Russia: a journey to the heart of the country and its people

Advantages: informative, well reported historical facts and interesting encounters with locals
Disadvantages: too much personal life of the journalist in the book (not inherent to the context)

...and they certainly have one in Putin. The highlights of the long trip in my opinion are the visit to the Dagestan region, not far from Chechnya and Georgia, where war has always been on the menu, and the visit to Siberia. Majority of the books about Russia talk about the European side, but it is in the Asian side that most of the wealth (oil and precious materials) comes from. Dimbleby is a fan of Tolstoy and of Russian literature as a whole. He often cites extracts from Russian novels to explain how the stories are still relevant today and to understand the Russian way of thinking and living. The book is enjoyable and I recommend it to anyone who wishes to learn about Russian culture and its people. With 542 pages this book can at times seem a very long one, but there are a variety of topics to keep the reader entertained...

Lelo 13.09.2009 (14.09.2009) · Read review
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Review of Russia - Jonathan Dimbleby

From Russia with Pfeiffer and Connery

Advantages: Cast, premise...
Disadvantages: ... just too long for its own good.

...The Russia House is an international espionage thriller which, according to the blurb, is "A filmmaking tour de force and incredibly sophisticated, suspenseful and sexy entertainment". Don't believe the blurb - but don't necessarily be put off watching this film, either. Sean Connery stars as British publisher Barley Blair, who is sent a manuscript by Katya (Michelle Pfeiffer). This manuscript was written by a Soviet scientist and contains details of an extremely sensitive nature. British and American intelligence get wind of this potentially earth-shattering document and rope Blair in to work for them. When Blair eventually meets Katya, he realises that he wants to protect her more than anything else - or is he bluffing - or even double-bluffing?? With an excellent cast including not only Connery and Pfeiffer but also Roy...

CaptainDisaster 17.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of The Russia House (DVD)

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

Advantages: City of such beauty
Disadvantages: Locals tend not to be overly friendly

...I took Paul to St Petersburg, Russia in November 2003. It was his birthday/Christmas present. It had been a destination we both always fancied, and whilst looking through the Sunday Telegraph travel section, we saw a tour company advertising trips. After looking into that deal and then independent travel, we decided to go it alone!! So we booked our flights out of Heathrow, direct to Pulkovo airport with BA. Traveling from Belfast meant connections but we are well used to that now! Another web search along with the aid of a guide book (TIME OUT ST PETERSBURG) found us our hotel – a reasonably priced local hotel Pulkovoskaya. Also required for trips to Russia are a visa – we had to send our passports along with forms and photos off to the Russian embassy in Edinburgh – something l was not too happy about...

purdy 02.01.2004 · Read review
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Review of St Petersburg (Russia)

The survivor of imperial Russia

Advantages: The first major biography in English of an often-overlooked figure
Disadvantages: None

...In the last few years there have been seemingly endless biographies about Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Empress Alexandra, Rasputin, and often combinations of the lot. Often overlooked is the woman condemned to watch the whole catastrophe as a helpless spectator, and survive it all - Empress Marie Feodorovna, Nicholas's mother, described affectionately at the time as the 'Little Mother of Russia'. Born Princess Dagmar of Denmark in 1847, she was the second daughter of Prince Christian, a junior member of a Danish ruling house who by various strokes of good fortune became King in 1863. Of Dagmar's siblings, one brother was chosen as King of Greece, and her favourite sister Alexandra married the future King Edward VII of England. In 1864 she was betrothed to Nicholas, Tsarevich of Russia, but he was a sickly young man and died a few...

JOHNV 23.07.2001 · Read review
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Review of Little Mother Of Russia - Coryne Hall

Yesterday's News Today

Advantages: Entertaining, in depth monthly with latest research
Disadvantages: none

...the popularity of radio in 1930's in the US. This was in turn influenced by the desire of the public for information in the run up to the Second World War and after the Munich crisis. Previously, news was not considered to be a main feature of radio broadcasting - a state of affairs almost unimaginable today. The popularity led to an increase in the amount of International news broadcast, and reporters employed. One famous or notorious reporter, depending on your point of view, was Boake Carter. He did not hesitate to denounce the the New Deal and was anti-Union, and also backed by the giant company General Foods. His views were anathema to Rooseveldt in the White House, who considered applying pressure to 'muzzle' him. With greater longevity in the public consciousness, perhaps, was Ed Morrow, the CBS anchorman. He covered...

aspebbles 11.05.2006 · Read review
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Review of History Today

Rocket To Russia

Advantages: See review
Disadvantages: See review

...By 1977, the punk scene had exploded. It began on the lower east bowery in New York City, in clubs like CBGBs, and spread across to the United Kingdom, where bands like the Sex Pistols and the Clash were starting to make a racket. After Johnny Ramone had heard the single release of "God Save the Queen," he was ready to record the next album, and prove to the people that were "ripping them off" who the real punks were. Rocket to Russia was mainly written on the road throughout late 1977, and released the same year as their second album, Leave Home. Rocket to Russia is the Ramones' best album. Every one of the songs on here is perfect, and none of them fail to impress me. The Ramones were the true masters of simplicity. Rocket to Russia possesses a very clean, well-produced sound. This is very evident from the beggining, and is...

Bobster123 16.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of Rocket To Russia (Remastered And Expanded) - Ramones

Love Russia

Advantages: lovley people, great food, fantastic culture,
Disadvantages: officials are awful, you see much pverty.

...I had the privilege of visiting Novgorod, Russia in June 2002. I went with a charity organisation and therefore I had a chance to see some of what life in western Russia is really like. Veliky Novgorod is Russia’s most ancient city and is fully of beautiful buildings and other things of historical interests including its Kremlin with the marvellous St Sophia church. This is a stark contrast with the numerous blocks of incredibly run down flats that you see everywhere you turn. Although the Russian people do seem harsh at first it is only the hardiness that has had to develop for them to face life. I stayed with a very average Russian family and the thing that I shall never forget is their overwhelming hospitality. These people lived a very humble existence in a small, average Russian flat. They have few possessions...

livelifeandsmile 22.07.2002 · Read review
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Review of Novgorod (Russia)

Bond goes to Russia

Advantages: great gadjets
Disadvantages: dated and contains boring scences

...The second edition of the Bond series. From Russia with love was one of the classics too. The film boasts a number of outstading elements. One of these is the pre-credits seqeunce were Grants attcks a fake Bond. Another being the introduction of Q and the Bond gadgets. Bonds assignment in this film is to un-cover a decoding machine called 'Lektor'. This is currently held by the Russians. Bond is helped by Soviet agent- Romanova. SPECTRE, a secret national crime organisation, tries to prevent Bond from finding the 'Lektor' but are un- succesful. On his missions, bond encounters many enemies- one of wich is Donald 'Red' Grant. Actor, Richard Shaw, gives a brilliant performance. Grant has two roles in this film, and altenates well between them. As Grant- he is aruthless killer, though he has to have a disguise and become 'Nash...

Ice_Blaster 25.09.2001 · Read review
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Review of From Russia With Love (DVD)

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE (1963) [FILM ONLY REVIEW]

Advantages: Lots of action and thrills
Disadvantages: None

...Terence Young's FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE was released in 1963, one year after its predecessor, the first James Bond offering DR. NO, took the world by storm. The latter was a very exciting introduction to the world of secret espionage as vividly created in the Ian Fleming novel it was based on; but how well does the follow up Ian Fleming adaptation, with greater production values, John Barry's now famous musical score and the movie franchise's first hip title sequence, do in comparison? 007 is a licence for English Secret Service Agents to kill. It is a great honour and few agents have it. James Bond is one of them. One of England's finest he is sent to Istanbul to retrieve a much sought-after decoding machine, which can access Russian state secrets, from a defecting Russian agent, who, working in Istanbul, is risking her life bringing...

Charles_Strickland 26.11.2006 · Read review
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Review of From Russia With Love (DVD)

On the day today tonight today.

Advantages: Hysterical news parody
Disadvantages: Bit Outdated?

...I trawled this off myself again. please dont re-rate if you alreday saw it, although, as before the review has changed. here it is. The day today television series originally aired on BBC2 in January 1994. Based on a BBC Radio 4 comedy entitled ?on the hour? . This was a topical news show presented in a satirical manner by Chris Morris. Complaints ensued from listeners about such a casual delivery of such serious subjects. Chris Morris has tended to rely more and more on shock tactics as his career has progressed. I suppose its Jeremy Beadle territory, once people know about you/what you look like the less you can get away with. Gone were the days of the slapstick delivery style presented by programmes such as not the nine o clock news and terry and june. Comedy was starting to get intelligent. Channel 4 had established...

Mr_X 09.12.2004 · Read review
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Review of The Day Today (DVD)