Russian Experiences
 The Raven & Marie Claire
 (Occasional Reviewer - Denise M. Clark)
 2002 Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc.
  ISBN: 1589391985


Life in the Former USSR and Post-Soviet Russia -- as seen by a young man born into poverty & with handicaps in Azerbaijan.

Do you know the difference between Communism and National Socialism?
Do you have any idea what it was like to live in Post World War II Russia?
How about the Cold War period? Do you know what happened during the turbulent period of upheaval during the late 1980's to the early 1990's, a period that witnessed the death throes of the former entity known as the USSR?

Occasional Reviewer Denise M. Clark writes:

Unless one went through it, experienced it, & lived it, one can't ever really know. But a man known as 'The Raven' lived through it, & with the help of co-writer Marie Claire, he tells us his story.

The Raven was born into a period of poor economy, poor training & few supplies. No luxuries of supermarkets, shopping malls, fashion stores or private transportation.

The Raven grew up in Baku City, the capital of Azerbaijan, his life by no means easy. Because of the conflicts between native Armenians & Azerbaijan natives, he & his brother were not allowed to go to school for long stretches of time. Due to lack of proper medical care, The Raven suffered a hearing loss accompanied by a speech impediment, thereby forced from then on to deal with prejudice because of his handicap.

Ultimately, The Raven & his family left Baku, where they had lived all their lives, & moved to a region around Moscow where The Raven continued his education. Yet even there The Raven had to struggle to gain an education, that finally enabled him to rise above the poverty & narrow-mindedness of many of Russia's inhabitants.

Russian Experiences is a wonderful book that tells the story of one man's rise above the restrictive conditions surrounding him. It is not only well written, it is also a very personal saga of the history & transition of one of the mightiest nations in the world & the consequences of its complicated political history. Through the eyes of The Raven & Marie Claire, the reader begins to understand there is much behind the façade of Russia, one rarely seen or talked about on such a personal level.

Russian Experiences is a primer to gain a better understanding of what Russia was & is now all about, told through the eyes of one man who fought against prejudice & poor living conditions to gain an identity he could be proud of. It is an excellent format for anyone to utilize, from either a social or personal perspective, in order to experience & learn about Russia's history, culture, & the indomitable spirit of many of its people.

This reviewer gives it an A in its writing style & in its presentation of both history & humanity.


(06/23/02)

Guest Reviewer - Denise M. Clark
2002©Denise M. Clark