Rating: 
Summary: Open Lands, Closed Mind?
Review: This is basically a time-warp report which punishes Russia about past tragedies, human suffering, and sly politics; written with a sort of morose satisfaction. It's not about the Russian spirit successfully striving to leapfrog from the 19th century Russian culture into the 21st century global culture. Readers will either rub their hands with glee at the sullen, false representation of Russia's lost century as still extant, or they will admire the spirit, creativity and willpower of a people strong enough to bounce from a 3rd world country to a fledgling 1st world country...in just ten years! For the savvy reader, the book does provide a remarkable opportunity to read between the lines and compare new news with old history. The trap for the unwary reader is to take the author's second-hand descriptions of old Russian tragedies and past injustices as a blanket picture of present day. He lovingly describes the infrastructure conditions left over from an oppressive era; cracked buildings, ex gulag-prisoners' memories, hidden mass graves, cold trains, sheep's-head dinners, 1940-truck repairs, out-dated clothing, smuggling, mud, vodka, no bitumen, and so on.
All seems hopeless and the read can be a bit of a downer unless one slaps himself awake to realize that Russia is not starting from the bottom. It's not an apathetic, fly-blown, poverty stricken bog that can't feed itself. In reality, there is no-one starving, the trains are clean and do run on time. They have industry, science, medicine, atomic energy, universities, space travel, literature, art, agriculture, creative spirit, smiles and hope.
Otto von Bismark, the Prussian chancellor, once commented, "The Russians may take a long time to saddle their horses, but when they ride, they ride!" I give the book three stars for reporting, with seeming relish, only the unsavory.There's an opportunity for the author to redeem his objectivity and do the trip again in present time for Volume Two. It would make a very interesting read. Except next time, interview the people who are remaking the country; shave, bathe and leave the back-pack at home.
Rating: 
Summary: Not your typical travel book: An excellent view of Russia
Review: While I would not argue with the Kirkus Review of "Open Lands," what I think it fails to underscore is the author's ability to see the poignant and the humorous, the tragic and the bizarre, and that he knows when to view aspects of Russian society with sympathy. He travelled to such different regions of Russia, and with so little of the trappings of A Famous Writer, that he was able to crack open a bit more of this very enigmatic society. It would have been extremely easy to write a thoroughly depressing books about contemporary Russia -- "The New Russians" comes to mind -- but Mr. Taplin looks into the Russian soul in a way that makes Russia seem more accessible without being too depressing. My favorite comment in this regard was how he observed upon entering a Russian's apartment that it was not in public spaces that one learns how Russians think, but behind closed doors of their homes. This very well researched book combines historical perspective of the Tsarist and Soviet eras, the author's own very whimsical view of his experiences, and some serious insight into contemporary Russians. This would be a great gift book for lovers of travel books, as well as students of Russia.
Rating:
Summary: Not your typical travel book: An excellent view of Russia
Review: While I would not argue with the Kirkus Review of "Open Lands," what I think it fails to underscore is the author's ability to see the poignant and the humorous, the tragic and the bizarre, and that he knows when to view aspects of Russian society with sympathy. He travelled to such different regions of Russia, and with so little of the trappings of A Famous Writer, that he was able to crack open a bit more of this very enigmatic society. It would have been extremely easy to write a thoroughly depressing books about contemporary Russia -- "The New Russians" comes to mind -- but Mr. Taplin looks into the Russian soul in a way that makes Russia seem more accessible without being too depressing. My favorite comment in this regard was how he observed upon entering a Russian's apartment that it was not in public spaces that one learns how Russians think, but behind closed doors of their homes. This very well researched book combines historical perspective of the Tsarist and Soviet eras, the author's own very whimsical view of his experiences, and some serious insight into contemporary Russians. This would be a great gift book for lovers of travel books, as well as students of Russia.
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