Waking the Tempests: Ordinary Life in the New Russia

by Eleanor Randolph

Release Date: June, 1996

Edition: Hardcover

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Excellent - A window into the chaos of the "new" Russia

I happened to be going through books at work when I came upon this particular one; I'm a self-professed "Russia-freak", so it seemed the type of thing that would be just up my alley.

Randolph and her husband are both journalists, and lived in the USSR/Russia from 1991 to 1993. Instead of living almost completely in the "second society" of newly rich and expatriates that Matthew Brzezinski describes in his book "Casino Moscow", or being almost completely on one's own as in Lori Cidlyo's book "All the Clean Ones Are Married", Randolph manages to pull off a fine balance between the two. This balance is maintained in Randolph's writing as well. She's a Western journalist coming to write about "everyday" Russia, and she tries hard to get the real story. One of the things that impressed me is that, although she used a translator, it was more to make sure that what she was reporting was accurate. There is at least one point in the book where she mentions about her translator not translating a certain question to her liking. Most Western reporters would have no clue if this were to happen, and I think it seriously limits our view of the world.

Randolph tackles a different subject as it pertains to the Russia she experienced in the book. There's one about the problems with housing, and attitudes toward private ownership (especially of land), as well as chapters about religion, cults, women's issues, homosexuals, the state of the arts (case in point: ballet), as well as others. What is impressive is the time she took to track people down and have serious interviews with them, rather than be satisfied with fluff pieces that could be easily made into simple anecdotes or pieces to feed into current stereotypes of Russia.

When reading this book, one can think that the conditions in Russia are unfathomably bad. However, it's not like the Russians can stop living because life there is crazy. Randolph starts the book with a story about her returning home one grey winter's day. She looks up and is struck by the beauty of a blazing light in the distance, and after a moment realizes that it is the reflection of the last rays of the sun on the golden crosses of a church. She compares this experience with her stay in Russia. As horrible as a lot of life there seems, there is something there that is enduring and beautiful. This is the sense that I came away with after finishing this book. I only wish that it was a little bit more current, as much has happened in Russia even after her last interviews in 1995.

A readable book, but not a keeper

To get five stars, a book would have to leave a lasting (positive) impression on me and would have to leave me begging for more. On the other hand, a three star book would be mildly interesting, and would invariably have its faults that would keep me from liking it even more. I would probably not miss out on much by not reading such a book. By this definition then, I would give "Waking the Tempests" three stars.

Randolph talks about various aspects of life as it was just after the fall of Communism, from topics such as the status of women, healthcare, sex, ballet and the fine arts, and criminal justice. In doing so, she tells the stories of a number of people, some sad and some encouraging, that she met while in Russia in 1992.

In talking about homosexuality, Randolph mentioned that "virtually every Russian" knew that Ivanovo (an industrial city close to Moscow) was a lesbian hangout. When I told my wife (who is from Ukraine) this "fact", she couldn't stop laughing and thought that this was one of the most outlandish things any American had said about the former Soviet Union. I wonder where Randolph got her information, since this "fact" about Ivanovo ws not referenced. Additonally, she makes the occasional snide feminist comment in the book that I really didn't much appreciate.

All in all, if you're looking for a book depicting life in Rusia just after the fall of Communism, then you may find "Waking the Tempests" interesting. However, for various small reasons (some of which I mentioned above), I personally just didn't think that this book was a standout, especially since there are already a number of published American accounts about living in the former Soviet Union.