Russians

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This book grew out of a project first conceived by my father, George, many years ago. We had planned to write it together until it became apparent that our experiences in Russia were too personal to interweave coherently, partly because they took place at very different times. He has been central to the book, not only because it contains my version of his story but also because of his critical editing and support.

My mother, Tatyana, who patiently described the details of her own life, has been no less central. And my wife, Elizabeth—who’s not only a careful reader but also spent most of my time in Russia with me—provided some of the best ideas.

I’d like to thank my agent, John Silbersack of Trident Media, who helped develop the project’s concept and believed in its worth throughout.

Thanks to Cary Goldstein, who acquired the book for Twelve, for feeling there’s still something important to say about Russia and for his editing. Thanks also to Sean Desmond for his incisive editing. Barbara Clark’s graceful copyediting and thorough fact checking have been essential.

Although this book is largely journalistic reportage, I owe a great deal of my understanding of my experiences in Russia to my professors at Harvard, including Edward Keenan, Timothy Colton, Svetlana Boym, Richard Pipes and Vladimir Brovkin.

In Moscow, I relied on the help of Sergei Sotnikov and Boris Ryzhak. Thanks also to Jay Tolson at Radio Free Europe in Prague, who gave me plum assignments on top of time off to do some of the writing.

Ultimately this book is a product of the many relationships and conversations at the core of my experience of Russia, with people from Kolya Pavlov—whose friendship has colored everything I know about the country—to Yuri Vaschenko, whose incisive theories about its paradoxes entertained as well as elevated my understanding, to countless others whose stories are part of the fascinating, maddening place.