What do you think?
Rate this book
Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR
Snow, concrete, the that's the cliché of the Soviet Union. But its collapse in 1991 sparked a story at once messier and more compelling than any stereotype. Thirty-five years on, Moscow may brim with champagne bars and blacked-out Mercedes – but what became of the other fourteen states that emerged from its ashes?
In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Joe Luc Barnes crossed the former USSR to find out, from the gleaming towers of Azerbaijan to the former gulags of Kazakhstan, tech-hungry Estonia to the minarets of Uzbekistan. Along the way, he finds epic mountains, cobblestoned old towns and storied Silk Road cities – not to mention Georgian wine, Armenian brandy and vodka in industrial supply.
Travelling thousands of miles by rattling platzkart train, hitchhiking, and riding in the white cars mandated by Turkmenistan's dictator, he gathers a chorus of nomads in mountain yurts, TikTok-fuelled activists, small-town taxi drivers and many who still look uneasily over their shoulder for the secret police.
They might have said goodbye to the USSR but can they ever say farewell to Russia? By turns hilarious, angry and heart-stopping, this a deeply human, darkly comic portrait of a region the West still misunderstands – and a warning of what happens when empires break but the habits of empire refuse to die.
If you loved The Silk Roads, Nothing to Envy or The Places in Between, and have a soft spot for Bill Bryson, clear space on your this is the book for you.
In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Joe Luc Barnes crossed the former USSR to find out, from the gleaming towers of Azerbaijan to the former gulags of Kazakhstan, tech-hungry Estonia to the minarets of Uzbekistan. Along the way, he finds epic mountains, cobblestoned old towns and storied Silk Road cities – not to mention Georgian wine, Armenian brandy and vodka in industrial supply.
Travelling thousands of miles by rattling platzkart train, hitchhiking, and riding in the white cars mandated by Turkmenistan's dictator, he gathers a chorus of nomads in mountain yurts, TikTok-fuelled activists, small-town taxi drivers and many who still look uneasily over their shoulder for the secret police.
They might have said goodbye to the USSR but can they ever say farewell to Russia? By turns hilarious, angry and heart-stopping, this a deeply human, darkly comic portrait of a region the West still misunderstands – and a warning of what happens when empires break but the habits of empire refuse to die.
If you loved The Silk Roads, Nothing to Envy or The Places in Between, and have a soft spot for Bill Bryson, clear space on your this is the book for you.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published March 5, 2026
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I made a wonderful journey around the former USSR with Joe Luc Barnes’s FAREWELL TO RUSSIA. I visited countries that tourists rarely acknowledge, such as Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan; I saw the diversity of the Caucasus; I witnessed the ambivalent situation inside Russia before and after February 2022. Finally, I saw my homeland, Estonia, through the stranger’s eyes.
I don’t know why anybody of sound mind would rate a book 1 star just for having Russia in its title (I hope GR has already dealt with this problem).
The book’s main attraction - besides the congenial tone - is the author himself. He seems like an easy-going type, the one you can strike up a conversation with on a train during the long trip or standing in a queue. So I dare him to come to Tallinn in summer when the Old Town’s streets are full of laughter, beer, and tourists, and museums are open even at night. Two legacies of the 20th century: of local Russians and Estonians - co-exist on a small territory, and both need to be acknowledged and heard.
I obtained a copy through Netgalley.
I don’t know why anybody of sound mind would rate a book 1 star just for having Russia in its title (I hope GR has already dealt with this problem).
The book’s main attraction - besides the congenial tone - is the author himself. He seems like an easy-going type, the one you can strike up a conversation with on a train during the long trip or standing in a queue. So I dare him to come to Tallinn in summer when the Old Town’s streets are full of laughter, beer, and tourists, and museums are open even at night. Two legacies of the 20th century: of local Russians and Estonians - co-exist on a small territory, and both need to be acknowledged and heard.
I obtained a copy through Netgalley.
March 30, 2026
This was SO well-written and educational. I loved every page!
March 9, 2026
Farewell to Russia is a great book starting from an ambitious project : tour each of the 15 republic of the former USSR (now independent states) in order to sense in which direction each of them has turned. That is actually very interesting because they have indeed moved in very different directions. There is nothing in common between the fate of Russia, the former hegemon, the totally europeanised Baltic states, the central Asian states in search of an identity and not sure whether this identity should be muslim or not, the strong identity-ed Caucasus states not sure of their allegiance to Russia, not to talk about the fate of Ukraine (the book starts in Moscow, on the week when Russia decided to invade Ukraine).
Each of the short chapter corresponds to one of the republics and this is a mix between insightful information about the history of these countries (some of this history being very little known to everyone in the west) and a lively travelogue where the author went from hostel to hostel, taking buses and trains to meet people and talk to the inhabitants, sometime also visiting friends or contacts. Each of these encounter has given him a first hand view - necessarily subjective - of the situation of their country, their feelings toward Russia, their incumbent government or the late USSR, the harshness of the life etc ...
This is a great book, easy to read, I was quite captivated by some chapters (especially the one about Kazakhstan on which I knew little and the totalitarian paranoid Turkmenistan), the travelogue makes you really feel that you are there, it is a great way, for whoever is interested, to hover over the complex, sometime tragic history of the former USSR. This is by no means exhaustive - that's impossible to do in 270 pages - but that gives you a vivid insight of a situation which has impacted so much our history over the last 30 years.
Each of the short chapter corresponds to one of the republics and this is a mix between insightful information about the history of these countries (some of this history being very little known to everyone in the west) and a lively travelogue where the author went from hostel to hostel, taking buses and trains to meet people and talk to the inhabitants, sometime also visiting friends or contacts. Each of these encounter has given him a first hand view - necessarily subjective - of the situation of their country, their feelings toward Russia, their incumbent government or the late USSR, the harshness of the life etc ...
This is a great book, easy to read, I was quite captivated by some chapters (especially the one about Kazakhstan on which I knew little and the totalitarian paranoid Turkmenistan), the travelogue makes you really feel that you are there, it is a great way, for whoever is interested, to hover over the complex, sometime tragic history of the former USSR. This is by no means exhaustive - that's impossible to do in 270 pages - but that gives you a vivid insight of a situation which has impacted so much our history over the last 30 years.
March 5, 2026
The former USSR, the world’s first socialist state, has always held a certain mystique behind the iron curtain. Thirty five years on from its collapse, the author has journeyed to the fifteen republics grouped as The Caucasus, Central Asia, Europe and of course Russia.
The book is a fascinating insight, detailing the beautiful landscapes, the wine, the brandy, the natural resources, the ethnic diversity and the turbulent histories. I had no idea of the modernity of Moscow or the infrastructure of Lithuania. As this huge geographical area develops into commercial tourist destinations this is a must read for those wanting to explore places such as Georgia, Moldova and the Silk Road. A very interesting and informative book.
The book is a fascinating insight, detailing the beautiful landscapes, the wine, the brandy, the natural resources, the ethnic diversity and the turbulent histories. I had no idea of the modernity of Moscow or the infrastructure of Lithuania. As this huge geographical area develops into commercial tourist destinations this is a must read for those wanting to explore places such as Georgia, Moldova and the Silk Road. A very interesting and informative book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Joe Luc Barnes attempts to visit all 15 former Soviet republics to see how they’ve changed since the 1991 collapse and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. It is an ambitious goal, so the result is a bit of a mixed bag.
The book is easy to read, and the "characters" he finds along the way give very personal and interesting accounts. The author tries to sound like a "witty traveler", but it leans a bit too hard into cynicism or arrogance. (Yes, in some countries they ask for an ID if you want to buy a bus or train ticket; get over it).
Because he tries to cover a huge area in one book, many chapters feel rushed. It reads like a series of blog posts. A good choice if you want a quick, modern overview of the former Soviet republics, but don't expect a deep analysis. Most observations are a bit surface-level.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The book is easy to read, and the "characters" he finds along the way give very personal and interesting accounts. The author tries to sound like a "witty traveler", but it leans a bit too hard into cynicism or arrogance. (Yes, in some countries they ask for an ID if you want to buy a bus or train ticket; get over it).
Because he tries to cover a huge area in one book, many chapters feel rushed. It reads like a series of blog posts. A good choice if you want a quick, modern overview of the former Soviet republics, but don't expect a deep analysis. Most observations are a bit surface-level.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 26, 2026
As someone who was born and brought up in a former Soviet Union country, I found this book a painful read. We do not like to be called “former Soviet states” and we certainly do not want to be called “Soviet” states as the author frequently does, dropping the word “former”.
The book appears to be written in a different era: an Englishman travels abroad, acting superior. Despite his intention in the foreword not to go for cliches, he starts by drinking vodka in Russia at lunchtime, marvelling at how much dill people eat; he spends a few days in Moscow and that’s the end of the Russia chapter. In Central Asia he doesn’t like the sound of the word “plov” (pilaf), he visits Dushanbe but not the magnificent mountains of Tajikistan; he behaves in a condescending way half of the time and otherwise he gets drunk and talks about it like it’s a badge of honour. Talking about honour: he jokes about monuments commemorating people who died in Second World War defending their motherland — it is deplorable.
He spends very little time in every country and then he judges us. For example, he likens a female entrepreneur in Tajikistan to an apparatchik — she is the opposite. The book is full of unfortunate mishaps like that - it’s a painfully irritating read.
The book appears to be written in a different era: an Englishman travels abroad, acting superior. Despite his intention in the foreword not to go for cliches, he starts by drinking vodka in Russia at lunchtime, marvelling at how much dill people eat; he spends a few days in Moscow and that’s the end of the Russia chapter. In Central Asia he doesn’t like the sound of the word “plov” (pilaf), he visits Dushanbe but not the magnificent mountains of Tajikistan; he behaves in a condescending way half of the time and otherwise he gets drunk and talks about it like it’s a badge of honour. Talking about honour: he jokes about monuments commemorating people who died in Second World War defending their motherland — it is deplorable.
He spends very little time in every country and then he judges us. For example, he likens a female entrepreneur in Tajikistan to an apparatchik — she is the opposite. The book is full of unfortunate mishaps like that - it’s a painfully irritating read.
March 13, 2026
Part history lesson part pub crawl, Joe Barnes entertains as he educates. Many of the place names are so familiar but how much of the background and current reality do we actually know? Embarrassingly little it turns out, in this reader’s case at least. Never dull and often chuckle out loud this is cracking travel writing. The locals hold centre stage but we get to know our guide and his hangovers along the way. I ended up wanting to visit many of the countries, if not in quite the same way. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his liver to further our understanding of the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I've long been interested in Russia, from the early 90s, I've enjoyed the country's great literature and philosophy, yet the country is one that remains alien to me (and to many of its outsiders) and elusive to many who are intrigued by one of the world's most secretive countries.
I think it's fair to say that Russia has certainly been more in the public eye since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the dynamics of not just Russia, but many neighbouring countries have been adversely affected. The effects of the changes since the invasion on the people of these countries are not something we hear about, and it is here that Joe Luc Barnes highlights in Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR, along with a thorough, and often humorous, journey through the fifteen countries, once comprising the USSR.
Fascinating from the very start, as our journey in Moscow on the eve of the Ukraine war, and the levels of hubris and apprehension of the Russian people, some who felt that it would be over in days, and others who feared for their families, and their own well-being. The mistrust of the British press, for example, who some felt were fabricating the notion that Putin's forces were readying themselves along the border, I'm sure took many there by surprise as the world waited in anticipation.
However, leaving Moscow, we travel to all fifteen of the former Soviet states, where independence has changed the countries in a variety of ways. Many of these countries were raised under dictatorships; there is a sense of liberalism in a number of these countries (without giving too much away), yet an underlying sense of suspicion still pervades some countries, such as Turkmenistan, where the reader feels the presence of the KGB, although long gone. It feels like a place where freedoms are repressed, in contrast to countries such as Belarus, where things certainly feel more relaxed. Yet, these are 'alien' nations to many a reader, and with our only impressions supplied by the media, we can only expect the worst, when this may certainly not be the case.
Yet, in this, Farewell to Russia gives us a glimpse of each of these countries and some of the individual cultures that have developed. The gaudy dictatorships, obsessed with their own legacies, provide an almost comic relief. The author's dry and acerbic wit certainly helps alleviate any apprehension the reader may have about the living conditions. Yet underlying each of these countries is a legacy of the past. The book ends in Ukraine, where the current war has now shaped the lives of millions. The past certainly seems an obsession, with Russia determined to undermine independence and reclaim its former glory.
Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR is certainly a fascinating journey through the countries, once controlled by the Russian centrality, yet as the reader will discover, some have adapted to independence easier than others, yet, even in the most controlled of countries, there emits a sense of hope for the future, and with a guide, such as Joe Luc Barnes, who has spent significant time in each of these countries, as well as Russia, I feel our new understanding of these countries has been delivered via safe hands.
Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR offers a new, fascinating, poignant, and often entertaining insight of each of these countries, and although there is certainly a farewell to the old USSR, I still feel, on completing the book, there is a sense of nostalgia in some places, and maybe a sense of belonging, which is now missed. Yet, what shines through is the friendliness of the people. I enjoy reading about people, and, thankfully, Joe Luc Barnes is a worthy storyteller to give the world an introduction to each of these characters.
I think it's fair to say that Russia has certainly been more in the public eye since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the dynamics of not just Russia, but many neighbouring countries have been adversely affected. The effects of the changes since the invasion on the people of these countries are not something we hear about, and it is here that Joe Luc Barnes highlights in Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR, along with a thorough, and often humorous, journey through the fifteen countries, once comprising the USSR.
Fascinating from the very start, as our journey in Moscow on the eve of the Ukraine war, and the levels of hubris and apprehension of the Russian people, some who felt that it would be over in days, and others who feared for their families, and their own well-being. The mistrust of the British press, for example, who some felt were fabricating the notion that Putin's forces were readying themselves along the border, I'm sure took many there by surprise as the world waited in anticipation.
However, leaving Moscow, we travel to all fifteen of the former Soviet states, where independence has changed the countries in a variety of ways. Many of these countries were raised under dictatorships; there is a sense of liberalism in a number of these countries (without giving too much away), yet an underlying sense of suspicion still pervades some countries, such as Turkmenistan, where the reader feels the presence of the KGB, although long gone. It feels like a place where freedoms are repressed, in contrast to countries such as Belarus, where things certainly feel more relaxed. Yet, these are 'alien' nations to many a reader, and with our only impressions supplied by the media, we can only expect the worst, when this may certainly not be the case.
Yet, in this, Farewell to Russia gives us a glimpse of each of these countries and some of the individual cultures that have developed. The gaudy dictatorships, obsessed with their own legacies, provide an almost comic relief. The author's dry and acerbic wit certainly helps alleviate any apprehension the reader may have about the living conditions. Yet underlying each of these countries is a legacy of the past. The book ends in Ukraine, where the current war has now shaped the lives of millions. The past certainly seems an obsession, with Russia determined to undermine independence and reclaim its former glory.
Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR is certainly a fascinating journey through the countries, once controlled by the Russian centrality, yet as the reader will discover, some have adapted to independence easier than others, yet, even in the most controlled of countries, there emits a sense of hope for the future, and with a guide, such as Joe Luc Barnes, who has spent significant time in each of these countries, as well as Russia, I feel our new understanding of these countries has been delivered via safe hands.
Farewell to Russia: A Journey Through the Former USSR offers a new, fascinating, poignant, and often entertaining insight of each of these countries, and although there is certainly a farewell to the old USSR, I still feel, on completing the book, there is a sense of nostalgia in some places, and maybe a sense of belonging, which is now missed. Yet, what shines through is the friendliness of the people. I enjoy reading about people, and, thankfully, Joe Luc Barnes is a worthy storyteller to give the world an introduction to each of these characters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A Farewell to Russia by Joe Luc Barnes is a great starting point to learn more about post-Soviet countries, as it does not talk about each republic in depth (it would be impossible to do so in 300 pages) but gives enough information to spark interest and even motivation to do some further research. The book is well-structured and does a great job of balancing the author's travel experience with historical facts. It does not feel "info-dumpy" at all, but it's still very informative. His conversations with the locals were definitely a highlight.
That being said, some of the author's comments and jokes did give me the ick, as well as some anecdotes that were just TMI (like when he first hears the air raid sirens in Ukraine, if you know you know). It's also impossible to talk about A Farewell to Russia without mentioning that it is inherently biased, not only when it comes to Barnes' personal opinions, but also those of the people whose conversations he decided to include. Of course, a travelogue isn't meant to be impartial, and it would be impossible to include conversations with enough locals from each republic in a way that encompasses all of the different perspectives, but I still think it's worth mentioning the importance of going in aware of this bias, especially in a time when media literacy and critical thinking rates are terrifyingly low.
I do think he gives a nuanced view of the post-Soviet territory as a whole, but fails to do so when it comes to the individual. countries. By giving each chapter a subtitle ("Russia: The Republic of Indifference", "Azerbaijan: The Republic of Oil and Gas", "Moldova: The Republic of Reunions", just to name a few), the author, in a way, defines a whole country before he even starts talking about it, and all of the information he includes (or doesn't include) is framed in a way to fit that narrative.
Overall I definitely would recommend A Farewell to Russia to anyone looking to read more non-fiction or those interested in politics/history who want to learn more about this region, as it's an easy and (mostly) lighthearted read that's pretty informative, though, once again, it is essential to read a book like this critically and be able to separate fact from opinion.
A Farewell to Russia by Joe Luc Barnes is a great starting point to learn more about post-Soviet countries, as it does not talk about each republic in depth (it would be impossible to do so in 300 pages) but gives enough information to spark interest and even motivation to do some further research. The book is well-structured and does a great job of balancing the author's travel experience with historical facts. It does not feel "info-dumpy" at all, but it's still very informative. His conversations with the locals were definitely a highlight.
That being said, some of the author's comments and jokes did give me the ick, as well as some anecdotes that were just TMI (like when he first hears the air raid sirens in Ukraine, if you know you know). It's also impossible to talk about A Farewell to Russia without mentioning that it is inherently biased, not only when it comes to Barnes' personal opinions, but also those of the people whose conversations he decided to include. Of course, a travelogue isn't meant to be impartial, and it would be impossible to include conversations with enough locals from each republic in a way that encompasses all of the different perspectives, but I still think it's worth mentioning the importance of going in aware of this bias, especially in a time when media literacy and critical thinking rates are terrifyingly low.
I do think he gives a nuanced view of the post-Soviet territory as a whole, but fails to do so when it comes to the individual. countries. By giving each chapter a subtitle ("Russia: The Republic of Indifference", "Azerbaijan: The Republic of Oil and Gas", "Moldova: The Republic of Reunions", just to name a few), the author, in a way, defines a whole country before he even starts talking about it, and all of the information he includes (or doesn't include) is framed in a way to fit that narrative.
Overall I definitely would recommend A Farewell to Russia to anyone looking to read more non-fiction or those interested in politics/history who want to learn more about this region, as it's an easy and (mostly) lighthearted read that's pretty informative, though, once again, it is essential to read a book like this critically and be able to separate fact from opinion.
April 29, 2026
Farewell To Russia: A Journey Through The Former USSR by Joe Luc Barnes
A big thank you to @elliottandthompson for the gifted hardback of this non-fiction title that was published in March.
The premise of this travel book caught my attention immediately. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. What has happened to the countries/states that gained independence from Russia since then?
Soon after the invasion of Ukraine the author decided to travel throughout the former USSR to find out.
Journalist/writer Joe Luc Barnes spent six years living in the former USSR and is fluent in Russian and French as well as English. His studies, language skills and personal contacts make him an ideal candidate to undertake this journey and his straightforward writing style is easy to follow and blends personal experiences with the history of the countries to provide an informative and entertaining read.
His journey takes him from Russia to The Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), onto Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) and ends in Europe (Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Ukraine).
I'm very glad that there are maps included as my geography is a little hazy.
I learnt a lot from this book. It was fascinating to find out what happened politically in these countries since independence. It's not all been good. Dictatorships, wars, disputes and corrupt regimes have all taken their toll but there has also been positive progress and more freedom for many.
To fully understand everything about so many countries would take a much bigger book but the author does a good job of giving potted histories, exploring the food & drink unique to each region, exploring the differences across borders, talking to people both rich and poor, travelling through mountains, ancient cobblestoned towns, and gleaming modern cities.
Parts of his narrative amazed me or made me laugh and other parts made me angry at the amount of injustice and challenges faced by the people.
It's a part of the world deeply misunderstood by many and this book works best for those, like me, that know little about these countries.
A great read!
A big thank you to @elliottandthompson for the gifted hardback of this non-fiction title that was published in March.
The premise of this travel book caught my attention immediately. The Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. What has happened to the countries/states that gained independence from Russia since then?
Soon after the invasion of Ukraine the author decided to travel throughout the former USSR to find out.
Journalist/writer Joe Luc Barnes spent six years living in the former USSR and is fluent in Russian and French as well as English. His studies, language skills and personal contacts make him an ideal candidate to undertake this journey and his straightforward writing style is easy to follow and blends personal experiences with the history of the countries to provide an informative and entertaining read.
His journey takes him from Russia to The Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia), onto Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan) and ends in Europe (Belarus, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Ukraine).
I'm very glad that there are maps included as my geography is a little hazy.
I learnt a lot from this book. It was fascinating to find out what happened politically in these countries since independence. It's not all been good. Dictatorships, wars, disputes and corrupt regimes have all taken their toll but there has also been positive progress and more freedom for many.
To fully understand everything about so many countries would take a much bigger book but the author does a good job of giving potted histories, exploring the food & drink unique to each region, exploring the differences across borders, talking to people both rich and poor, travelling through mountains, ancient cobblestoned towns, and gleaming modern cities.
Parts of his narrative amazed me or made me laugh and other parts made me angry at the amount of injustice and challenges faced by the people.
It's a part of the world deeply misunderstood by many and this book works best for those, like me, that know little about these countries.
A great read!
March 5, 2026
The country was freed when the Soviet Union dissolved. However, the old powers were still waiting for a chance to snap back, while other bullies were already eyeing the oil and human resources — whether foreign powers, insecure and revenge-seeking neighbours, or homegrown dictators. People are trapped in bad governance, walking a tightrope to stay balanced and avoid falling.
Sounds familiar? A bomb is dropped to “end” a problematic leader. Now, instead of dealing with one bully, the place suddenly becomes a battleground for two or more. More death. More conflict.
This book is a travelogue that takes me to Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, and Ukraine. It zooms in to examine each country closely, and zooms out to help me comprehend what is happening today alongside the long history of conflicts.
I appreciate that Barnes lets his interviewees speak for themselves without being judgmental. I am able to listen and understand people from different points of view without immediately putting them into a “pro-whatever” box and calling it the end of the story.
Each country has its own freedom and justice warriors, despite the oppressive political climate, which is heartwarming and encouraging to read about. Especially in Ukraine:
“And to stand up again and again, despite the revolution never reaching the shores of the promised land.”
Another inspiring takeaway from the book is that in every country, there are people who show kindness and friendliness despite the grim situation. Most people cannot stop the bombs, but most of us have the ability to show kindness each day.
Thank you to @joelucbarnes and @elliottandthompson for the eARC via @netgalley.
Sounds familiar? A bomb is dropped to “end” a problematic leader. Now, instead of dealing with one bully, the place suddenly becomes a battleground for two or more. More death. More conflict.
This book is a travelogue that takes me to Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, and Ukraine. It zooms in to examine each country closely, and zooms out to help me comprehend what is happening today alongside the long history of conflicts.
I appreciate that Barnes lets his interviewees speak for themselves without being judgmental. I am able to listen and understand people from different points of view without immediately putting them into a “pro-whatever” box and calling it the end of the story.
Each country has its own freedom and justice warriors, despite the oppressive political climate, which is heartwarming and encouraging to read about. Especially in Ukraine:
“And to stand up again and again, despite the revolution never reaching the shores of the promised land.”
Another inspiring takeaway from the book is that in every country, there are people who show kindness and friendliness despite the grim situation. Most people cannot stop the bombs, but most of us have the ability to show kindness each day.
Thank you to @joelucbarnes and @elliottandthompson for the eARC via @netgalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advance copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for a review. What a fascinating travel book! While I didn't always agree with the author or the people interviewed, it was so interesting to follow along on this journey to countries about which I previously knew little more than their capital cities. The book inspired many a wikipedia spiral as I learned about the collapse of the Soviet Union and its effect on such a large swatch of land across Europe and Asia. The kindness of strangers, the honest opinions of complex geopolitical struggles, and the recommendations for different potato-based dishes will be in my mind for a while. I really appreciated this as a starter book to learning more about the basis for so many national and international struggles and conflicts, and an honest reflection of where different independence movements can lead--not always (or even often) to someplace good. I will be recommending this one to history buffs and travel fans alike.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I began this book thinking this is the whimsical telling of someone who has worked in privileged households in Russia.
However I was wrong, this book made me realise how little I know about the former USSR and the journey these states have and are taking. It made me realise precisely why the war in Ukraine is so significant. It also made me consider the means of influence used by China in comparison to the often militaristic power used by Russia. There were definitely moments when this book made me terrified. But also moments which made me smile and laugh.
If you're at all interested in learning more about the states of the former USSR then I'd recommend this. It's made me appreciate how big the world is and how understanding history can better help us understand present day actions.
I was gifted a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
However I was wrong, this book made me realise how little I know about the former USSR and the journey these states have and are taking. It made me realise precisely why the war in Ukraine is so significant. It also made me consider the means of influence used by China in comparison to the often militaristic power used by Russia. There were definitely moments when this book made me terrified. But also moments which made me smile and laugh.
If you're at all interested in learning more about the states of the former USSR then I'd recommend this. It's made me appreciate how big the world is and how understanding history can better help us understand present day actions.
I was gifted a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.
June 17, 2026
This book is great, and the cover art is honestly amazing! As the author travels 60,000 miles across the fifteen former Soviet republics right as the 2022 invasion of Ukraine begins, he brings the region to life through the regular people he meets. The best part is his incredible sense of humor. He has a wonderful, dry, cynical wit that keeps a heavy historical topic from feeling depressing, whether he's joking about wild bureaucracy or crazy taxi rides. It is a fantastic, human travelogue that balances serious real-world insights with laugh-out-loud moments.
Thank you Elliott & Thompson and NetGalley.#FarewelltoRussia #NetGalley
Thank you Elliott & Thompson and NetGalley.#FarewelltoRussia #NetGalley
April 4, 2026
An excellent read! A fascinating and enjoyable journey through all 15 former USSR states: thoughtful, eloquent and very amusing. Barnes is a wonderful travel companion for the reader: openminded, empathetic and well-informed.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in Russian/Soviet history, and likewise to any who feel ignorant about it.
I would highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in Russian/Soviet history, and likewise to any who feel ignorant about it.
April 20, 2026
An absolute gem of a book, I felt like I was given an insight into many countries that I know very little about. The author tells the stories of the many characters that he meets throughout his travels in a compassionate and humourous way, managing to pack in a great deal of history as background for each of the countries.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
thanks to the publisher and netgalley for a free copy in return for honest and open review
enjoyed this travelogue around the former soviet union and how it feels today to travel and how things have changed either way good or bad but found the book overall interesting,
enjoyed this travelogue around the former soviet union and how it feels today to travel and how things have changed either way good or bad but found the book overall interesting,
April 13, 2026
The first book I have come across to look at each of the 15 former Soviet republics. A great mix of travelogue, humour and thoughtful analysis of how each country has fared since the collapse of the USSR. A super read.
April 30, 2026
brilliant
An extremely well written and informative book about the former Republics of the Soviet Union, a mix of history and travelogue compares favourably with Bill Bryson , a very good book.
An extremely well written and informative book about the former Republics of the Soviet Union, a mix of history and travelogue compares favourably with Bill Bryson , a very good book.
May 4, 2026
4/5 - Easy writing style, and a great intro to the region while still including some genuinely interesting stories. I found it especially interesting how much geography shapes everything. Excited to head to Kyrgyzstan in the summer.
June 14, 2026
A very fine piece of work which is informative, well researched, easy to read, rich with cultural references and interesting anecdotes, and interspersed healthy doses of humour and personality. Highly recommend for anyone who wants to learn more about the former USSR.
Read
April 22, 2026Interesting and informative insights into the history and present day situations of the former USSR states.
June 6, 2026
Eye opening and entertaining insights into parts of the world that rarely get a mention in the West
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews