A collection of articles written by DG across the last 20-ish years. All of them are about Russia and are written from the perspective of a Russian (who left Russia in 2022). Each article has a prelude with a description of the context (DG typically comments on some recent event) & typically also a final comment, where the author refers to his own opinions now (did they change, was he right/wrong, etc.).
You can see how the articles change in time, starting with disbelief and disappointment, going through outrage, cynicism, as far as to despair, and emotional outcry w/o any hope left. That is not easy to read. DG writes about propaganda, Putinism, what (average) Russians think and do, the post-empire times, and the mentality of oligarchs at the helm. Obviously, he writes about the war, Russian foreign policies, and all kinds of issues that are chewing up today's Russia. To be honest, it's hard to disagree with his observations - even if he admits that sometimes even his views were skewed by Russian mass media and propaganda, I find his perspective just, honest, straightforward, and ... sane.
But, on the other hand ... I have to admit he is constantly wrong, because of some naivety, because he's by heart a good man. So, what he's consistently wrong about is that things won't get worse. That Russia has already hit the bottom. That now Putin has screwed it up completely. That it's pure incompetence, thievery, and racketeering. Sadly, DG notices it himself that he keeps being wrong about that ...
He has underestimated the resilience of Russia, the nihilism of his fellow Russians who just don't see alternatives, and to some degree even cherish that there's a tzar (so at least the thievery is centrally "controlled"). Things may and will go worse. The mentality of the Russian government is nothing about infinite game, cooperation, and building something for their citizens. It's all about national pathos, sense of nationalistic pride, making sure that if others have it better - they will be punished and what they have will be destroyed.
I'm not sure what's the saddest here:
- what has become with Russia, and what is Russia like now?
- why does the Russian nation accept it and not think like DG?
- what is still to come, for future generations?
You should read this book, if you want to understand what has happened with Russia (especially if you're not from Central/Eastern Europe).
P.S. When I was a young teenager, I totally couldn't get it - why Slavic nations, out of all big ethnic groups, can't collaborate together, have a shared stance, and think about our joint interests. Cooperate and cherish what we have in common. I've learned that in time, and it was a painful lesson - Ukrainians are learning it right now :(