle to survive in an economic whirlwind that left them behind. All receive a fair hearing from an American friend who seeks to convey the unique Russian experience to Americans and other English speaking allies. Our politicos might deal with the Russian more effectively if they had a better sense of how current actions raise the spectre of past threats in the Russian Psyche. Reading this book might be a good start.

Putin Country is, as the subtitle states, a journey into the real Russia. It's as if a traveler, rather than visit New York City, visited some Midwest city to see what makes America tick. In Chelyabinsk, one learns of the daily routines and challenges that confront millions of Russians outside the bigger metropolises of Moscow and St. Petersburg.The author, one of America's most intrepid journalists, is uniquely qualified to identify contemporary issues facing Russians. She has experience, as well as language and country expertise rarely seen in reporters who have dealt with Russia. She has the courage to challenge and overcome the obstacles thrown up to thwart her seeking the truth about the real Russia. Together with this, she has the sensitivity to portray her contacts as human beings who share the desires and needs of us all.Putin Country will become a standard on early 21st century Russia and its people who are still struggling to determine who they are.

As I take an interest in Russian current affairs and the state of that very foreign nation, this book was a valuable addition to others I've read on the same subject. Anne Garrels has met and come to know a range of contemporary Russians whose voices and personal stories are a true reflection of Russian life at the start of the 21st century. A very useful read.

An extremely interesting account of post-Soviet daily life in the city of Khabarovsk. It demonstrates how irrelevant and inaccurate any easy summaries of contemporary society are bound to be.

Measured, fascinating, the work of someone with no axe to grind, open-eyed and caring, yet aware of what is going on.

who likes documentaries this a good read

Incredible read.