Midnight Diaries

by Peter Osnos, Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin, Catherine A. Fitzpatrick

Release Date: 12 October, 2000

Edition: Hardcover

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cultural insights

Although this book is quite limited in it's perspective, it does offer both candid and posed tips on modern Russian culture. Mr. Yeltsin's copious jottings reveal his personal taste for style and political power. The writings also reveal some of the cultural challenges that plague the Russian people such as; peer presure among adults for consumption of vodka and the need for modern business people to find a moral code that will promote sound national and international business practices. The extensive political reporting which Mr. Yeltsin has voiced would indicate that Russian self-government is still in the developing stages and has many hurtles to pass. However the outlook is hopeful and not blindly so. One leaves the text wondering how we might come to learn more of President Putin's own style of politics. An interesting read for anyone studying modern Russian culture, this book is by no means an authoratative overview on the culture.

Interesting, but visibly one-sided

Yeltsin's memoirs are without doubt interesting and necessary source for everybody who's looking to understand what really has happened in Russia during 90s. But unfortunately this is only half or even less of that what Yeltsin really could tell us. First of all, this is not of course Yeltsin who has written this book. Real authors are Valentin Yumashev, who is also author of Yeltsin's previous memoirs, and Tatyana Dyatchenko, Yeltsin's daugther. Reading this book you could find almost in every chapter how authors had tried to save Yeltsin's face for history. They succeeded if reader is not well informed about Russia. But for them who have lived this through, Yeltsin's book is too one-sided and not really trustful piece.