A Small Corner of Hell: Dispatches from Chechnya

by Anna Politkovskaya, Georgi Derluguian, Alexander Burry, etc.

Release Date: October, 2003

Edition: Hardcover

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America is more interested in Martha Stewart and Britney

This book was an easy read, but a sad one. The plight of the Chechen people is virtually unknown in the U.S. The author points out that Putin, Kofi Annan, and Bush do not or cannot do anything to stop the violence and illegal behavior in Chechnya. Politkovskaya writes her book in a series of short stories that recount the conditions in Chechnya. She personally witnessed some illegal activities, and documents others from victims. The story is riveting, I read the 224 pages in a 12 hour period, but it is not an action or adventure story, only a depressing one.

More of the same in Russia these days

I bought this book and "Chechnya Diary" by Thomas Goltz. I read this one first, which is backwards. If you are going to read both, read "Diary" first. It is more about the first chechen war, and this is more about the second. "Diary" is also good, but is more of an emphasis on the reporters events. This book is more a documentary of the war. If you are only going to read one, I recommend this one.

This is mostly a book about atmosphere. The book has a little history of the conflict, but it is mostly insight into the daily life of the war. To me, that is a plus. There aren't really any battle strategies to discuss, and the actual history is muddled by lack of reporters, and Russian propoganda.

It is obvious that the author is no fan of Putin, and reviewers of her other book have criticized the political bias of her writing, but I didn't see it as a problem. While having little good to say about Putin or the Russian Federal Forces, she does point out that there misdeads on both sides, and the citizens are caught in the middle.

My biggest complaint is lack of pictures.