About this item
A distinctive writer's fascinating journey into the heart of a troubled region.Ukraine has rebuilt itself over and over again in the last century, plagued by the same conflicts: corruption, poverty, substance abuse, ethnic clashes, and Russian aggression. Sophie Pinkham saw all this and more in the course of ten years working, traveling, and reporting in Ukraine and Russia, over a period that included the Maidan revolution of 2013-14, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and the ensuing war in eastern Ukraine.With a keen eye for the dark absurdities of post-Soviet society, Pinkham presents a dynamic account of contemporary Ukrainian life. She meets -- among others -- a charismatic doctor helping to smooth the transition to democracy even as he struggles with his own drug addiction, a Bolano-esque art gallerist prone to public nudity, and a Russian Jewish clarinetist agitating for Ukrainian liberation.
About the Author
Sophie Pinkham began her career working on HIV and drug policy in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Today, she writes literary nonfiction and cultural criticism, with a focus on Russia and Ukraine. Past topics have included revolutionaries, oligarchs, and graphomaniacs; Tolstoy's wife's revenge; an afternoon with a Cossack bear trainer; and the history of the show trial. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, the Nation, n 1, the London Review of Books, Dissent, and Foreign Affairs, among other publications. She lives in New York.
www.sophiepinkham.com
