Turns out, Russian prison isn’t so bad. That is, if you are an American journalist jailed on trumped-up charges so you can be used for a prisoner swap. Sure, it still sucks, and you will end up with PTSD. However, your experience may vary greatly if you are not in the very specific position author Evan Gershkovich found himself in. Namely, a Putin pawn.
Gershkovich is an American of Russian descent who becomes a journalist in the motherland. While life is not stress-free, the invasion of Ukraine launches reprisals upon reprisals as Putin demands (literally publicly) that he needs more “spies” to be apprehended. Gershkovich walks into a trap. Thus, the endgame of This Cursed Beautiful Land begins.
The book is basically two parts. Gershkovich’s early life is zoomed through to get to the journalism career and then transitions to the imprisonment. Both are exceptional because the author has both the innate talent to write well and focus on what’s important while keeping the story moving. However, most importantly, Gershkovich realizes the key to a great memoir is to understand that you are telling a personal story which speaks to a much larger idea. Excuse me while I now pontificate in full.
The great memoirs I have read always stay away from grand pronouncements that go beyond the author’s own experiences. They focus on their specific challenges and travails in a form of enlightened navel gazing. Gershkovich never falls into the trap of analyzing the entire Russian prison system, for instance. That would be absurd, as he only saw a very small portion of that system, and was, in a strange way, a privileged prisoner. However, what the author does is tell the stories of those around him that he heard firsthand. In this way, he gives the reader a way to get a better idea of different experiences through people who have earned it. Gershkovich knows his own story, but like any great journalist, he lets everyone else speak for themselves. In this way, the reader can begin to expand their own understanding not through what the author thinks but through what he witnesses.
What struck me most about this book is the grace with which Gershkovich tells the story. Moments of malice are few, far between, and fleeting. The author approaches this book like a journalist searching for truth instead of a vindictive victim. He loves Russia, just not the guy in charge.
(This book was provided as a review copy by Crown Publishing.)
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.