After two and a half years as NPR’s Moscow bureau chief, David Greene journeys thousands of kilometres by rail from Moscow to the Pacific port of Vladivostok to find out how Russians’ lives have changed in the post-Soviet years. He meets a group of singing babushkas from Buranovo, a teenager hawking ‘space rocks’ from a meteor shower in Chelyabinsk, and activists battling for environmental regulation in the pollution-choked town of Baikalsk.
Through their stories and those of other travellers along the line, Greene explores the challenges facing the new Russia—a superpower that boasts of open elections and newfound prosperity, yet continues to endure oppression, corruption and stark inequality. Set against the wintry landscape of Siberia, this enthralling travel narrative offers a window on the real Russia, revealing what its people believe about their history and their future.
David Greene is co-host of NPR's Morning Edition, the most widely heard radio news program in the United States, and has reported on politics and events in Russia, the Baltic, and Libya. He joined NPR in 2005 after seven years as a reporter for the Baltimore Sun. David was educated at Harvard and lives in Washington, DC.
‘Glowing in its profound affection for the Russian people.’ Kirkus Reviews
‘Thought-provoking…Despite the poverty and repression he frequently encounters, Greene remains optimistic throughout his travels, and he reproduces the source of this conviction in this collection of vignettes.’ Publishers Weekly
‘A fascinating insight.’ Courier Mail
‘A story of seemingly ordinary people doing the extraordinary to survive, laced with adventure, absurdity and humour.’ Sydney Morning Herald/Saturday Age
‘David Greene mines a rich vein of human tragedy, buffoonery and stoicism…Midnight in Siberia is a beautifully observed travelogue.’ Vacations & Travel
