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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
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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 25, 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.
September 19, 2026
4.5 Stars!
“We’d been brought up to believe that we were the greatest country in the world, but all we could see was violence, alcoholism, shootings, bombs, poverty, and then the war in Chechnya. It was a shit show.”
I really like the tone of this collection. Barnes comes across as a likeable and informed guide, with an approach similar to like a softened Paul Theroux or A.A. Gill, who can write nice, tight, short pieces which stick to the point but still manage to fill in a lot of background and context to create a really nice blend and balance to the people and places he writes about.
“I suppose every nation is a prisoner to its past; yet for Armenians, the chains seem especially heavy.”
He’s got a good eye for detail a nice touch with description and he is not afraid to pepper these accounts with a healthy sprinkling of arch humour and irreverence, especially when confronted by so much mythology and madness, ideology and idiocy and of course plain ole BS. But of course there's plenty of wisdom and insight from others in the same places too.
“Georgian soldiers would fight with a bunch of grapes in our clothes so that, if they died in battle, the grape seeds would grow, even as our bodies lay on the ground.”
As well as all the social and political history, the wars, the revolutions, the tyranny, the corruption and in some places even the progress. We also get an impressive and fascinating little potted history of Soviet football. So overall I really got a lot out of these and Barnes is definitely a name I will be keeping an eye out for in the future.
“I guess if you wanted to find something even more totalitarian than communism, it would probably be Islam.”
“We’d been brought up to believe that we were the greatest country in the world, but all we could see was violence, alcoholism, shootings, bombs, poverty, and then the war in Chechnya. It was a shit show.”
I really like the tone of this collection. Barnes comes across as a likeable and informed guide, with an approach similar to like a softened Paul Theroux or A.A. Gill, who can write nice, tight, short pieces which stick to the point but still manage to fill in a lot of background and context to create a really nice blend and balance to the people and places he writes about.
“I suppose every nation is a prisoner to its past; yet for Armenians, the chains seem especially heavy.”
He’s got a good eye for detail a nice touch with description and he is not afraid to pepper these accounts with a healthy sprinkling of arch humour and irreverence, especially when confronted by so much mythology and madness, ideology and idiocy and of course plain ole BS. But of course there's plenty of wisdom and insight from others in the same places too.
“Georgian soldiers would fight with a bunch of grapes in our clothes so that, if they died in battle, the grape seeds would grow, even as our bodies lay on the ground.”
As well as all the social and political history, the wars, the revolutions, the tyranny, the corruption and in some places even the progress. We also get an impressive and fascinating little potted history of Soviet football. So overall I really got a lot out of these and Barnes is definitely a name I will be keeping an eye out for in the future.
“I guess if you wanted to find something even more totalitarian than communism, it would probably be Islam.”
Read
September 23, 2026Outstanding! What a wonderful trip author Joe Luc Barnes takes us upon as he visits all the former Republics of the USSR 35 years after they attained their freedom. So many varied histories, yet in many of these countries the rule of Russia has been replaced by strongmdn dictators, anx life has not changed thar much, Do not lump the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania with these other since they were viable countries prior to there occupation by Russia,, and consequently are the most developed and members of the EU. The central Asian "stan" countries, at least 4 of the 5 are struggling and have many limits on freedom. The list could go on and on as to the situations in all of these former Soviet Republics, but it is fair to say that for many of these countries life remains difficult. This is a worthwhile book for anyone interested in learning about the region, as well as a fascinating look into these countries that most will totally enjoy.
Well written, easy to understand, and spot in analysis.
Joe Luc Barnes, TOP NOTCH!!!!
Well written, easy to understand, and spot in analysis.
Joe Luc Barnes, TOP NOTCH!!!!
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.
Want to Read
September 13, 2026Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, journalist Joe Luc Barnes traveled through all fifteen former Soviet republics, talking to people about what life and national identity look like more than three decades after the collapse of the USSR...and how much influence Russia still exerts over the region. There's no way I would miss this one.
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
Click here to hear more about this book and my other anticipated releases of the upcoming quarter over on my Booktube channel, abookolive!
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 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.
April 22, 2026
In 1991, the former USSR imploded. The Cold War and the chilling prospect of mutually assured destruction vanished. Almost all the world collectively breathed a sigh of relief.
The fourteen states that had been under the umbrella of the Soviet state suddenly were on their own. As geopolitical events go, it was pretty big, and for the countries that gained their independence at that time, it was enormous.
Thirty-five years later, and the world has changed again. The KGB officer, Putin, who once drove taxis to make ends meet, now has Russia in an iron grip. Some of the states that came out of the USSR have stumbled into democracy, and others have maintained authoritarian rule. Putin thought that the collapse of the USSR was “worst geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century,” and has begun the process of bringing these wayward states back into the fold of Mother Russia, beginning with Ukraine.
Barnes starts the journey in Russia, and the first country after that is Armenia. It took a while to journey from an authoritarian state to a slightly shonky democracy. They have not had a peaceful transition, either, having had battles with their neighbours, Azerbaijan, some of which they have won and some of which they have lost. It seems settled now, though. The people Barnes meets are warm and generous, even thought have suffered as their country transitioned from Soviet satellite to the present day. He gets thoroughly beaten at chess whilst there and drinks far more than is healthy for his liver.
In Azerbaijan, he arrives as the Formula 1 circus is in town. It is simultaneously a palaver and good for his soul. To have the race in the country is not cheap, and the repayment of this ‘investment’ is a long time. But Azerbaijan is an oil state and authoritarian to boot, so they do not really care what the population thinks.
His comparison of Azerbaijan taxi drivers is very accurate and also very amusing, but he recommends taking the bus from the airport to the capital. The Aliyev family have held onto power for years, and in the last election, by some kind of miracle, ‘won’ with 76% of the vote. I find it amazing how these things work sometimes…
Even though the oil revenues should have made the country prosperous, the fundamentally corrupt administration makes sure this doesn’t happen. The poverty he sees as he travels on a very swish Swiss train is very much in your face.
Georgia is about the same size as Scotland. It has a range of high mountains, and as Barnes points out, much better weather… It is thronging with visitors there for the sunshine. The climate is ideal for vines, and there is evidence of winemaking that can be dated back 8000 years.
Georgia’s transition from Soviet state to self-governing country was not entirely smooth, but the bloodless Rose Revolution helped with that, much to the consternation of the Kremlin. They want to join the EU and are very much concerned about Russian ambitions as they watch the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It is a reminder of their own clashes with Russia in the past.
There is also the long shadow of Stalin that hangs over the country. He was a monster of a dictator in so many ways, and yet some still hold him in awe, and even believe that a similar strong-armed leader would benefit the country even now.
It is staggering just how big Kazakhstan is. It has an area larger than Western Europe, and it is sparsely populated; on the steppe, there is virtually nothing there, bar the odd horse. One of the gulags made by the Soviets for dispatching people they considered to be trouble was only slightly smaller than Wales!!
They have been a nomadic people for a long time, moving across the steppe and using resources at a place before moving on again. This lifestyle has changed with the influx of Russian and other European people, and cities have now been built. The state is very oil-rich, and those revenues paid for those cities and lots of monuments. They do like their monuments…
After the vastness of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan feels tiny. It became independent in 1991 and has managed to stay fairly democratic since. Every time the politicians lurch towards authoritarianism, the people have a revolution to remove them. It obviously works as they have had three so far, and from what Barnes can ascertain, there may be another fairly soon.
Even though the Soviets controlled the country and created the borders, their influence wasn’t that strong. It still has an authentic feel about it, and Barnes thinks that the mountains there are stunning.
Uzbekistan is an Islamic state and, given its problematic neighbours, is fairly well defended. This double landlocked country has had a long and troubled history. It still has a traditional culture, or as one of the people that Barnes knows, describes it as backwards. The city of Tashkent is a little more progressive, though.
He takes a high-speed train to Samarkand. This city was made wealthy and famous by a guy called Timur. He was a warrior, and he and his armies killed a lot of people in their time, so much so that they used to pile the skulls of their enemies up really high.
Tajikistan is another tiny state with a megalomaniac as a political leader. It is a poor country too, and the poverty runs deep there. Barnes stays with the family of someone he had met in China. He drinks a lot of what they call ‘white tea’ and wakes the following morning with a horrendous hangover…
Turkmenistan is an amalgamation of a lot of the other countries that Barnes has passed through, with the added bonus of being even more of a regressive police state than some of the others. Great…
It took a while to get a visa to visit, not helped by a global pandemic and the regime not being particularly helpful in assisting him. He must have the patience of a saint, as he did get there in the end and didn’t give up. Whilst there, he has to be accompanied by an official guide. They have a fixed itinerary, and he has almost no connection to the outside world other than through email. Oh, the joys of living under a dictator…
He is partnered with a French guy, who has supposedly visited 180 countries and is still only in his 30s! Somehow, Barnes does manage to wangle some free time away from his guide, but not much. He does take away a strong impression of the country, though.
Belarus was described by one guy that Barnes meets as being full of thugs and yokels. He doesn’t find this, but it is another state that has had the dubious pleasure of living under a dictator. For a police state, there is a refreshing lack of uniformed officers around, which suggests a low crime country, or that most police are in plain clothes. There are rules of what you can and can’t say in the country, so I am guessing it is the latter. It still has very close ties to Russia still and of all the countries that he has visited so far in the book, it feels the most Soviet like.
Up until now, every country has had a chapter each. For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, though, Barnes has included them all in one chapter together. It is a little disappointing, but I do kind of get why, too. They have all followed a similar path: joining the EU and NATO, loathing Russia in its present form and having a very smooth transition to democracy. They are all even less corrupt than the UK, a fact that I am not that unsurprised about, really.
The last book I read on Moldova was Tony Hawks, Playing the Moldavians at Tennis. It was very amusing, but I didn’t really learn that much about the country or the people. It is a landlocked country stuck between Russia and Ukraine, which is not the best place to be. Thankfully, Barnes is a little more expansive on his travels there, so I did get more of a feel for the country.
They have been arguing for ages whether they speak Moldavian or Romanian there. It changes like the wind, but the funny thing is, they are both exactly the same language! On top of that, there is this thin strip of land, called Transnistria, between Moldova and Ukraine, that declared independence when the USSR collapsed. Mad eh?
He reserves his final chapter in the book for Ukraine. The state is currently at war with Russia as Putin tries to bring the former Soviet states back under his iron rule. It is a conflict that has been going on for five years as I write this, and Ukraine is not rolling over in submission, and is punching back very hard with European support. Sadly, no one can rely on America anymore.
I thought that this was a fascinating trip around the old Soviet bloc. Barnes does a good job of highlighting the contrasts between the countries that have embraced their new freedoms and democracy and those that are still stuck under the control of a dictator. I really liked his writing style; he is curious, keenly observant, self-deprecating and often amusing in the book. I thought it was well worth reading, and if you have any interest in Russian history and current geopolitics, then give it a go.
The fourteen states that had been under the umbrella of the Soviet state suddenly were on their own. As geopolitical events go, it was pretty big, and for the countries that gained their independence at that time, it was enormous.
Thirty-five years later, and the world has changed again. The KGB officer, Putin, who once drove taxis to make ends meet, now has Russia in an iron grip. Some of the states that came out of the USSR have stumbled into democracy, and others have maintained authoritarian rule. Putin thought that the collapse of the USSR was “worst geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century,” and has begun the process of bringing these wayward states back into the fold of Mother Russia, beginning with Ukraine.
Barnes starts the journey in Russia, and the first country after that is Armenia. It took a while to journey from an authoritarian state to a slightly shonky democracy. They have not had a peaceful transition, either, having had battles with their neighbours, Azerbaijan, some of which they have won and some of which they have lost. It seems settled now, though. The people Barnes meets are warm and generous, even thought have suffered as their country transitioned from Soviet satellite to the present day. He gets thoroughly beaten at chess whilst there and drinks far more than is healthy for his liver.
In Azerbaijan, he arrives as the Formula 1 circus is in town. It is simultaneously a palaver and good for his soul. To have the race in the country is not cheap, and the repayment of this ‘investment’ is a long time. But Azerbaijan is an oil state and authoritarian to boot, so they do not really care what the population thinks.
His comparison of Azerbaijan taxi drivers is very accurate and also very amusing, but he recommends taking the bus from the airport to the capital. The Aliyev family have held onto power for years, and in the last election, by some kind of miracle, ‘won’ with 76% of the vote. I find it amazing how these things work sometimes…
Even though the oil revenues should have made the country prosperous, the fundamentally corrupt administration makes sure this doesn’t happen. The poverty he sees as he travels on a very swish Swiss train is very much in your face.
Georgia is about the same size as Scotland. It has a range of high mountains, and as Barnes points out, much better weather… It is thronging with visitors there for the sunshine. The climate is ideal for vines, and there is evidence of winemaking that can be dated back 8000 years.
Georgia’s transition from Soviet state to self-governing country was not entirely smooth, but the bloodless Rose Revolution helped with that, much to the consternation of the Kremlin. They want to join the EU and are very much concerned about Russian ambitions as they watch the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. It is a reminder of their own clashes with Russia in the past.
There is also the long shadow of Stalin that hangs over the country. He was a monster of a dictator in so many ways, and yet some still hold him in awe, and even believe that a similar strong-armed leader would benefit the country even now.
It is staggering just how big Kazakhstan is. It has an area larger than Western Europe, and it is sparsely populated; on the steppe, there is virtually nothing there, bar the odd horse. One of the gulags made by the Soviets for dispatching people they considered to be trouble was only slightly smaller than Wales!!
They have been a nomadic people for a long time, moving across the steppe and using resources at a place before moving on again. This lifestyle has changed with the influx of Russian and other European people, and cities have now been built. The state is very oil-rich, and those revenues paid for those cities and lots of monuments. They do like their monuments…
After the vastness of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan feels tiny. It became independent in 1991 and has managed to stay fairly democratic since. Every time the politicians lurch towards authoritarianism, the people have a revolution to remove them. It obviously works as they have had three so far, and from what Barnes can ascertain, there may be another fairly soon.
Even though the Soviets controlled the country and created the borders, their influence wasn’t that strong. It still has an authentic feel about it, and Barnes thinks that the mountains there are stunning.
Uzbekistan is an Islamic state and, given its problematic neighbours, is fairly well defended. This double landlocked country has had a long and troubled history. It still has a traditional culture, or as one of the people that Barnes knows, describes it as backwards. The city of Tashkent is a little more progressive, though.
He takes a high-speed train to Samarkand. This city was made wealthy and famous by a guy called Timur. He was a warrior, and he and his armies killed a lot of people in their time, so much so that they used to pile the skulls of their enemies up really high.
Tajikistan is another tiny state with a megalomaniac as a political leader. It is a poor country too, and the poverty runs deep there. Barnes stays with the family of someone he had met in China. He drinks a lot of what they call ‘white tea’ and wakes the following morning with a horrendous hangover…
Turkmenistan is an amalgamation of a lot of the other countries that Barnes has passed through, with the added bonus of being even more of a regressive police state than some of the others. Great…
It took a while to get a visa to visit, not helped by a global pandemic and the regime not being particularly helpful in assisting him. He must have the patience of a saint, as he did get there in the end and didn’t give up. Whilst there, he has to be accompanied by an official guide. They have a fixed itinerary, and he has almost no connection to the outside world other than through email. Oh, the joys of living under a dictator…
He is partnered with a French guy, who has supposedly visited 180 countries and is still only in his 30s! Somehow, Barnes does manage to wangle some free time away from his guide, but not much. He does take away a strong impression of the country, though.
Belarus was described by one guy that Barnes meets as being full of thugs and yokels. He doesn’t find this, but it is another state that has had the dubious pleasure of living under a dictator. For a police state, there is a refreshing lack of uniformed officers around, which suggests a low crime country, or that most police are in plain clothes. There are rules of what you can and can’t say in the country, so I am guessing it is the latter. It still has very close ties to Russia still and of all the countries that he has visited so far in the book, it feels the most Soviet like.
Up until now, every country has had a chapter each. For Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, though, Barnes has included them all in one chapter together. It is a little disappointing, but I do kind of get why, too. They have all followed a similar path: joining the EU and NATO, loathing Russia in its present form and having a very smooth transition to democracy. They are all even less corrupt than the UK, a fact that I am not that unsurprised about, really.
The last book I read on Moldova was Tony Hawks, Playing the Moldavians at Tennis. It was very amusing, but I didn’t really learn that much about the country or the people. It is a landlocked country stuck between Russia and Ukraine, which is not the best place to be. Thankfully, Barnes is a little more expansive on his travels there, so I did get more of a feel for the country.
They have been arguing for ages whether they speak Moldavian or Romanian there. It changes like the wind, but the funny thing is, they are both exactly the same language! On top of that, there is this thin strip of land, called Transnistria, between Moldova and Ukraine, that declared independence when the USSR collapsed. Mad eh?
He reserves his final chapter in the book for Ukraine. The state is currently at war with Russia as Putin tries to bring the former Soviet states back under his iron rule. It is a conflict that has been going on for five years as I write this, and Ukraine is not rolling over in submission, and is punching back very hard with European support. Sadly, no one can rely on America anymore.
I thought that this was a fascinating trip around the old Soviet bloc. Barnes does a good job of highlighting the contrasts between the countries that have embraced their new freedoms and democracy and those that are still stuck under the control of a dictator. I really liked his writing style; he is curious, keenly observant, self-deprecating and often amusing in the book. I thought it was well worth reading, and if you have any interest in Russian history and current geopolitics, then give it a go.
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.
July 12, 2026
Having planned to write a book observing all fifteen states that were once in the USSR, our author finds a well-timed invasion from one into the other, with Putin doubling-down on his claims from when he nabbed Crimea that a lot of the breadbasket of the Soviets was actually Russian and had been given to Ukraine as a sop by party rulers of old. So, there's that – and there're also the ghosts of the CCCP, the very nature of the politics and society in all of the countries left by the Soviet fall, and the general feel of all the places with relation to the Russia of today.
And they're places I've been to – with one exception, and with the admission two were day-trips. So I should have loved this book – and I have to declare that someone else in the household definitely did. Me? Well, I was slightly underwhelmed, although happy to read every nostalgic page. The chapters are of a decent, semi-uniform length for all the countries, although the Baltic states get lumped in together (with an admission that it's unfair for the distinct countries to be lumped in together). I found the fact a lot of this was of the miraculously-remembered bar-based conversation, though, a little awkward.
And there are other issues you could suggest were present – the author, having experience of life in China, seems far too lenient with their pernicious presence in the 'Stans, with their bridging and tunnelling and road-building certainly not there for a charitable cause. You could also feel the Islamification of the regions here is not given due criticism, either.
But what we do have is generally a very astute, interview-based, political piece and travelogue combined, as the author offers insight into what he repeatedly, if slightly clumsily, calls "the former Soviet space" (which only makes me think of the Cosmonaut monument in Moscow). He's definitely travelled this world before – many of his vox-pops are with people he met years ago and kept in touch with, and between him and the rest of his gang he can formulate a decent run round the questions. Did the dissolution of the USSR merely result in combat, or was a strong independent state possible for any of the fifteen? Did the dictatorial nature of the communists' replacements sustain themselves? And who does the best potato pancakes?
It's these issues that turn this from a travelogue into something much meatier, as of course does Putin and his ongoing failure in Ukraine. He certainly seems to be the public figure, if there is one, for the revival of Stalinism – and therefore the imbalances, corruptions and shortfalls in democracy since Yeltsin certainly are worth picking over. I'd point to Putin's Fortune (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) to see how he got to where he is, for it's not in these pages. And overall this is in a no man's land between three and a half and four stars. I'll show generosity with the higher.
And they're places I've been to – with one exception, and with the admission two were day-trips. So I should have loved this book – and I have to declare that someone else in the household definitely did. Me? Well, I was slightly underwhelmed, although happy to read every nostalgic page. The chapters are of a decent, semi-uniform length for all the countries, although the Baltic states get lumped in together (with an admission that it's unfair for the distinct countries to be lumped in together). I found the fact a lot of this was of the miraculously-remembered bar-based conversation, though, a little awkward.
And there are other issues you could suggest were present – the author, having experience of life in China, seems far too lenient with their pernicious presence in the 'Stans, with their bridging and tunnelling and road-building certainly not there for a charitable cause. You could also feel the Islamification of the regions here is not given due criticism, either.
But what we do have is generally a very astute, interview-based, political piece and travelogue combined, as the author offers insight into what he repeatedly, if slightly clumsily, calls "the former Soviet space" (which only makes me think of the Cosmonaut monument in Moscow). He's definitely travelled this world before – many of his vox-pops are with people he met years ago and kept in touch with, and between him and the rest of his gang he can formulate a decent run round the questions. Did the dissolution of the USSR merely result in combat, or was a strong independent state possible for any of the fifteen? Did the dictatorial nature of the communists' replacements sustain themselves? And who does the best potato pancakes?
It's these issues that turn this from a travelogue into something much meatier, as of course does Putin and his ongoing failure in Ukraine. He certainly seems to be the public figure, if there is one, for the revival of Stalinism – and therefore the imbalances, corruptions and shortfalls in democracy since Yeltsin certainly are worth picking over. I'd point to Putin's Fortune (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) to see how he got to where he is, for it's not in these pages. And overall this is in a no man's land between three and a half and four stars. I'll show generosity with the higher.
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.
August 13, 2026
In Farewell to Russia, Joe Luc Barnes travels through the countries that were once part of the USSR. As someone who grew up in the 80's and 90's, watching the transformation of many of these countries has always been of great interest to me. While Barnes does provide some historical background and insight into political structures, his book is more focused as a travelogue that attempts to capture the life of the locals today, particularly those of his generation. What I found most enthralling and what kept pulling me in was the different trajectory of each country since the 90's, along with the connection the changes each country has made since the dissolution of the USSR tie back to their people and culture from far earlier than the time of the USSR. As Barnes points out, the USSR was unified for 69 years. However, all the peoples making up the countries that were formally unified have a far lengthier history and we are only now approaching the thirty five year mark - the halfway point - where the USSR has ben dissolved for about half the time it was in place. I would love to read another study in where each country is at in another 35 years. How enlightening and interesting it will be to see where each country is at that time!
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
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