The other side of Russia : a slice of life in Siberia and the Russian Far East / Sharon Hudgins.

ISBN:

9781585448913

9781585442379

Title:

The other side of Russia : a slice of life in Siberia and the Russian Far East / Sharon Hudgins.

Author:

Hudgins, Sharon.

Personal Author:

Hudgins, Sharon.

Edition:

1st ed.

Publication Information:

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xxvii, 319 pages) : illustrations, maps.

Series:

Eastern European studies ; no. 21

Contents:

The road to Russia -- Vladivostok : capital of Russia's wild east -- Riding the rails : the Trans-Siberian railroad -- Irkutsk : the Paris of Siberia -- Lake Baikal : the sacred sea of Siberia -- Among the Buryats -- The high-rise village -- Feasts and festivals -- The market economy -- School days -- Farewell to Russia.

Local Note:

eBooks on EBSCOhost

Personal Subject:

Hudgins, Sharon-Travel-Russia (Federation)-Siberia.

Hudgins, Sharon.

Geographic Term:

Siberia (Russia) -- Description and travel.

Format:

Electronic Resources

Electronic Access:

Click here to view

Publication Date:

2003

Publication Information:

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
915.70486 22	1:E-BOOK	1	1:ONLINE	Searching... Unknown

Bound With These Titles

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Summary

Travel to post Soviet Siberia and the Russian Far East with author Sharon Hudgins as she takes readers on a personal adventure through the Asian side of Russia--an area closed to most Westerners and many Russians prior to the 1990s. Even today, few people from the West have ridden the TransSiberian railroad in winter, stood on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal, feasted with the Siberian Buryats, or lived in the "highrise villages" of Vladivostok and Irkutsk.
One of the few American women who has lived and worked in this part of the world, Hudgins debunks many of the myths and misconceptions that surround this "other side of Russia." She artfully depicts the details of everyday life, set within their cultural and historical context--local customs, foods, and festivals, as well as urban life, the education system, and the developing market economy in postSoviet Siberia and the Russian Far East.
Hudgin's prose shines in her colorful descriptions of multicourse meals washed down with champagne and vodka, often eaten by candlelight when the electricity failed. The author's accounts of hors d'oeuvres made of sea slugs and roulades of raw horse liver will fascinate those with adventuresome tastes, while her stories of hosting Spanish, French, and TexMex feasts will come as a surprise to anyone who thinks of Russia as a gastronomic wasteland.
Readers of "The Other Side of Russia: ""A"" Slice of Life in Siberia and the Russian Far East" will find themselves among the guests at Christmas parties, New Year's banquets, Easter dinners, and birthday celebrations. They will experience the challenges of living in highrise apartment buildings often lacking water, heat, and electricity. Above all, Asian Russia's natural beauty, thriving cities, and proud people shine from the pages, proving it is not only a land of harsh winters and vast uninhabited spaces, but also home to millions of Russian citizens who live and work in modern metropolises and enjoy a rich cultural and social life.

Reviews (2)

Choice Review

The Soviet Union's collapse opened the way for Westerners to travel to areas of Asian Russia long closed to outsiders. The author of this highly readable book is food and travel writer Hudgins, who visited eastern Siberia and the Russian Far East for 16 months in 1993-95 in connection with a University of Maryland teaching program. Filled with engaging detail, the book introduces the harsh but often comical realities of this vast area. Chapters discuss living conditions in Irkutsk and Vladivostok; foods and festivals; travel on the Trans-Siberian Railroad; ecological conditions near Lake Baikal; but most of all, the daily life of ordinary Russian citizens. The writing is honest and blunt, and readers may be surprised by some of the differences and similarities between everyday life in European and Asian Russia. As an eyewitness portrayal of Russia's East during the first years of the postcommunist era, this book is destined to become a key primary description of social change in an often forgotten region of the world. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. General readers and serious scholars interested in contemporary Russian social reality. E. J. Vajda Western Washington University

Library Journal Review

Siberia? The Russian Far East? Who would travel there by choice and survive to tell the tale? At least that's the popular notion of travel and life in this remote part of the Russian Federation. Hudgins works to dispel this concept and gives us insight into the people, history, and geography of a part of the world rarely visited by Westerners, much less Americans. In 1993, Hudgins (Russian studies) and her husband Tom (economics) were tasked by the European Division of the University of Maryland's University College to set up degree programs and teach in the urban centers of Vladivostok (Russian Far East) and Irkutsk (Siberia). During their two years of work there, they traveled extensively throughout the region (including several trips on the Trans-Siberian railroad and excursions to Lake Baikal). Rather than focus on only the pleasures and inconveniences of daily life, Hudgins mingles her insights with useful explanations about the history and development of these regions, almost 6000 miles from the capital, Moscow. Readers will enjoy Hudgins's lively narrative style and the inclusion of photographs. An excellent bibliographic essay closes the book and gives suggestions for further reading. Recommended for larger history and travel collections in public and academic libraries.-Olga B. Wise, Austin, TX (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.