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Couchsurfing #2
Couchsurfing in Russia: Friendships and Misadventures Behind Putin's Curtain
Oligarchen und Kartoffelbauern, Kalaschnikows und eingemachte Gurken, orthodoxe Christen und Hippies – Stephan Orth, seit über zehn Jahren als Couchsurfer unterwegs, begibt sich auf die Suche nach dem wahren Russland, jenseits von dem, was Nachrichten und Propaganda daraus machen. Er fährt von Moskau über Wolgograd bis Grosny im Süden, von Jekaterinburg über Irkutsk und den Baikalsee nach Wladiwostok im Osten. Dabei stößt er nicht nur auf Putinanhänger, Waffennarren und wodkabeseelte Machos, sondern auch auf viel Herzlichkeit, unentdeckte Attraktionen und großartige Landschaften. Von Couch zu Couch, von Gastgeber zu Gastgeber ergibt sich ein differenzierteres und persönlicheres Bild. Mitreißend erzählt Stephan Orth von haarsträubenden Abenteuern und überraschenden Begegnungen.
288 pages, Paperback
Published May 7, 2019
22 people are currently reading
538 people want to read
About the author
Stephan Orth
19 books99 followersStephan Orth, Jahrgang 1979, verfasste als Sechsjähriger sein erstes Buch mit dem Titel "Die 10 Soldaten" (bislang unveröffentlicht). Später Studium der Fächer Anglistik, Psychologie und Journalismus. Von 2008 bis 2016 arbeitete er als Redakteur im Reiseressort von SPIEGEL ONLINE, bevor er sich als Autor selbständig machte. Besitzt fünf Rucksäcke, vier Schlafsäcke und drei Zelte, aber keinen Rollkoffer. Am 1. März 2019 erscheint sein neues Buch "Couchsurfing in China".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
May 27, 2017
Ein groooooßartiges Buch! Vielleicht lernt man nicht unbedingt landschaftliches und sehenswertes kennen, so wie bei der Ein Jahr In Reihe oder der Reiseabenteuer Reihe ABER man lernt so viel über das Land und seine Menschen 👍
July 26, 2017
Stephan Orths Couchsurfingtour durch Russland wirkt auf mich ein wenig oberflächlich, vielleicht das nächste Mal ein paar Stationen weniger und etwas mehr ins Detail gehen. Aber - unterhaltsam ist dieses Buch auf jeden Fall, deshalb absolut lesenswert.
June 19, 2019
Off beat travelogue set around RUSSIA
Stephan Orth is a Hamburg based journalist and world traveller. He has twice won the prestigious Columbus Award for travel writing, and his previous book Couchsurfing in Iran was translated into several languages. He specialises in off beat travelogues.
In Behind Putin’s Curtain he travels the length and breadth of Russia. Not so much focusing on the tourist destinations of Moscow or St Petersburg (although he visits both and manages to avoid the main sights…) but with more emphasis on the far flung and the unusual. He travelled 9,500 kilometres across seven time zones. Russia is not an homogeneous country with an homogeneous population… Most of the time he ‘couchsurfed’ – sleeping in the spare bed (or on the floor) of people he met on the internet. The deal – a sort of alternative business model – is that you sleep for free in exchange for conversation about the wider world. He met some really interesting hosts. Small town Russia sounds a bit like small town America – only with a prominent statue of either Lenin or Stalin (or a very large picture of Putin) in the centre. The enthusiasm of his hosts for showing him the sights is very infectious. The book opens with Stephan standing on the edge of a massive crater in Mirny in the far east of Russia. The crater is all that is left of a great diamond mining venture. He goes on a crazy drive into town with his two guides and driver. Very few tourists visit, and they have really pulled out all the stops. From North to South and East to West the reception he gets is much the same. No so many of the dour Russians we have all heard about.
Orth writes in a very engaging and very witty style. Behind Putin’s Curtain is a book you may not wish to read at one go unless you are heading off for a similar adventure, but it is a most enjoyable book to pick up and put down. Each chapter is pretty stand alone. It is (as it says in the blurb…) ‘a colourful portrait of a fascinating and misunderstood country’.
Stephan Orth is a Hamburg based journalist and world traveller. He has twice won the prestigious Columbus Award for travel writing, and his previous book Couchsurfing in Iran was translated into several languages. He specialises in off beat travelogues.
In Behind Putin’s Curtain he travels the length and breadth of Russia. Not so much focusing on the tourist destinations of Moscow or St Petersburg (although he visits both and manages to avoid the main sights…) but with more emphasis on the far flung and the unusual. He travelled 9,500 kilometres across seven time zones. Russia is not an homogeneous country with an homogeneous population… Most of the time he ‘couchsurfed’ – sleeping in the spare bed (or on the floor) of people he met on the internet. The deal – a sort of alternative business model – is that you sleep for free in exchange for conversation about the wider world. He met some really interesting hosts. Small town Russia sounds a bit like small town America – only with a prominent statue of either Lenin or Stalin (or a very large picture of Putin) in the centre. The enthusiasm of his hosts for showing him the sights is very infectious. The book opens with Stephan standing on the edge of a massive crater in Mirny in the far east of Russia. The crater is all that is left of a great diamond mining venture. He goes on a crazy drive into town with his two guides and driver. Very few tourists visit, and they have really pulled out all the stops. From North to South and East to West the reception he gets is much the same. No so many of the dour Russians we have all heard about.
Orth writes in a very engaging and very witty style. Behind Putin’s Curtain is a book you may not wish to read at one go unless you are heading off for a similar adventure, but it is a most enjoyable book to pick up and put down. Each chapter is pretty stand alone. It is (as it says in the blurb…) ‘a colourful portrait of a fascinating and misunderstood country’.
April 27, 2019
This book, subtitled, “Friendships and Misadventures inside Russia,” could have been so much better. Orth describes a several weeks-long Couchsurfing (staying for free in the homes of hosts) trip across Russia from coast to coast. Unfortunately, there is no coherent thread to tie his stays and experiences together and there is little self-reflection or search for a broader theme revealed by his time spent there.
This reminds me of last Saturday’s newspaper—mostly irrelevant puff pieces that are as obsolete as they are irrelevant. I was hoping for something that would give some insight into modern Russia instead of anecdotes that seemed to have little purpose but to underscore stereotypes and generic observations. There was very little new or surprising in over 250 pages. I thought there might be something new or interesting in the next chapter, yet each one was just a variation on the previous except for one randomly-placed creative writing piece that had no bearing on anything else in the book.
I’m fairly well-traveled, having been to many places off the normal tourist path. It is rare for a travel book not to make we want to visit the destination country. In the case of Behind Putin’s Curtain, not only did I feel no such desire, I didn’t even feel like I learned anything new about Russia or the people of Russia. Maybe I was ahead of the curve, or……
This reminds me of last Saturday’s newspaper—mostly irrelevant puff pieces that are as obsolete as they are irrelevant. I was hoping for something that would give some insight into modern Russia instead of anecdotes that seemed to have little purpose but to underscore stereotypes and generic observations. There was very little new or surprising in over 250 pages. I thought there might be something new or interesting in the next chapter, yet each one was just a variation on the previous except for one randomly-placed creative writing piece that had no bearing on anything else in the book.
I’m fairly well-traveled, having been to many places off the normal tourist path. It is rare for a travel book not to make we want to visit the destination country. In the case of Behind Putin’s Curtain, not only did I feel no such desire, I didn’t even feel like I learned anything new about Russia or the people of Russia. Maybe I was ahead of the curve, or……
September 3, 2020
Штефан Орт рисковый человек, или просто не в курсе поговорки «что русскому хорошо, немцу — смерть». Как он рискнул проехаться по стране, останавливаясь только у каучсерферов, я просто диву даюсь. Его тревелог написан остроумно, но вместе с тем с огромным любопытством и интересом к новой стране. Орт знакомит нас с людьми, приютившими его в разных городах — от Москвы до самых до окраин. География впечатляет: не только Питер, Екат, Волгоград и Новосибирск, но и Мирный, Элиста, Владивосток, Грозный и даже Жаровск, в котором Штефан добирается до секты Виссариона.
В оригинале книга Орта называется «Каучсерфинг в России», но издательство делает автору медвежью услугу, называя ее «Осторожно, Россия!» Весь принцип книги строится на том, что нет, не осторожно - нормальная страна же. Просто по ней надо чаще путешествовать и с людьми разговаривать.
С грустью подумала, что у меня не получится вот так поездить по стране — уж больно дорого, да и возраст не тот. Хорошо, что за меня это сделал молодой немецкий журналист))
В оригинале книга Орта называется «Каучсерфинг в России», но издательство делает автору медвежью услугу, называя ее «Осторожно, Россия!» Весь принцип книги строится на том, что нет, не осторожно - нормальная страна же. Просто по ней надо чаще путешествовать и с людьми разговаривать.
С грустью подумала, что у меня не получится вот так поездить по стране — уж больно дорого, да и возраст не тот. Хорошо, что за меня это сделал молодой немецкий журналист))
April 10, 2017
Ich möchte aufspringen und Stephan Orth applaudieren. Er hat schon wieder ein Buch geschaffen, dass ich über alles liebe. Es ist aktuell & relevant, wundervoll geschrieben, hat Reiseflair und zeigt nicht die Politik eines Landes, sondern ihre Menschen und lässt uns damit ein bisschen mehr verstehen. Danke, für dieses Buch.
August 15, 2020
Orthove cestopisy som si chcel dať v chronologickom poradí. Mojou chybou som sa ale dostal najskôr k Rusku. V konečnom dôsledku je to úplne jedno, lebo chlapec píše veľmi pútavo a určite sa časom pustím aj do Iránu aj do Číny.
Couchsurfing po Rusku je výborne spracovaný insight do duše a mentality "bežných" Rusov. Bežných v úvodzovkách preto, lebo už samotný predpoklad, že niektorí Rusi u seba radi na gauči zadarmo ubytujú nemeckého pisálka, z nich robí nie úplne bežných Rusov. Na druhej strane je však aj na týchto často veľmi inteligentných, sčítaných a voči západu relatívne empatických Rusoch výborne vidieť krásu, ale aj smútok dnešného Ruska. Vďaka tejto knihe som si uvedomil to, čo autor spomína v záverečnej kapitole celej knihy. Že v Rusku žije tak neuveriteľné množstvo mikrosvetov a mikrokultúr, že dovidenia. To množstvo autonomnych oblastí, ktoré sú svojou rozlohou väčšie, ako tie najväčšie európske krajiny ma vážne dostalo.
Orth cestuje z Moskvy, cez Kaukaz, čerstvo anektovaný Krym, Sibír až po Vladivostok (Kapitola ktorá sa venuje Vladivostoku sa tohto mesta vôbec netýka. Vzhľadom na to, že išlo o koniec viac ako 7000 km tripu a po prvýkrát sa na svojej ceste ubytoval u absolútnych idiotov, tak autor sucho priznáva, že si z mesta takmer nič nepamätá. Rusko ho konečne dostalo. Bol naložený vo vodke komplet tri dni).
Mirny, Jakutsk, Jekaterinburg, neuveriteľný výlet po Altaji, či Petrohohrad ma však úplne očarili. A ako absolútny hejter toho, čo v súčasnosti predstavuje Rusko, som nadobudol presvedčenie, že sa tam raz v živote musím ísť pozrieť. Musím.
Couchsurfing po Rusku je výborne spracovaný insight do duše a mentality "bežných" Rusov. Bežných v úvodzovkách preto, lebo už samotný predpoklad, že niektorí Rusi u seba radi na gauči zadarmo ubytujú nemeckého pisálka, z nich robí nie úplne bežných Rusov. Na druhej strane je však aj na týchto často veľmi inteligentných, sčítaných a voči západu relatívne empatických Rusoch výborne vidieť krásu, ale aj smútok dnešného Ruska. Vďaka tejto knihe som si uvedomil to, čo autor spomína v záverečnej kapitole celej knihy. Že v Rusku žije tak neuveriteľné množstvo mikrosvetov a mikrokultúr, že dovidenia. To množstvo autonomnych oblastí, ktoré sú svojou rozlohou väčšie, ako tie najväčšie európske krajiny ma vážne dostalo.
Orth cestuje z Moskvy, cez Kaukaz, čerstvo anektovaný Krym, Sibír až po Vladivostok (Kapitola ktorá sa venuje Vladivostoku sa tohto mesta vôbec netýka. Vzhľadom na to, že išlo o koniec viac ako 7000 km tripu a po prvýkrát sa na svojej ceste ubytoval u absolútnych idiotov, tak autor sucho priznáva, že si z mesta takmer nič nepamätá. Rusko ho konečne dostalo. Bol naložený vo vodke komplet tri dni).
Mirny, Jakutsk, Jekaterinburg, neuveriteľný výlet po Altaji, či Petrohohrad ma však úplne očarili. A ako absolútny hejter toho, čo v súčasnosti predstavuje Rusko, som nadobudol presvedčenie, že sa tam raz v živote musím ísť pozrieť. Musím.
May 24, 2022
Probably the most pleasant t surprise I've had in my reading all year. From initially judging the cover and author as being pretentious and only choosing to read the book to hit one of my reading Challenge Categories, I have to say I fell in love with the authors writing style and personality. Though the true stars are the couchsurfing hosts who entertain him in their homes. This book is filled to the brim with unique, heart warming stories of everyday people living all across Russia, their everyday experiences, their views on their government and the west, as well as all their hopes, dreams, and quirks. Their experiences fill in the lines from what we view from the West.
I enjoyed every single page. Cannot recommend enough.
I enjoyed every single page. Cannot recommend enough.
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April 7, 2022This was definitely a timely read. I found this book while I was browsing through the travel section at my library.
The translation is a bit clunky at times, but it was great fun to read about Stephen Orth's misadventures in Russia. It is impossible to escape politics in this type of work, but the book is ultimately about getting to know people, and I think Orth did a good job portraying the diversity of thought and lifestyle amongst contemporary Russians - at least the ones he got to know.
I loved the photographs. They brought the memoir to life.
The translation is a bit clunky at times, but it was great fun to read about Stephen Orth's misadventures in Russia. It is impossible to escape politics in this type of work, but the book is ultimately about getting to know people, and I think Orth did a good job portraying the diversity of thought and lifestyle amongst contemporary Russians - at least the ones he got to know.
I loved the photographs. They brought the memoir to life.
October 3, 2019
Very entertaining and well written book. Unfortunately in spite of putting lot of effort to be objective towards Russia and Russians his bias is always in the background. As a ex-editor of left winged Der Spiegel he cannot hide his low opinion of Putin and Russian media. At the same time cannot miss opportunity to proclaim superiority of Western journalist who believes that "pluralism,the acceptance of various opinions, is good for society". If that is truth Farage will be writing for Guardian and Trump will be common guest on CNN. Even his Der Spiegel was spreading fake news when his star journalist admitted that he invented majority of his reports on Trump voters. Interesting thing is that Der Spiegel employs 80(eighty) fact checkers!!! Trouble is that imaginative author simply delivered what his bosses demanded and simply fitted in their spin. So much about pluralism and Western journalism!!
Inspite of all of this author approached Russian people with a lot of goodwill and with relatively open mind. He handled cultural shock very well and from mosaic of little encounters with people, environment, authorities etc he made good book which is telling us that behind Putin's curtain there are no dragons but people like us.
Inspite of all of this author approached Russian people with a lot of goodwill and with relatively open mind. He handled cultural shock very well and from mosaic of little encounters with people, environment, authorities etc he made good book which is telling us that behind Putin's curtain there are no dragons but people like us.
June 30, 2020
This book felt pointless to me. He has some funny anecdotes, but the book was lacking any overarching plan or purpose. There's no stated reason he went to Russia or question he wants to answer, very little reflection or research to supplement his own observations. I didn't even understand how he chose which cities to go to. Plus I'm annoyed at a straight white man doing something that would be dangerous for a single woman or a queer person or person of color and touting it as the superior way to travel.
June 14, 2024
Originally read this book a couple of years ago after stumbling upon it at my local library, and absolutely loved it. Going into it, I was worried it was going to be pretentious, but the book ended up being very down to earth and very heart warming. While also super weird and hilarious at times.
The original name for this book was Behind Putin's Curtain, which I feel is a very apt name as Stephen Orth attempts to pull back the curtain of what we've been shown of Russia, which is primarily Putin related, and attempts to show us what Russia is like through its citizens. What I love is his down to earth approach. He is not visiting Michelin Star restaurants, he isn't interviewing well known politicians or celebrities, instead he is chatting with everyday Russians, from a wide range of religions, cultural backgrounds, ethics, upbringings, political idealogies, and ages. While never shying away from the crazy aspects, or more depressing facts of living in Russia, he is able to capture it in such a human way that it makes these people and situations feel relatable. There are plenty of people in this book that he has crashed the couch of that you will want to meet, and some you will feel you have already met. So in the case of breaking down global stereotypes, Stephen Orth absolutely blows it out of the park.
I loved his humor, and especially, in his Couchsurfing Truths that he would list throughout the book. Often sprinkled in throughout and reflecting on some knowledge or insight he's gained depending on who's he talked to and where he's at, these Truth facts were enjoyable enough to write down on my own. Some of my favorites include "The words 'That's Russia' explain many things for which there is no logical explanation.", "The greater your charisma, the wiser you will seem when stating very simple truths", or "Nothing is more desolate than a ghost town without ghosts." These were all awesome touches by the other and summed up certain locations he's visited very well.
This book is perhaps one of my favorite books about exploring a country I've never been to. I loved the bits of Russia History he explored here, and found myself learning plenty that I hadn't known before. I also loved how he wasn't afraid to ask his hosts questions about their feelings on Putin, the West, and other thoughts such as free will and religion. He genuinely seemed to be very interested in getting to know them, and that was reflected in his book.
One of the last quotes of his in this book that I absolutely love was, "If we were all a little less fearful, we would achieve a great deal." Something that he just sporadically stated when being asked if he was afraid of traveling on his own, and something that I feel sums up the spirit of this book. This book is about breaking down barriers and stereotypes. It took a lot of bravery for Stephen to travel in the places he did, but I'm glad he did and I'm glad he treated his hosts and friends along the way with such respect and warmth.
Cannot recommend this book enough.
The original name for this book was Behind Putin's Curtain, which I feel is a very apt name as Stephen Orth attempts to pull back the curtain of what we've been shown of Russia, which is primarily Putin related, and attempts to show us what Russia is like through its citizens. What I love is his down to earth approach. He is not visiting Michelin Star restaurants, he isn't interviewing well known politicians or celebrities, instead he is chatting with everyday Russians, from a wide range of religions, cultural backgrounds, ethics, upbringings, political idealogies, and ages. While never shying away from the crazy aspects, or more depressing facts of living in Russia, he is able to capture it in such a human way that it makes these people and situations feel relatable. There are plenty of people in this book that he has crashed the couch of that you will want to meet, and some you will feel you have already met. So in the case of breaking down global stereotypes, Stephen Orth absolutely blows it out of the park.
I loved his humor, and especially, in his Couchsurfing Truths that he would list throughout the book. Often sprinkled in throughout and reflecting on some knowledge or insight he's gained depending on who's he talked to and where he's at, these Truth facts were enjoyable enough to write down on my own. Some of my favorites include "The words 'That's Russia' explain many things for which there is no logical explanation.", "The greater your charisma, the wiser you will seem when stating very simple truths", or "Nothing is more desolate than a ghost town without ghosts." These were all awesome touches by the other and summed up certain locations he's visited very well.
This book is perhaps one of my favorite books about exploring a country I've never been to. I loved the bits of Russia History he explored here, and found myself learning plenty that I hadn't known before. I also loved how he wasn't afraid to ask his hosts questions about their feelings on Putin, the West, and other thoughts such as free will and religion. He genuinely seemed to be very interested in getting to know them, and that was reflected in his book.
One of the last quotes of his in this book that I absolutely love was, "If we were all a little less fearful, we would achieve a great deal." Something that he just sporadically stated when being asked if he was afraid of traveling on his own, and something that I feel sums up the spirit of this book. This book is about breaking down barriers and stereotypes. It took a lot of bravery for Stephen to travel in the places he did, but I'm glad he did and I'm glad he treated his hosts and friends along the way with such respect and warmth.
Cannot recommend this book enough.
February 22, 2024
Het concept van het boek, waarbij de schrijver 'couchsurfend' door Rusland reist is best aardig. Hij ontmoet alledaagse Russen die een bijzondere kijk op het land en de wereld geven. Daarvoor krijgt het boek van mij nog 2/5 sterren.
Helaas zijn er ook veel mindere punten aan dit boek, waardoor de laatste helft eerde voelde als uitzitten dan ontspannen lezen. Ik probeer deze punten op een rijtje te zetten.
1) De schrijver laat zich vaak denigrerend uit over de mensen waarbij hij te gast is. Zo weet hij een gastheer die wat voller is te omschrijven als: "... het massieve bovenlichaam van in een Universiteit van Vilnius T-shirt wijst erop dat hij meer in kennis is geïnteresseerd dan het bezoeken van een fitnesstudio". Aldus het bijschrift van een foto van de desbetreffende gastheer. Zijn grappen zijn over het algemeen slecht en gaan soms dus ook ten koste van zijn gastheren/vrouwen.
2) Wanneer de schrijver een knappe vrouw tegenkomt op een vliegveld, laat hij zijn gedachten de vrije loop over hoe hij graag kinderen met haar zou willen. Dit vond ik vrij smerig en creepy overkomen.
3) Het boek sluit elk hoofdstuk af met een les, omschreven als "waarheid nummer x". Deze "waarheden" zijn vaak niets meer dan volslagen algemeenheden die je zou verwachten op een badkamertegel. Om een voorbeeld te geven: "Vijftien minuten kunnen een eeuwigheid zijn". Wat een onzin.
4) Soms wordt er achtergrondinformatie gegeven bij bepaalde onderwerpen, helaas had deze informatie vaak weinig diepgang en voelde het boek daardoor aan als een havo 3 aardrijkskundeboek.
Kan het boek al met al niet aanraden. Ik had het boek 1/5 sterren willen geven was het niet voor de leuke mensen geweest die de schrijver heeft ontmoet.
Helaas zijn er ook veel mindere punten aan dit boek, waardoor de laatste helft eerde voelde als uitzitten dan ontspannen lezen. Ik probeer deze punten op een rijtje te zetten.
1) De schrijver laat zich vaak denigrerend uit over de mensen waarbij hij te gast is. Zo weet hij een gastheer die wat voller is te omschrijven als: "... het massieve bovenlichaam van in een Universiteit van Vilnius T-shirt wijst erop dat hij meer in kennis is geïnteresseerd dan het bezoeken van een fitnesstudio". Aldus het bijschrift van een foto van de desbetreffende gastheer. Zijn grappen zijn over het algemeen slecht en gaan soms dus ook ten koste van zijn gastheren/vrouwen.
2) Wanneer de schrijver een knappe vrouw tegenkomt op een vliegveld, laat hij zijn gedachten de vrije loop over hoe hij graag kinderen met haar zou willen. Dit vond ik vrij smerig en creepy overkomen.
3) Het boek sluit elk hoofdstuk af met een les, omschreven als "waarheid nummer x". Deze "waarheden" zijn vaak niets meer dan volslagen algemeenheden die je zou verwachten op een badkamertegel. Om een voorbeeld te geven: "Vijftien minuten kunnen een eeuwigheid zijn". Wat een onzin.
4) Soms wordt er achtergrondinformatie gegeven bij bepaalde onderwerpen, helaas had deze informatie vaak weinig diepgang en voelde het boek daardoor aan als een havo 3 aardrijkskundeboek.
Kan het boek al met al niet aanraden. Ik had het boek 1/5 sterren willen geven was het niet voor de leuke mensen geweest die de schrijver heeft ontmoet.
February 4, 2022
This is the second of Stephan Orth's equal parts entertaining and informative travelogues I've read, and I enjoyed it just as much as his couchsurfing adventures in Iran. This time, he's on a trip through Russia, exploring big cities as well as far flung corners across the length and breadth of this enormous country. His focus is not so much on tourist attractions but on the people he meets and whose lives he briefly steps into when staying as a guest in their homes. A great read that leaves me looking forward to getting my hands on another one of these.
March 15, 2020
Locker-flockig geschrieben und zu lesen macht dieses Buch Lust, das heimische Sofa zu verlassen und sich auf Reisen zu begeben.
Die Gastgeber des couchsurfenden Autors sind für mich die eigentlichen Stars des Buches und lassen mich oft schmunzeln oder Charakterzüge von Bewohnern der ehemaligen UdSSR wiedererkennen, die mir sehr bekannt vorkommen.
Dabei schafft es der Autor trotz aller Subjektivität niemals überheblich oder moralisierend zu sein.
Am Ende war ich selbst ein bisschen traurig, dass die Reise zu Ende war.
Die Gastgeber des couchsurfenden Autors sind für mich die eigentlichen Stars des Buches und lassen mich oft schmunzeln oder Charakterzüge von Bewohnern der ehemaligen UdSSR wiedererkennen, die mir sehr bekannt vorkommen.
Dabei schafft es der Autor trotz aller Subjektivität niemals überheblich oder moralisierend zu sein.
Am Ende war ich selbst ein bisschen traurig, dass die Reise zu Ende war.
November 21, 2022
I read this book in Russian. To be honest - journalist or ex-journalist is the last person I would like to believe in my life. This book was written with bias, at least that is what I think. And it is not because I have been living in Russia for a long period of time (surely if Stephan read this, he would think that I was brainwashed :D), but for me such a journal must be free of bias. I know that he doesn't like Putin and I am also not his big fans. But, as a journalist, or as he stated before - he wanted to get to know more about Russia, he should be more fair. Yet, what I found in this book isn't more than a bundle of interview and his subjective opinion and his effort to find as many people who hate government as possible. I shouldn't have expected more when I read the title, should I?
But I hope I would find something interesting when I bought this book, not an archive about how bad Russians view to the west. Maybe he should also go to the USA or alliance country and write a book that will change their mind about how they should look at Russia without any prejudice?
I don't know. I am quite sad to read this kind of journal/book/whatsoever as normally books from German journalists are fair and nice to read.
I am sorry for my broken english.
But I hope I would find something interesting when I bought this book, not an archive about how bad Russians view to the west. Maybe he should also go to the USA or alliance country and write a book that will change their mind about how they should look at Russia without any prejudice?
I don't know. I am quite sad to read this kind of journal/book/whatsoever as normally books from German journalists are fair and nice to read.
I am sorry for my broken english.
April 22, 2023
Sehr interessant erzählt, man bekommt einen authentisch wirkenden Eindruck vom Land und seinen ganz unterschiedlichen Bewohnern. Super sind auch die Bilder, man kann sich alles richtig gut vorstellen. Sein Buch Couchsurfing im Iran war auch sehr gut!
April 15, 2019
Behind Putin’s Curtain is a fun, informative travel memoir by Stephan Orth, who wrote Couchsurfing in Iran. Orth uses a few websites to travel cheaply so he can spend several weeks traveling from one end of the country to the other and spend time meeting people and doing what they want to do. He is not a tourist, he is a traveler.
The websites he uses are Couchsurfing.com, Blablacar, and Maps.me. Unlike Suri, Maps.me works offline. Sadly there is no blablacar in the US and the alternatives are very sad. For example, Kangaride does not even return results for rides to and from Seattle and Portland. When you search for alternatives, search engines suggest Uber and Lyft, both of which are nothing like blablacar, where folks can get a ride for little to no cost.
He travels all over, to places many readers, including this one, will have never heard of. I had no idea there was a Buddhist state in European Russia. A lot of the travels are in remote areas and Stephan fully joins in with whatever his hosts propose which is why one three-day is remembered with some details about vodka and little else. He goes to the commune organized by Vissarion who is the long-awaited return of Jesus. His visit to Olkhon Island known for its shamans cracked me up so much the only reason I didn’t call my best friend to read the penultimate paragraph right that minute was because it was the middle of the night.
Behind Putin’s Curtain is great fun to read, but also informative and important. With all the pernicious activities of Putin and his cyber warfare efforts around the world, it is a good thing to be reminded Russia people are people, most of them good people who want the same things wee want of life. Stephan Orth is the kind of open-hearted person who meets people where they are and enjoys them as they are. The perfect traveler.
Behind Putin’s Curtain will be released on May 7th. I received an ARC from the publisher.
Behind Putin’s Curtain at Greystone Books
Stephan Orth author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
The websites he uses are Couchsurfing.com, Blablacar, and Maps.me. Unlike Suri, Maps.me works offline. Sadly there is no blablacar in the US and the alternatives are very sad. For example, Kangaride does not even return results for rides to and from Seattle and Portland. When you search for alternatives, search engines suggest Uber and Lyft, both of which are nothing like blablacar, where folks can get a ride for little to no cost.
He travels all over, to places many readers, including this one, will have never heard of. I had no idea there was a Buddhist state in European Russia. A lot of the travels are in remote areas and Stephan fully joins in with whatever his hosts propose which is why one three-day is remembered with some details about vodka and little else. He goes to the commune organized by Vissarion who is the long-awaited return of Jesus. His visit to Olkhon Island known for its shamans cracked me up so much the only reason I didn’t call my best friend to read the penultimate paragraph right that minute was because it was the middle of the night.
Behind Putin’s Curtain is great fun to read, but also informative and important. With all the pernicious activities of Putin and his cyber warfare efforts around the world, it is a good thing to be reminded Russia people are people, most of them good people who want the same things wee want of life. Stephan Orth is the kind of open-hearted person who meets people where they are and enjoys them as they are. The perfect traveler.
Behind Putin’s Curtain will be released on May 7th. I received an ARC from the publisher.
Behind Putin’s Curtain at Greystone Books
Stephan Orth author site
https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...
January 16, 2022
Quite cool book concept. Stephan Orth travels for ~3 months across Russia staying with an eclectic mix of hosts (ranging from IT support workers, ex-translators to a religious cult). While he spends some time in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, the majority of his travels are spent in „conflict“ regions like Crimea and Chechnya, rural Siberia, Yakutsk and other places where tourism from Europeans is almost unheard of. Some political overtones but overall an insightful account of a unique and interesting country.
August 15, 2021
Review of: Behind Putin's Curtain: Friendships and Misadventures Inside Russia,
by Stephan Orth
by Stan Prager (8-15-21)
I must admit that I knew nothing of the apparently widespread practice of “couchsurfing” before I read Stephan Orth’s quirky, sometime comic, and utterly entertaining travelogue, Behind Putin's Curtain: Friendships and Misadventures Inside Russia. For the uninitiated, couchsurfing is a global community said to be comprised of more than 14 million members in over 200,000 cities that includes virtually every country on the map. The purpose is to provide free if bare bones lodging for travelers in exchange for forming new friendships and spawning new adventures. The term couchsurfing is an apt one, since frequently the visitor in fact beds down on a couch, although accommodations range from actual beds with sheets and pillowcases to blankets strewn on a kitchen floor—or, as Orth discovers to his amusement, a cot in a bathroom, just across from the toilet! Obviously, if your idea of a good time is a $2000/week Airbnb with a memory foam mattress and a breathtaking view, this is not for you, but if you are scraping together your loose change and want to see the world from the bottom up, couchsurfing offers an unusual alternative that will instantly plug you into the local culture by pairing you up with an authentic member of the community. Of course, authentic does not necessarily translate into typical. More on that later.
Orth, an acclaimed journalist from Germany, is no novice to couchsurfing, but rather a practiced aficionado, who has not only long relied upon it as a travel mechanism but has upped the ante by doing so in distant and out of the ordinary spots like Iran, Saudi Arabia and China, the subjects of his several best-selling books. This time he gives it a go in Russia: from Grozny in the North Caucasus, on to Volgograd and Saint Petersburg, then to Novosibirsk and the Altai Republic in Siberia, and finally Yakutsk and Vladivostok in the Far East. (Full disclosure: I never knew Yakutsk existed other than as a strategic corner of the board in the game of Risk.) All the while Orth proves a keen, non-judgmental observer of peoples and customs who navigates the mundane, the hazardous, and the zany with an enthusiasm instantly contagious to the reader. He’s a fine writer, with a style underscored by impeccable timing, comedic and otherwise, and passages often punctuated with wit and sometime wicked irony. You can imagine him penning the narrative impatiently, eager to work through one paragraph to the next so he can detail another encounter, express another anecdote, or simply mock his circumstances once more, all while wearing a twinkle in his eye and a wry twist to his lips.
Couchsurfing may be routine for the author, but he wisely assumes this is not the case for his audience, so he introduces this fascinating milieu by detailing the process of booking a room. The very first one he describes turns out to be a hilarious online race down various rabbit holes over a sequence of seventy-nine web pages where his utterly eccentric eventual host peppers him with bizarre, even existential observations, and challenges potential guests to fill in various blanks while warning them “that he follows the principle of ‘rational egoism’” and “doesn’t have ten dwarves cleaning up after guests.” [p7] Orth, unintimidated, responds with a wiseass retort and wins the invitation.
Perhaps the most delightful portions of this book are Orth’s profiles of his various hosts, who tend to run the full spectrum of the odd to the peculiar. I say this absent any negative connotation that might otherwise be implied. After all, Einstein and Lincoln were both peculiar fellows. I only mean that the reader, eager to get a taste of local culture, should not mistake Orth’s bunkmates for typical representatives of their respective communities. This makes sense, of course, since regardless of nationality the average person is unlikely to welcome complete strangers into their homes as overnight guests for free. That said, most of his hosts come off as fascinating if unconventional folks you might love to hang out with, at least for a time. And they put as much trust in the author as he puts in them. One couple even briefly leaves Orth to babysit their toddler. Another host turns over the keys of his private dacha and leaves him unattended with his dog.
Of course, the self-deprecating Orth, who seems equally gifted as patient listener and engaging raconteur, could very well be the ideal guest in these circumstances. At the same time, he could also very well be a magnet for the outrageous and the bizarre, as witnessed by the madcap week-long car trip through Siberia he ends up taking with this wild and crazy chick named Nadya that begins when they meet and bond over lamb soup and a spirited debate as to what was the best Queen album, survives a rental car catastrophe on a remote roadway, and winds up with them horseback riding on the steppe. Throughout, with only a single exception, the two disagree about … well … absolutely everything, but still manage to have a good time. If you don’t literally laugh out loud while reading through this long episode, you should be banned for life from using the LOL emoji.
You would think that travel via couchsurfing could very well be dangerous—perhaps less for Orth, who is well over six feet tall and a veteran couchsurfer—but certainly for young, attractive women bedding down in unknown environs. But it turns out that such incidents while not unknown are very, very rare. The couchsurfing community is self-policing: guests and hosts rely on ratings and reviews not unlike those on Airbnb, which tends to minimize if not entirely eliminate creeps and psychos. Still, while 14 million people cannot be wrong, it’s not for everyone. Which leads me to note that the only fault I can find with this outstanding work is its title, Behind Putin’s Curtain, since it has little to do with Putin or the lives led by ordinary Russians: certainly the peeps that Orth runs with are anything but ordinary or typical! I have seen this book published elsewhere simply as Couchsurfing in Russia, which I think suits it far better. Other than that quibble, this is one of the best travel books that I have ever read, and I highly recommend it. And while I might be a little too far along in years to start experimenting with couchsurfing, I admire Orth’s spirit and I’m eager to read more of his adventures going forward.
[Note: the edition of this book that I read was an ARC (Advance Reader’s Copy), as part of an early reviewer’s program.]
Review of: Behind Putin's Curtain: Friendships and Misadventures Inside Russia, by Stephan Orth https://regarp.com/2021/08/15/review-...
PODCAST: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pz9b2-1...
by Stephan Orth
by Stan Prager (8-15-21)
I must admit that I knew nothing of the apparently widespread practice of “couchsurfing” before I read Stephan Orth’s quirky, sometime comic, and utterly entertaining travelogue, Behind Putin's Curtain: Friendships and Misadventures Inside Russia. For the uninitiated, couchsurfing is a global community said to be comprised of more than 14 million members in over 200,000 cities that includes virtually every country on the map. The purpose is to provide free if bare bones lodging for travelers in exchange for forming new friendships and spawning new adventures. The term couchsurfing is an apt one, since frequently the visitor in fact beds down on a couch, although accommodations range from actual beds with sheets and pillowcases to blankets strewn on a kitchen floor—or, as Orth discovers to his amusement, a cot in a bathroom, just across from the toilet! Obviously, if your idea of a good time is a $2000/week Airbnb with a memory foam mattress and a breathtaking view, this is not for you, but if you are scraping together your loose change and want to see the world from the bottom up, couchsurfing offers an unusual alternative that will instantly plug you into the local culture by pairing you up with an authentic member of the community. Of course, authentic does not necessarily translate into typical. More on that later.
Orth, an acclaimed journalist from Germany, is no novice to couchsurfing, but rather a practiced aficionado, who has not only long relied upon it as a travel mechanism but has upped the ante by doing so in distant and out of the ordinary spots like Iran, Saudi Arabia and China, the subjects of his several best-selling books. This time he gives it a go in Russia: from Grozny in the North Caucasus, on to Volgograd and Saint Petersburg, then to Novosibirsk and the Altai Republic in Siberia, and finally Yakutsk and Vladivostok in the Far East. (Full disclosure: I never knew Yakutsk existed other than as a strategic corner of the board in the game of Risk.) All the while Orth proves a keen, non-judgmental observer of peoples and customs who navigates the mundane, the hazardous, and the zany with an enthusiasm instantly contagious to the reader. He’s a fine writer, with a style underscored by impeccable timing, comedic and otherwise, and passages often punctuated with wit and sometime wicked irony. You can imagine him penning the narrative impatiently, eager to work through one paragraph to the next so he can detail another encounter, express another anecdote, or simply mock his circumstances once more, all while wearing a twinkle in his eye and a wry twist to his lips.
Couchsurfing may be routine for the author, but he wisely assumes this is not the case for his audience, so he introduces this fascinating milieu by detailing the process of booking a room. The very first one he describes turns out to be a hilarious online race down various rabbit holes over a sequence of seventy-nine web pages where his utterly eccentric eventual host peppers him with bizarre, even existential observations, and challenges potential guests to fill in various blanks while warning them “that he follows the principle of ‘rational egoism’” and “doesn’t have ten dwarves cleaning up after guests.” [p7] Orth, unintimidated, responds with a wiseass retort and wins the invitation.
Perhaps the most delightful portions of this book are Orth’s profiles of his various hosts, who tend to run the full spectrum of the odd to the peculiar. I say this absent any negative connotation that might otherwise be implied. After all, Einstein and Lincoln were both peculiar fellows. I only mean that the reader, eager to get a taste of local culture, should not mistake Orth’s bunkmates for typical representatives of their respective communities. This makes sense, of course, since regardless of nationality the average person is unlikely to welcome complete strangers into their homes as overnight guests for free. That said, most of his hosts come off as fascinating if unconventional folks you might love to hang out with, at least for a time. And they put as much trust in the author as he puts in them. One couple even briefly leaves Orth to babysit their toddler. Another host turns over the keys of his private dacha and leaves him unattended with his dog.
Of course, the self-deprecating Orth, who seems equally gifted as patient listener and engaging raconteur, could very well be the ideal guest in these circumstances. At the same time, he could also very well be a magnet for the outrageous and the bizarre, as witnessed by the madcap week-long car trip through Siberia he ends up taking with this wild and crazy chick named Nadya that begins when they meet and bond over lamb soup and a spirited debate as to what was the best Queen album, survives a rental car catastrophe on a remote roadway, and winds up with them horseback riding on the steppe. Throughout, with only a single exception, the two disagree about … well … absolutely everything, but still manage to have a good time. If you don’t literally laugh out loud while reading through this long episode, you should be banned for life from using the LOL emoji.
You would think that travel via couchsurfing could very well be dangerous—perhaps less for Orth, who is well over six feet tall and a veteran couchsurfer—but certainly for young, attractive women bedding down in unknown environs. But it turns out that such incidents while not unknown are very, very rare. The couchsurfing community is self-policing: guests and hosts rely on ratings and reviews not unlike those on Airbnb, which tends to minimize if not entirely eliminate creeps and psychos. Still, while 14 million people cannot be wrong, it’s not for everyone. Which leads me to note that the only fault I can find with this outstanding work is its title, Behind Putin’s Curtain, since it has little to do with Putin or the lives led by ordinary Russians: certainly the peeps that Orth runs with are anything but ordinary or typical! I have seen this book published elsewhere simply as Couchsurfing in Russia, which I think suits it far better. Other than that quibble, this is one of the best travel books that I have ever read, and I highly recommend it. And while I might be a little too far along in years to start experimenting with couchsurfing, I admire Orth’s spirit and I’m eager to read more of his adventures going forward.
[Note: the edition of this book that I read was an ARC (Advance Reader’s Copy), as part of an early reviewer’s program.]
Review of: Behind Putin's Curtain: Friendships and Misadventures Inside Russia, by Stephan Orth https://regarp.com/2021/08/15/review-...
PODCAST: https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-pz9b2-1...
December 29, 2018
Pro toho, kdo v Rusku někdy byl a zajímá se o něj, nejde o čtení nijak extra překvapivé. A už vůbec ne, když zároveň někdy zkoušel couchsurfing na východě Evropy. Jde spíše o mnoho momentek z cestování po všech možných koutek matičky Rusi, právě skrze ubytování u dobrovolníků, nikoli přímo o porozumění Putinovi (i když se s tím autor snaží operovat).
Zároveň, protože je Stephan Orth nejen cestovatel, ale hlavně novinář, prokládá cestovatelské momentky zpravodajskými texty. Zabrousí tak např. do témat fake news a ruské propagandy (víte, že informaci o tom, že uprchlíci v Německu dostávají 670 eur, šířila arabská verze Russia today?) nebo do historie okupace Krymu (tedy, že Putin lhal a mlžil - a to že jde o okupaci a ruské vojáky přiznal až zpětně). I ty jsou ale směřovány spíše na tématy nepolíbené publikum.
Jako nejsilnější tak proto musím za mě označit spíše kapitoly o Rusku neznámém (resp. opomíjeném) - kde je budhisticko-šachistická republika, jak vznikla nedostavěná milionářova vesnice pro chudé, proč vede vladivostocký most do nikam, kdo je sibiřský prorok nebo co to je prdel světa. To vše doplněné odkazy na kulturu (petrohradské В Питере - пить), jídlo a zvyky. K čemuž se ještě přidávají doplňující a aktualizující poznámky překladatele a nakladatele.
Pokud vás ale zajímá Rusko a/nebo cestování, je to rozhodně velmi příjemné čtení.
PS: Do měst Elista a Mirnyj bych se tedy někdy chtěl podívat sám.
Zároveň, protože je Stephan Orth nejen cestovatel, ale hlavně novinář, prokládá cestovatelské momentky zpravodajskými texty. Zabrousí tak např. do témat fake news a ruské propagandy (víte, že informaci o tom, že uprchlíci v Německu dostávají 670 eur, šířila arabská verze Russia today?) nebo do historie okupace Krymu (tedy, že Putin lhal a mlžil - a to že jde o okupaci a ruské vojáky přiznal až zpětně). I ty jsou ale směřovány spíše na tématy nepolíbené publikum.
Jako nejsilnější tak proto musím za mě označit spíše kapitoly o Rusku neznámém (resp. opomíjeném) - kde je budhisticko-šachistická republika, jak vznikla nedostavěná milionářova vesnice pro chudé, proč vede vladivostocký most do nikam, kdo je sibiřský prorok nebo co to je prdel světa. To vše doplněné odkazy na kulturu (petrohradské В Питере - пить), jídlo a zvyky. K čemuž se ještě přidávají doplňující a aktualizující poznámky překladatele a nakladatele.
Pokud vás ale zajímá Rusko a/nebo cestování, je to rozhodně velmi příjemné čtení.
PS: Do měst Elista a Mirnyj bych se tedy někdy chtěl podívat sám.
August 4, 2019
A good insight into Russia and the Russians from a very well-travelled and observant German. Each couch comes with its ambience, diversions and suite of characters. Orth dives into situations that would probably stop me, travelled as I am. It certainly isn't as bad as The Lunatic Express, but gets close at times. Highly education and entertaining.
March 27, 2019
Barely 2 stars at that...This book may appeal to younger people, but was just a jumble of different people he met, most of them not very interesting to me. This ARC didn't have the map in it yet, so had to keep googling where in Russia he was traveling.
December 10, 2022
„Couchsurfing je jako bonboniéra. Nikdy nevíš, co ochutnáš.” Ak vás láka zbierať zážitky a cestovať po svete bez toho, aby ste museli príliš siahnuť do vrecka, couchsurfing sa hlási o slovo. Stačí si zvoliť destináciu, vybrať si hostiteľa, ktorý vás ochotne nechá prespávať na gauči a môžete začať spoznávať vzdialené kultúry na vlastnej koži.
Nemecký novinár Stephan Orth sa presne takto vydal na desaťtýždňovú cestu po krajine, o ktorej koluje množstvo rozporuplných informácií. Za úlohu si dal nahliadnuť do ruskej duše, spoznať mentalitu obyvateľov tejto obrovskej krajiny a zo svojich ciest si poskladať vlastný portrét Ruska. Svoje zážitky spísal v cestopise Couchsurfing v Rusku Aneb jak jsem málem začal rozumět Putinovi.
Nie je žiadnym tajomstvom, že v Rusku je alkohol národnou drogou č. 1 a dôvodom, prečo sa ruskí muži dožívajú v priemere o 12 rokov menej ako ženy. A tiež má podiel na tom, že sa tu vynikajúco darí obchodom s kvetmi, keďže kytica kvetov je spôsob, akým si opití muži doma žehlia situáciu. „Ve tři hodiny ráno je v Petrohradu snažší sehnat pár čerstvých růží než čokoládovou tyčinku nebo krabičku cigaret.”
„Větou „To je prostě Rusko!” se dá vysvětlit spousta věcí, pro které jinak žádné rozumné vysvětlení není.”
Rusko tvorí množstvo autonómnych oblastí, rozlohou väčších ako niektoré európske krajiny. Prelína sa tu toľko mikrosvetov a mikrokultúr, takže ťažko tu budeme škatuľkovať či čakať homogénnu populáciu a univerzálny portrét, ktorý by platil na každú jednu oblasť.
Autor svoj denník z tripu okorenil o fotografie a občas zaznie aj vtipná poznámka či bizarný príbeh. Ako oddychovka, ktorá vám síce nedá kompletný obraz o Rusku, no dotkne sa života, tradícií, politických názorov bežných ľudí a trochu aj histórie, je to príjemné čítanie.
Nemecký novinár Stephan Orth sa presne takto vydal na desaťtýždňovú cestu po krajine, o ktorej koluje množstvo rozporuplných informácií. Za úlohu si dal nahliadnuť do ruskej duše, spoznať mentalitu obyvateľov tejto obrovskej krajiny a zo svojich ciest si poskladať vlastný portrét Ruska. Svoje zážitky spísal v cestopise Couchsurfing v Rusku Aneb jak jsem málem začal rozumět Putinovi.
Nie je žiadnym tajomstvom, že v Rusku je alkohol národnou drogou č. 1 a dôvodom, prečo sa ruskí muži dožívajú v priemere o 12 rokov menej ako ženy. A tiež má podiel na tom, že sa tu vynikajúco darí obchodom s kvetmi, keďže kytica kvetov je spôsob, akým si opití muži doma žehlia situáciu. „Ve tři hodiny ráno je v Petrohradu snažší sehnat pár čerstvých růží než čokoládovou tyčinku nebo krabičku cigaret.”
„Větou „To je prostě Rusko!” se dá vysvětlit spousta věcí, pro které jinak žádné rozumné vysvětlení není.”
Rusko tvorí množstvo autonómnych oblastí, rozlohou väčších ako niektoré európske krajiny. Prelína sa tu toľko mikrosvetov a mikrokultúr, takže ťažko tu budeme škatuľkovať či čakať homogénnu populáciu a univerzálny portrét, ktorý by platil na každú jednu oblasť.
Autor svoj denník z tripu okorenil o fotografie a občas zaznie aj vtipná poznámka či bizarný príbeh. Ako oddychovka, ktorá vám síce nedá kompletný obraz o Rusku, no dotkne sa života, tradícií, politických názorov bežných ľudí a trochu aj histórie, je to príjemné čítanie.
December 10, 2017
Ein Buch das ich jedem weiterempfehlen würde, der Lust hat, einen Einblick in die echte russische Kultur zu bekommen. Ohne Vorurteile, abseits der Klischees & der Stereotypen, unbeeinflusst von den aktuellsten politischen Ereignissen. Für jemanden der mit der Art der russischen Menschen vertraut ist, kann ich mit Sicherheit sagen, dass mit dem Buch ein absolut realitätsnahes Bild der "russischen Seele" dargestellt wird.
Der Schreibstil von Stephan Orth zieht einen sofort in seinen Bahn - leicht, unterhaltsam, flüssig & mit einer kleinen, gut verstreuten Prise sarkastischen Humor. Die Zeit am Lesen des Buches vergeht absolut unbemerkt, man möchte immer weiter & weiter in der Geschichte voran kommen, bis man ans Ende gelangt & gleich darauf das nächste Buch von dem Autor aufschlägt (in meinem Fall "Couchsurfing im Iran").
Nicht nur wegen der Thematik des riesengroßen Landes, bekannt für Matrioshkas & Balalaikas, aber auch der geschilderten Erlebnisse in der Welt des Couchsurfens, machen das Buch noch zusätzlich lesenswert. Für jemanden, der sich immer schon interessiert hat, was das für eine magische Gesellschaft der kostenlosen Unterkünfte sei, ist das definitiv eine vielsagende Einstiegslektüre.
Der einzige Sterneabzug gilt dem Eindruck, dass zum Ende des Buches hin, weniger Beachtung der Details geschenkt wurde. Eine gesamte Stadt & Kapitel geraten in Vergessenheit wegen eines Vodka-"Zapois", aber vielleicht macht auch genau diese Charakteristik das Buch umso glaubwürdiger & wahrhatsgetreuer.
Also nochmal eine absolute Leseempfehlung für alle, die sich für Reisen, fremde Kulturen & unentdeckte Gebiete interessieren 😊
Der Schreibstil von Stephan Orth zieht einen sofort in seinen Bahn - leicht, unterhaltsam, flüssig & mit einer kleinen, gut verstreuten Prise sarkastischen Humor. Die Zeit am Lesen des Buches vergeht absolut unbemerkt, man möchte immer weiter & weiter in der Geschichte voran kommen, bis man ans Ende gelangt & gleich darauf das nächste Buch von dem Autor aufschlägt (in meinem Fall "Couchsurfing im Iran").
Nicht nur wegen der Thematik des riesengroßen Landes, bekannt für Matrioshkas & Balalaikas, aber auch der geschilderten Erlebnisse in der Welt des Couchsurfens, machen das Buch noch zusätzlich lesenswert. Für jemanden, der sich immer schon interessiert hat, was das für eine magische Gesellschaft der kostenlosen Unterkünfte sei, ist das definitiv eine vielsagende Einstiegslektüre.
Der einzige Sterneabzug gilt dem Eindruck, dass zum Ende des Buches hin, weniger Beachtung der Details geschenkt wurde. Eine gesamte Stadt & Kapitel geraten in Vergessenheit wegen eines Vodka-"Zapois", aber vielleicht macht auch genau diese Charakteristik das Buch umso glaubwürdiger & wahrhatsgetreuer.
Also nochmal eine absolute Leseempfehlung für alle, die sich für Reisen, fremde Kulturen & unentdeckte Gebiete interessieren 😊
August 20, 2020
2.5 stars
After reading Orth’s Couchsurfing in Iran, I was really looking forward to the next instalment of Couchsurfing in Russia. However, I did not enjoy this anywhere near as much.
I found it harder to read and at first thought maybe something was getting lost in translation, with the book originally having been written in German and me reading it in English. However; as I read on I realised that it wasn’t the translation but rather all the details about the history of Russia and the current day affairs that were annoying me. I still loved that Orth was travelling to far flung places, meeting crazy characters and giving us some either some historical and/or present day contexts; but felt that there was far too much context and not enough travel writing. The book is marketed in the travel genre, but for me; I believe that it missed the mark in this aspect and Orth’s occupation as a journalist overran it with the need to put in absurd amounts of context.
Having said all that, I’m grateful for parts that did talk about his couchsurfing hosts and for opportunity to look behind the Iron Curtain.
Perhaps if I had have read Couchsurfing in Russia first I would have enjoyed the writing more; but for me, the balance between travel and context was far better in Couchsurfing in Iran. I still recommend it though as part of the Couchsurfing series, but say that it was it my least favourite of the three.
After reading Orth’s Couchsurfing in Iran, I was really looking forward to the next instalment of Couchsurfing in Russia. However, I did not enjoy this anywhere near as much.
I found it harder to read and at first thought maybe something was getting lost in translation, with the book originally having been written in German and me reading it in English. However; as I read on I realised that it wasn’t the translation but rather all the details about the history of Russia and the current day affairs that were annoying me. I still loved that Orth was travelling to far flung places, meeting crazy characters and giving us some either some historical and/or present day contexts; but felt that there was far too much context and not enough travel writing. The book is marketed in the travel genre, but for me; I believe that it missed the mark in this aspect and Orth’s occupation as a journalist overran it with the need to put in absurd amounts of context.
Having said all that, I’m grateful for parts that did talk about his couchsurfing hosts and for opportunity to look behind the Iron Curtain.
Perhaps if I had have read Couchsurfing in Russia first I would have enjoyed the writing more; but for me, the balance between travel and context was far better in Couchsurfing in Iran. I still recommend it though as part of the Couchsurfing series, but say that it was it my least favourite of the three.
February 11, 2020
4 Sterne aufgerundet (aber nur gerade so). Ich lese Reiseliteratur sehr gerne und die von diesem Autor machen schonmal von der Aufmachung her alles richtig: Karte mit eingezeichneter Wegstreck, ausreichend großer Farbfototeil im Mittelteil plus kleinere schwarz-weiß-Fotos im Text und Unterteilung der Kapitel nach Orten. [Ich kann es immer gar nicht glauben, dass das bei Weitem nicht Standard ist in diesem Genre.] Dafür auf jeden Fall einen großen Stern. Mit der Zeit (das ist das dritte Buch nach Iran und China) wird mir auch der Autor sympathischer - irgendwie habe ich den Eindruck, dass mehr Wissen vermittelt wird, was mir wichtig ist. Also kann ich mittlerweile sagen, dass ich ein weiteres Buch lesen würde - aber nur aus der Bibliothek ausgeliehen, nicht gekauft (im Gegensatz zu Bill Bryson bspw.).
July 16, 2021
Хороший дневник путешествия, в котором немецкий журналист из Гамбурга описывает свою поездку по России: от Крыма до Владивостока, по пути побывав в гостях даже у секты Виссариона и покатавшись по Алтаю.
Из плюсов: много интересного о подробностях работы сервиса Couchsurfing (я вообще им никогда не пользовался, а автор умудрялся даже в самых жутких ебенях найти себе бесплатную вписку с ним).
Из минусов: какая-то лёгкая зацикленность автора на Пыне и его недорожиме (серьёзно, он там почти у каждого хоста выяснял, что тот думает про Путина и канал Russia today), а также терпеливо объяснял, что у нас тут исключительно пропаганда, а у них там только свобода мнений. Я не против такой точки зрения, просто под конец книги это уже поднадоело сквозить из каждой щели.
В целом понравилось, автор молодец - немец видел в 10 раз больше всего в России, чем я, который тут живу.
Из плюсов: много интересного о подробностях работы сервиса Couchsurfing (я вообще им никогда не пользовался, а автор умудрялся даже в самых жутких ебенях найти себе бесплатную вписку с ним).
Из минусов: какая-то лёгкая зацикленность автора на Пыне и его недорожиме (серьёзно, он там почти у каждого хоста выяснял, что тот думает про Путина и канал Russia today), а также терпеливо объяснял, что у нас тут исключительно пропаганда, а у них там только свобода мнений. Я не против такой точки зрения, просто под конец книги это уже поднадоело сквозить из каждой щели.
В целом понравилось, автор молодец - немец видел в 10 раз больше всего в России, чем я, который тут живу.
September 24, 2017
Genau wie sein erstes Couchsurfing Buch (Couchsurfing im Iran), ist dieses Buch hier äußerst gelungen. Es ist ein Reisebericht, der durchaus interessante Erlebnisse und auch Fakten über das Reiseland vermittelt und darstellt, dabei aber auch äußerst unterhaltsam ist. Ich habe des Öfteren laut gelacht über seine Erlebnisse.
Als jemand, die selbst schon Couchsurfing-Erfahrungen sammeln konnte, kann ich mich ab und zu wieder finden, muss aber auch seine Ausdauer bewundern, mit der er die ganze Reise über bei anderen Menschen zu Gast war. Das ist auf die Dauer auch ganz schön anstrengend.
Russland ist in der Wahrnehmung vieler in Deutschland sehr fremd und weit weg (nicht nur geografisch). Dieses Buch trägt dazu bei, das Russlandbild zu erweitern und zu relativieren.
Als jemand, die selbst schon Couchsurfing-Erfahrungen sammeln konnte, kann ich mich ab und zu wieder finden, muss aber auch seine Ausdauer bewundern, mit der er die ganze Reise über bei anderen Menschen zu Gast war. Das ist auf die Dauer auch ganz schön anstrengend.
Russland ist in der Wahrnehmung vieler in Deutschland sehr fremd und weit weg (nicht nur geografisch). Dieses Buch trägt dazu bei, das Russlandbild zu erweitern und zu relativieren.
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