This post jumps the queue and comes ahead of other “fluff” I was planning to write – simply because I happened to visit one of the world’s largest public libraries and read a really good book. “Putin’s Russia” by Anna Politkovskaya is truly an outstanding book. More of a human rights activist than a journalist, Anna paints a picture of life in a totalitarian society. Anna was bumped off in Moscow, because she knew too much, just like Litvinenko.
The book begins with a narration of some bone-chilling tales from the Russian army and goes on to describe civilian life in Russia’s far-flung provinces (not to mention, Moscow as well). Anna seems to mince no words as she describes the ruthless attitude exhibited by the Russian oligarchs – all down to the finest detail. I haven’t discussed this with other readers, but certainly the contents of the book cast a pall of gloom over my mind for a while. She has saved THE most shocking descriptions for the final chapters on the Chechen wars, nay, genocide I must say. Anna also seems to hold Europeans (Italians, particularly) in very low opinion, as evident from a line somewhere in the book.
The book is highly reminiscent of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty Four, and Putin’s KGB-esque behavior actually made me think of him as the new-age Stalin. With guys like Dubya and Putin in power, an Orwellian future doesn’t seem that distant after all.
Uh oh. Now I see why my generalisation about Russian authors was inappropriate. But truly Ram, most celebrated Russian authors just put you to sleep. They do. You make me feel ignorant, but these days all young people manage to do that, I suppose. Stop reading morbid stuff, I tell you.
Comment by Lalita — June 19, 2007 @ 12:40 pm
Before I begin my small comment on this post, I cannot help expressing my shock at Lalita’s comment. “most celebrated Russian authors just put you to sleep”? Does that include the likes of Dostoyevsky, Bunin, Gorky and Pasternak? Does that include Tolstoy’s “War and Peace”? If yes, I can only pray to God that you begin to understand literature!
About Putin’s reign in Russia, I feel that no matter how inhuman the genocide of the people of Chechnya may be, it was required for Russia to survive as a nation. In order to prevent the spread of a cancer, amputation is sometimes an evil necessity. I believe Russia is in a better shape now than the time when Yeltsin left.
Comment by arachnid — June 21, 2007 @ 6:23 am
@arachnid- It includes the like of the names you cited. Translations are what I read, and they put me to sleep. It is a free world, so let us agree to disagree. You like Russian authors, I think they are soporific. My understanding of literature varies from yours, that’s all.
@Ram- Stop twiddling your thumbs and post again, no?
Comment by Lalita — June 28, 2007 @ 1:07 pm