Sibir: My Discovery of Siberia

by Farley Mowat

Travelog

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Russia, Canada, History, Adventure

313 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Farley McGill Mowat was a conservationist and one of Canada's most widely-read authors.

Many of his most popular works have been memoirs of his childhood, his war service, and his work as a naturalist. His works have been translated into 52 languages and he has sold more than 14 million books.

Mowat studied biology at the University of Toronto. During a field trip to the Arctic, Mowat became outraged at the plight of the Ihalmiut, a Caribou Inuit band, which he attributed to misunderstanding by whites. His outrage led him to publish his first novel, People of the Deer (1952). This book made Mowat into a literary celebrity and was largely responsible for the shift in the Canadian government's Inuit policy: the government began shipping meat and dry goods to a people they previously denied existed.

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship RV Farley Mowat was named in honour of him, and he frequently visited it to assist its mission.

Reviews

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I LOVE Farley Mowat! I have loved every single one of his books that I've read, and this one was no exception. However, I have to say it was probably my least favourite so far. I'm used to his stories being full of adventure, and this one wasn't quite like that. It had everything else I'm used to and love from Mowat, including humour, but that exciting, page-turning element was a bit missing for me. Overall though, a very interesting and informative read! I would definitely recommend it to anyone interested in the topic.

[Sheryl Sato · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book took me completely by surprise – it was fascinating. This is Farley Mowat’s account of his first trip to Siberia in 1966. It is a guided tour of the hospitable, resourceful and colourful people who enlightened him on his journeys across the U.S.S.R. There are stories of ingenuity in how dams and buildings were built in the ‘eternal frost,’ tales of lifelong friendships made and situations during which hilarity ensues. This book travelled with me and its stories will continue to resound.

[Taraya · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book with all the wit and humour I’ve come to associate with Mowat. There are some parts of the book that I’m not sure I believe occurred. I’ve read a few articles on Mowat that say he made up or embellished some experiences that he had. But overall, a great read about the rest of Russia that is often neglected or overlooked. Highly recommend reading this book.

[Cybercrone · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is absolutely an amazing book.

If even half of what he recounts about what has been done by the Russian government for the native peoples of Siberia in the development of Siberia is true, it makes the lagging of Western governments with respect to their native peoples even more pathetic.

This book should be a must-read for anyone interested in social justice.

[H. Janjanian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mowat is an exceptional environmentalist who has extensively explored and wrote about the Canadian Arctic. Sibir is about the Asian Arctic which he visited and documented on a side of the Soviet Union little known about in the West. A very informative and enriching book.

[Carol Sorensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Adding this in honour of Farley Mowat, who died today. This was one of my favorites. He was such a good storyteller, and his log of his journey through Siberia really made the place come alive for me.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a wierd kind of book. It didn't feel like a Mowat book at all; if someone told me it was Gerald Durrel, I would have believed them, based on the style of writing. Furthermore, it was also strangely unlike Mowat in being unremittingly gushy. Mowat does not merely gush about the peoples or cultures he encounters, but about the politics too. The whole book seems to consist of anecdotes, all that conclude with an implied, "...and that is why Russia is better than North America". I would expect nuance from Farley. What is really wierd is how he laughs off every anecdote of sexual harassment or sexual assault (even against his wife) as an hilarious quirk of Russian masculinity. He also seems to romanticize the rife alcoholism, as if it demonstrates a joi de vivre lacking in North American culture. Finally, he seems evangelical about communism, highlighting cases he comes across that seem to be success stories, and making excuses for examples where the ideology failed - "but they didn't implement communism properly". It's very interesting to be reading this all these years later. I wonder what Mowat would think of his book today.

[Mark Harrison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like other people have said, it is not as exciting to read in terms of adventure, however it opened my eyes to how Siberia was managed by ussr in those times. The way they integrated their First Nations people was enlightening. The book almost comes over as propaganda, but from his descriptions of what Mowat saw I must believe him. I wonder how all those buildings built on permafrost will cope with global warming.

[Rod Innis · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting study of a part of the world that I have never seen and don't expect to.

[Randy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written at a time the Soviet Union was on the rise, the book is obviously an anachronism. It is a nice historical perspective of the times.

[George Berzins · Rating 3 out of 5]

His apparent love for the Communist system put me off.

[Tom]

I read the original ed. Would be interested in the update.

[Darren]

couldn't get into it. Read a couple of chapters and that was it