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Inside Lonely Planet’s  Russia  Travel Guide:

• Colour  maps and images throughout
• Highlights   and itineraries  help you tailor your trip to your personal needs and interests
• Insider tips  to save time and money and get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
• Essential info   at your fingertips  - hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, prices
• Honest reviews for all budgets  - eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
• Cultural insights  give you a richer, more rewarding travel experience - history, art, literature, music, architecture, performing arts, landscape, wildlife, environment, religion, Russia today

Coverage Includes:  Moscow, St Petersburg, the Golden Ring, Kaliningrad, the Urals, Volga, Sochi, Caucasus, Siberia, the Russian Far East, and more

eBook is available in ePub, MOBI and PDF.

ISBN: 9781786573629

Edition: 8th

Publication Date: March 2018

Writers: Simon Richmond, Mark Baker, Marc Bennetts, Stuart Butler, Trent Holden, Ali Lemer, Tatyana Leonov, Tom Masters, Kate Morgan, Leonid Ragozin, Regis St Louis, Mara Vorhees

720 pages, 160pp color, 98 maps | Dimensions: 128mm × 197mm

Next edition due: December 2025

Language: English

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21 Russian Books You Must Read in Your Lifetime

It is hard to disagree with Solzhenitsyn that Russian literature is the country’s second government. Russian books, whether it’s about Tolstoy’s love-stricken aristocrats or Pushkin’s tragic addicts, are a trip through time and into the Russian soul.

This list consists of books that touch on classic Russian titles, contemporary and non-fiction books about Russia, books on Russian and Soviet history as well as some of the most famous Russian short stories.

Love, War, God, Justice, Pain, Family, Good & Evil… pretty much everything philosophical you can think of will be discussed. With a dose of Cold War espionage of course.

So, buckle up with your trusty Kindle or colourful bookmarks ’cause it’s going to be a very existential ride!

*This article may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For full information, please see the disclaimer  here .

Table of Contents

Classic Russian Literature

1. crime and punishment by fyodor dostoyevsky (1866).

• Fyodor Dostoyevsky (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 430 Pages – 08/22/2001 (Publication Date) – Dover Publications (Publisher)

Find the audiobook on Amazon Audible / Chirp

For our debutant, you might have thought I would bow to the grandeur of War and Peace or the Pushkin sophistication of Eugene Onegin. Nope.

One of my favorite books about Russia, Crime and Punishment made me ache to the point of self-doubt at Raskolnikov’s feverish paranoia. I wanted to hug and console Sonya; a sanctified prostitute who works solely to support her family (and perhaps reflects how Russian religious collectivism is used to absolve one of their sins?).

This novel of human psychology follows the ex-law student Raskolnikov and his social entourage after he commits two egregious crimes. With Raskolnikov sweeping the streets of St Petersburg, in an effort to either escape his guilt or fall deeper into his delirium, you will meet Razumikhin, Raskolnikov’s friend and happier alter-ego.

You will learn about Dunya, Raskolnikov’s sister, chased by the profiteering Luzhin. The Marmeladovs will show you what real family drama looks like. Porfiry Petrovich will be your 19th-century Russian Poirot.

The underlying question of it all: will Raskolnikov meet his punishment?

Intrigued to discover St Peterburg through the eyes of Russian nihilism? Ready to understand why turmoil has been irreversibly linked to the Russian soul? Then, few Russian books can rival the complexity of Crime and Punishment.

2. The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (1966)

• Great product!
• Mikhail Bulgakov (Author)

Pontius Pilatus, the devil, and a chess-master cat enter a bar in Moscow… where did they all meet? Well, at Bulgakov’s Master and Margharita, of course!

Woland (Satan) with his supernatural bandits dance the tango of destruction with the flawed humans that they encounter in Moscow. The result will sometimes make you choke with laughter and other times will make your skin crawl.

Beheadings; sending people off to a nuthouse in Yalta; mystical seances at the Variety theatre leaving people naked in the street; just a few of the events that describe part of the havoc that Woland unleashes. The eternal battle between evil and good, fairness and injustice, greed and heroism are interweaved in the lives of the Master, Margharita, traumatized poets, morally dubious theatre directors, and maids-turned-witches.

As the Russian cousin of Goethe’s Faust, “The Master and Margarita” will show you how fear paralyzed the minds of the Soviet people and how atheistic propaganda was injected through society’s veins. But, you will also take a philosophical deep dive into morality, leaving you entertained and intellectually bedazzled.

3. Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (1862)

• Turgenev, Ivan (Author)
• 256 Pages – 06/15/2008 (Publication Date) – Oxford University Press (Publisher)

Let me just say that I came across this diamond by doing an essay on Hemingway’s own version of “Fathers and Sons”. It’s a short story undoubtedly inspired by Turgenev’s works, so do check that out if you are a Hemingway fan!

Now, to our Russian book… “Fathers and Sons” centers around the evolving relationships between the main characters, the young Bazarov and Anatoly, their families and social surroundings. In fact, Bazarov is a staunch nihilist, deeply influencing his friend Anatoly. Not to mention that he heavily troubles the traditionalist noblemen that encircle them.

Take note that the novel was published in 1862, a time where Russian serfs and democrat revolutionaries were defying the status quo in light of the sweeping social and political changes in the West.

Yes, the journey of the maverick Bazarov might be Turgenev’s literary commentary on the political situation of Russia at the time. But, the novel also touches on the timeless generational gap that often exists between parents and children, with miscommunication and shifting values driving a wedge between the old and the young for centuries.

4. Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin (1833)

• Pushkin, Alexander (Author)
• 304 Pages – 11/25/2008 (Publication Date) – Penguin Classics (Publisher)

Falling outside the realm of standard Russian books, Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin has sculpted many of the Russian literary archetypes.

Onegin, the St. Petersburg dandy who is raised in social conformity and superficiality. Lensky, the daydreamer whose time in the clouds might be his downfall. Tatyana, the intelligent and passionate heroine falling madly in love only to become humiliated by her object of admiration.

Pushkin’s beloved stanzas orbit around a variety of themes. The exploration of meaningful love, fate, and the relationship between art and life stands out by the end of the poem. The clash of reality and art and the eventual loneliness and fate that Onegin must face, condemn in a very Russian way the effect that arrogance and egoism have on the individual and society as a whole.

5. War & Peace by Leo Tolstoy (1867)

• Used Book in Good Condition
• Tolstoy, Leo (Author)

The Book of Russian books. I think I can skip lengthy introductions for this one.

As you may know, this work which has been considered unclassified in genre, follows the lives of five aristocratic families. It is the era of the Napoleonic wars and a period of a shift of foreign influence in Russian society. Several of the characters will either experience or feel the impact of the French invasion, some will even meet Napoleon.

However, it is the society that is formed, the values that are reflected, and the philosophical questions that are posed that have hailed this book as the panorama of Russian aristocratic life under Tzarist rule.

There is love, questions on morality in an immoral society, meanderings on the existence of God. There are bloody battles, scenes of humility, and heart-breaking, bedridden goodbyes. It is a masterpiece of unique Tolstoy-esque existentialism and realism that has made it the crown jewel of Russian books.

6. Dead Souls by Nikolai Gogol (1842)

• Nikolai Gogol (Author)

Gogol’s “Dead Souls” follows the main character, Chichikov, as he travels from estate to estate, seeking to buy from landowners their ‘dead souls’.

Well, as it happens, landowners pay taxes based on the ‘souls’, or the number of serfs they own. However, the serf ledger is not always up-to-date, so the owners often have to pay a tax for people that have turned to dust.

So, what business does the middle-class nomad Chichikov have buying ‘dead souls’? Is it moral to relieve peculiar landowners of their tax burden? Or, are Chichikov’s schemes of profit and the landowners’ avarice the pinnacle of immorality?

As always, it’s up to you, the reader to decide. But, before you do, imagine yourself in Chichikov’s shoes; dangling between the absurdity of fine society, the ridiculousness of the landowners, his list of dead people, each painting a worthy story of their own.

Macabre Russian humor, time-traveling back to the age of serfdom, get-rich-quick plans colliding with ethics. All the ingredients of classic Russian books will help you understand why Gogol’s “Dead Souls” seems so relevant even today.

7. Demons by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1871)

• Dostoevsky, Fyodor (Author)
• 768 Pages – 08/01/1995 (Publication Date) – Vintage (Publisher)

If I could add to this list everything Dostoyevsky, I would. If you find yourself being existentially struck by some of the Russian classics, do not skip the novels “The Idiot”, “Notes from Underground”, “The Gambler”, “Brothers Karamazov” and “The Grand Inquisitor”.

For our article though, Dostoyevsky’s “Demons” shall take the spot.

A tide of alluring ideas swept Russian society amidst the 19th century, particularly the youth. Alongside romantic trifles and aristocratic whims, a revolution is boiling. Pyotr Verkhovensky is the nihilist ideologue stroking the fire, Nikolai Stavrogin the tormented sadist thriving in his own shame.

A psychological drama, the book explores the destruction that can be brought by ideologies, the “demons” able to fuel horrific acts.

Non-fiction books about Russia

8. the return of the russian leviathan by sergei medvedev (2019).

One of the best Russian books to offer you a sharp analysis of the current political reality in Russia. Professor Medvedev traces the renewed rise of Russian authoritarianism with the undying picture of “Great Russia” as a background. A picture to which the country’s Tsar-like leaders seem too fondly attached.

Familiar with the biblical sea monster Leviathan? Then you have already got the gist of this book.

The might of a country meddling in the Syrian war, annexing Crimea, and stirring further conflict in Ukraine is contrasted by its internal silent chaos. Apartheid roads between the rich and the poor, lethal highways, the recarving of history, scandals of a kleptocracy; only just a few of the elements that the professor will evoke with his Russian dark humor to express the loss of hope for a free post-Soviet era.

9. Internal Colonization: Russia’s Imperial Experience by Alexander Etkind (2011)

• Etkind, Alexander (Author)
• 264 Pages – 11/21/2011 (Publication Date) – Polity (Publisher)

Subconsciously, we have maybe associated the word “colonization” with Western European countries, and a particularly English elephant in the room.

In that case, prepare to immerse yourself in a world of Russian serfdom going back to the times of the beginnings of the fur trade, the rise and fall of Tsars, the blending of history, social commentary, and the lessons of landmark Russian literature.

Starting by referring to Gogol’s story of a traveling human nose, Alexander Etkind will explore the unique process of Russia’s colonization of its own people. You will witness the transformation of the relationship between the colonized and the colonizers, Russia’s collision with the unfamiliar Orient.

A dense and deeply informative book, the combination of historical rigorousness and analysis of the cultural fabric of Russia throughout time will definitely make this a worthy read.

10. Pravda Ha Ha: True Travels to the End of Europe by Rory MacLean (2020)

• Hardcover Book
• MacLean, Rory (Author)

Travel journal meets politics, meets Russia, meets (meta-) history.

Rory MacLean’s “Pravda Ha Ha” is an all-encompassing update to the author’s 1989 travels to the East of Europe. A time when the fall of communism gave rise to a new way of coping with past (Soviet) demons.

The book is a connecting dot between the optimism of a post-Soviet future and the despair of a deeply divisive present. Annexations of neighboring lands in the name of national sovereignty; the closing down of Orthodox monasteries turned labor camps; the establishment of anti-Europe, anti-immigration propaganda hubs; rural poverty vs urban debauched riches.

In the end, this is a book that will not limit its insight on the degression of Russian politics. It will accompany you through rich social commentary on the rebirth of nationalism in Europe. From the author meeting angry Hungarian shopkeepers to cyber hackers, Gorbachev, and British isolationism, this is a historical roller-coaster that you feel compelled to hop on to.

Contemporary Russian books

11. the light and the dark by mikhail shishkin (2014).

• Shishkin, Mikhail (Author)

Two people pour their souls and their thoughts into passionate love letters.

Sasha while talking to her lover reminisces of her childhood in Soviet Russia, the whirlwind of her affairs, the death striking her family, her loneliness. Her correspondent, Volodya, describes his journey to the army; from the scribbles of an office clerk to the odor of death surrounding him in an anti-monarchist revolution in China.

The twist? Their separation does not extend only through space. You will soon realize that Volodya is fighting off the Boxer Revolution of 1900 in China, while Sasha is much closer to our own time.

We are never sure whether their letters reach their destination. “Time will be back in joint when we meet again and I put my head on your knees”, Volodya dreams.

Can the ritual of writing beat death, time itself? How can flies in amber and Prester John be connected? Find out with this multi-sensory experience of the book, jumping from birth to death and everything in between.

12. Life and Fate by Vassily Grossman (1980)

• Grossman, Vasily (Author)

Are you both a history buff and a literature geek? Then you have found your Russian book soulmate.

The creator of this masterpiece, Vasily Grossman was a Jewish chemist who became a writer and war correspondent covering the battle of Stalingrad and the horrors of concentration camps, notably Treblinka. Life teachings and literary prose shape the characters at the front lines of the Stalingrad seizure, at German and Soviet detention centers, at the ‘enemy’ lines, and at home.

In Grossman’s dark alleyway that is “Life and Fate”, where the Holocaust, pointless mass death, and numbing propaganda lurk, moments of humanity spark with light. A woman comforting a scared child in a gas chamber; a German and Russian soldier holding hands during a bombing.

This book is not for the light-hearted, but it is a school of learning, empathy, and humanity.

13. The Big Green Tent by Lyudmila Ulitskaya (2010)

• Ludmila Ulitskaya (Author)
• 01/17/2017 (Publication Date) – Audible Studios on Brilliance Audio (Publisher)

Another ‘epic’ novel in our list of Russian books, the “Big Green Tent” follows the lives of three childhood friends, Ilya, Sanya, and Mikha.

You travel back to a society transitioning to a post-Stalinist era, with the samizdat (smuggling of currency and foreign goods) still strongly persecuted. Ilya’s heart speaks to the cinema, his story orbiting around the samizdat, dragging his friends with him. You will also discover the musical world of Sanya and will be inspired by MIkha’s passion for teaching, especially disabled children.

This is a story of friendship between outcasts fighting to survive in a country that is still haunted by a Stalinist world. A coming-of-age tale of brave loyalty, discovery, and selfless sacrifice. In short, this is a read that will entrust to you the stories of three tragic but utterly unique people.

14. The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War by Ben Macintyre (2018)

• Macintyre, Ben (Author)

If there is one Russian book in our list that you can engorge in one sitting, this is it.

Oleg Gordievsky, a seemingly perfect product of KGB-ism and Sovietism, lies in the center of the book. Designed to be the perfect Russian spy weapon, he secretly defects and joins the MI6 in 1973, becoming the Russian Aldrich Ames.

The true story of Mr. Gordievsky and his eventual rescue mission is recounted with infectious enthusiasm by Ben Macintyre, a true connoisseur of espionage and spy storytelling.

The Cold War space race, the US-UK intelligence rivalry, and the occasional appearance of Mrs. Thatcher create the perfect backdrop for Mr. Gordievsky’s story to unravel and keep you on your toes.

Russian Short Stories

15. ward no. 6 by anton chekhov (1892).

• Clayton, John J. (Author)

As the name suggests, this Russian short story, by the beloved Chekhov, takes place in a mental asylum.

As an intellectually hungry doctor searches for meaning, he engages in philosophical discussions with patients on the concept of suffering and injustice. But, people talk, and the doctor soon seems to blend more and more with the patients rather than the sane.

Will he himself end up in the mental ward? Will social isolation and his quest for the meaning of suffering be his downfall?

A short story of existential crisis, suffering, neglect, and a dysfunctional society, who often lets the insane roam about and the healthy locked behind dilapidated walls.

16. The Queen of Spades  by Alexander Pushkin (1834)

• Pushkin, Alexander Sergeevich (Author)
• 52 Pages – 06/14/2012 (Publication Date) – ReadHowYouWant (Publisher)

Hermann searches furiously for the secret to win every time in a game of faro (17th-century French gambling game). When he learns that the Countess possesses the secret, he threatens the woman at gunpoint to reveal the trick.

A series of events ensues, involving ghosts, dead bodies opening their eyes at funerals, and a blinking queen of spades.

This is the classic Russian tale of avarice and gambling addiction, with a pinch of supernatural that is reminiscent of Bulgakov’s Master and Margarita.

Or is it all in Hermann’s mind? Pushkin will definitely not give you the answer.

17. The Overcoat  by Nikolai Gogol (1842)

• Gogol, Nikolai (Author)
• 52 Pages – 12/01/2014 (Publication Date) – Read & Co. Classics (Publisher)

Akaky Akakievich is the everyday man, a government employee who enjoys copying documents. He has a worn-out overcoat, which his tailor insists to have replaced.

Akaky proceeds to cut his expenses to conjure up 80 rubles, and he triumphantly does. Unfortunately, his coat gets stolen and so he turns to the police and an “important personage” to help him. Things might not turn out so well for poor Akaky Akakievich after all.

As Dostoyevsky once said, “We all come out of Gogol’s overcoat”.

The story is a miniature of Russian, and not only, life, full of strife and sacrifice only to achieve short-lived success. You travel through life-sucking red tape, wax-faced employees, and a man’s sudden emotional awakening through the possession of a material good.

It is tragically funny and it is Russian, it is all you expect from Gogol.

Russian Revolution & Soviet Union Books

18. the gulag archipelago by aleksandr solzhenitsyn (1973).

• Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr I. (Author)
• 672 Pages – 01/30/1997 (Publication Date) – Basic Books (Publisher)

“The Gulag Archipelago” is one of the landmark non-fiction Russian books on the horrors of Soviet labor camps where millions of Russians perished.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn considered this book his greatest work yet. In fact, this is the book that caused him to lose his Soviet citizenship and emigrate to West Germany. But this is also the masterpiece behind his 1970 Nobel prize.

Here’s the thing about humans; we cannot avert our gaze from catastrophe and pain. And this book is perhaps human suffering packed in a leafy box of paper and ink.

The story starts in 1918. In the aftermath of the October Revolution, Lenin orders the opening of the first gulags. And so the gulag system begins, accompanied by show trials, uncalled arrests, personality cults, and disappearances.

The recounting of the horror revolves around the year 1968, but Solzhenitsyn’s message is immortal; never underestimate the lengths a power-hungry leadership will go to when dissidents are involved.

19. Animal Farm by George Orwell (1945)

• George Orwell (Author)
• 140 Pages – 04/06/2004 (Publication Date) – Signet (Publisher)

“Animal Farm” might not be a ‘book about Russia’ in the traditional sense. It is a story of animals, repressed beings who free themselves from the tyranny of Mr. Jones with the leadership of two pigs, Napoleon and Snowball. But, as history goes, one leader must shine.

Even though you have heard this story before, you wonder. You see the back-breaking work of Boxer, the extremely strong but extremely gullible horse. Hens have their precious eggs stolen and the cows’ milk vanishes while the sheep transform their motto from “four legs good, two legs bad” to “four legs good, two legs better” as the pigs start to walk on their hind legs. You wonder, will the tyranny never end?

This book might not mention anything remotely related to Russia even once. However, it is a canvas picturing the birth of a revolution, the creation of a dictatorship, the disillusionment and eventual sedation of society. It is the perfect allegory for the Soviet Union.

As the saying goes “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others”.

20. Bloodlands by Timothy D. Snyder (2010)

• Snyder, Timothy (Author)
• 560 Pages – 11/04/2016 (Publication Date) – Basic Books (Publisher)

14 million people died between 1933 and 1945, across central and northeastern Europe, from the Baltic States, Ukraine, and Belarus, to northeastern Romania and western Russia. The book discusses where the atrocities of the Nazi and Soviet regimes aligned, in both purpose and nature.

The Soviet Famines; the Great Purge; Poland’s occupation and the Katyn massacre; the German Hunger Plan; the Holocaust; the Belarus Nazi occupation, and the Warsaw uprising are revisited, showing in each case a different side of the same coin that is totalitarianism.

21. A History of the Russian Revolution by Leon Trotsky (1930)

• Leon Trotsky (Author)

If you truly want to dive into the nitty and gritty of the Russian Revolution, Trotsky’s three-volume life achievement is hard to avoid. Written while he was in exile in Turkey, Trotsky’s work has been one of the most comprehensive and analytical accounts of one of the most crucial events in history.

While one could criticize points of bias towards his adversaries, Trotsky attempts to explain in detail the socio-political events that led to the overthrow of the Tzar, the July demonstrations in Petrograd, and the eventual October Revolution and seize of power. Any Russian Revolution history nerd can regard the books as anything but monumental.

Wouldn’t you love to read these books about Russia… in Russian? Check out the best books , apps , and tutors to learn Russian and you’re well on your way.

Must-read books about Russia – Pin it!

2 thoughts on “21 Russian Books You Must Read in Your Lifetime”

These look like great books!

Another that I like is a novel, made up of 4 volumes, named:

“Quiet Flows The Don” by Mikhail Sholokhov. The Don is the name of a river.

( Please note- in this novel, there are crimes done to women, and also- war crimes. Please don’t read this book, if you’re bothered by either of these two subjects.)

Great notes about a great country. In fifty years I’ve read about one fourth of them. I hope to be wealthy enough to read all of them. Thank

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20 Books to Read Before Visiting Russia

This morning I booked a solo July trip to Russia. I’ve long been fascinated by the country (the Hermitage ! the Bolshoi !) and can’t wait to experience it first hand. I’ll be there for six days, splitting my time between Moscow and St. Petersburg, and want to visit all the best sites. In preparation for my Russian adventure I’m going to be doing a lot of reading. Below is a rather ambitious Russia reading list (the only one I’ve tackled thus far is Anna Karenina –so good!). Any additions you’d suggest…? Have you been to Russia? As always, I would love to hear your tips on what to see and do!

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman

The Romanovs: 1613-1918

A Gentleman in Moscow: A Novel

Natasha’s Dance: A Cultural History of Russia

Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible: The Surreal Heart of the New Russia

War and Peace

The Romanov Sisters: The Lost Lives of the Daughters of Nicholas and Alexandra

St. Petersburg: Architecture of the Tsars

The Girl from the Metropol Hotel: Growing Up in Communist Russia

Anna Karenina

Peter the Great: His Life and World

Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing

The Hermitage Museum: Treasures from the Complete Collections   (the malachite!)

The Chosen Maiden

The Empress of Art: Catherine the Great and the Transformation of Russia

The Madonnas of Leningrad: A Novel

Bolshoi Confidential: Secrets of the Russian Ballet from the Rule of the Tsars to Today

The Hermitage Collections

Nicholas and Alexandra: The Classic Account of the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty

Doctor Zhivago

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04/17/2017 at 3:16 pm

For a memoir of the gulag, read Journey into the Whirlwind by Eugenia Ginzburg

I haven’t read it myself, but everyone raves about The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov

Also, have a fantastic trip!

04/17/2017 at 3:23 pm

Angela – Thanks so much for these suggestions! Will check them out now…

04/17/2017 at 4:26 pm

Wow! That is a daunting list to finish before your trip but probably all worth while in one way or another. I would add Nadezhda Mandelstam’s memoirs to it.(especially Hope Against Hope) When I am in Russia,bits and pieces of it clearly echo….even after all this time. Sincerely wishing you a wonderful trip full of beauty and insight.

04/17/2017 at 4:46 pm

I think you’ll absolutely LOVE Bolshoi Confidential—Morrison is one of my favorite Russian music scholars!

04/17/2017 at 5:02 pm

Hi Katie, I went to Moscow for the first time ever in October. We stayed at the Ritz-Carlton which was super luxurious and very close to Red Square. We booked a private walking tour which even took us inside the Kremlin. The tour guide was great because in many of the museums the plaques are not in English so you wouldn’t be able to read them. Dinner at the White Rabbit was a highlight, so if you’re able to get a reservation, you must go!! It is the best view of Moscow. Hope this helps. Enjoy the trip!

04/17/2017 at 6:40 pm

I’m actually currently reading The Romanovs, and it is an extremely well-written book. It is extremely interesting and sometimes the details and writing is so good that you forget you’re reading a non-fiction book! I definitely recommend reading it.

04/18/2017 at 1:14 am

Great list! The only one I’ve read is Gentleman in Moscow which I highly recommend. It takes place in The Metropol Hotel so I was intrigued to see The Girl From The Metropol Hotel on your list.

Enjoy your trip!

04/18/2017 at 10:32 pm

I spent 10 days in Russia a year ago (5 days in Moscow and 5 days in St Petersburg) and it was absolutely my favorite trip I’ve ever taken. My boyfriend and I had it on our bucket list for the history and art, and the trip exceeded every expectation. We stayed in airbnbs, did a ton of museums, and had some incredible meals (we still dream of the pelmeni!) I have tons and tons of recs and tips if you want them! So excited for you! xx

05/17/2017 at 3:52 pm

Hello! I am from Russia, just found your post, while doing some research for my University essay. It ‘s very interesting to read this – a lot of books we’ve hardly know here. Yes, I recommend The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov and if you like short novels you can choose Anton Chekhov or Ivan Bunin short stories – you find there native russian spirit. Wish you enjoy this trip, hope you won’t be disappointed!

04/06/2018 at 9:50 pm

I am excited for my trip to Russia in July. I will follow your lead on what books to read, what are the 5 best? Many thanks!!! Geri

PS Any restaurants for lunch in Moscow and St Petersburg?

04/22/2018 at 12:56 pm

Planning a trip to include Moscow and St Petersburg in May of 2019. Looking for inspiration!

06/15/2019 at 6:14 pm

I visited Moscow end of May beginning of June for 7 days. Managed to see Bon Jovi while I was there. I think 6 days and squeezing in Saint Petersburg is very short. I didn’t have enough time to see all I wanted. The metro is incredible… I personally could have spent a couple of days exploring the art and it’s history. Gorky Park is beautiful! There is a quaint tea shop next to the river with a large tea warm outside. That was the best tea I’ve tasted. I’m reading since visiting and planning to return for three weeks in summer. My son teaches in Moscow and I was fortunate enough to have is friend as a tour guide. Have an amazing time!!! I’m envious. I’d go back sooner if I could. Thanks for all your reading suggestions. Enough to keep me busy!!

02/09/2021 at 10:44 pm

Going on the Trans Siberian July 2021, St Petersburg to Beijing, grateful for your list…

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The five best books to read before travelling to Russia

Five books that make us want to visit Russia , through space and time, from the Russian countryside of the early 19th century to Siberia, via St. Petersburg and Moscow

by Nikolai Gogol

In the Russian Empire of the early 19th century, the word 'soul '  was used to count serfs. Well, the male ones, anyway. Women were perceived to have no soul or value. The number of souls in an estate made it possible to work out its value. The amount of property tax on the property depended on it. But censuses only took place every five years and a number of 'dead souls'  continued to populate state registers. The book tells of land credit schemes employed by Chichikov, a crook who takes advantage of the absurdity of the system. At once brilliant, hilarious and ambitious, this book denounces various aspects of humans at their worst.

Crime and Punishment

by Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Raskolnikov is a young student. Sadly, he has to give up his studies. His sister is getting married in order to save the family and he decides to kill an old pawnbroker, partly for her money, partly (and this where it gets deep) to test the limits of freedom through the practice of evil and the transgression of the moral order. 'If one day Napoleon hadn't had the courage to shoot into an unarmed crowd, no -one would have paid any attention to him and he would have remained an unknown', he said  . The crime is perfect but doesn't produce the expected windfall and the moral upheavals lead Raskolnikov to turn himself in and serve his sentence in Siberia.

The Master and Margarita

by Mikail Bulgakov

This is about love, politics and social analysis. And it's also a satirical comedy. And a fairy tale. It's Faust in 1930s Stalinist Moscow. There are  a whole host of whimsical characters; the Master, Behemoth the black cat, a giant, headless beings, Pontius Pilate, Hella the impudent witch,  Satan and, inevitably, Margarita, who, in order to get back the man she loves, agrees to surrender her soul to the devil. Mikail Bulgakov, struggling with the Stalinist dictatorship, devoted the last twelve years of his life to bringing this novel to life, even though he probably knew it could not be published during his lifetime.  But he wrote the famous phrase ' the manuscripts will not burn ' , making this an ode to the freedom of thought. A major book in 20th century Russian literature.

The Gulag Archipelago

by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

Arrested in 1945 for criticising Stalin's policies in his private correspondence, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn was sentenced to eight years in the labour camps - the gulags. He began writing his book as soon as he left the camp. Based not only on his own experience, the book is a mouthpiece for victims of the gulag : it brings together the testimonies of more than 200 of these prisoners. ' This book does not contain any invented characters or events. Men and places are referred to by their real names ', the author explains in the book.  It is so true, so strong, that he hesitated for a long time before publishing the book. It was when a manuscript was confiscated by the KGB that he decided to take the plunge. ' For years I resisted publishing this book when it was already finished : duty to the living weighed more heavily than duty to the dead. But now that this book has been seized by state security anyway, there is nothing left for me to do other than publish it without delay '. The book was released abroad in 1973. To say it put the cat among the pigeons, would be an understatement. In bien pensant Western Europe, the book tore the left apart. In the Soviet Union, it was outlawed until 1989. It is now on the list of books studied in Russian high schools, and we think is one of the best books to read before travelling to Russia.

Consolations of the Forest

by Sylvain Tesson

Finally, a less intense book; one about a 21st century French traveller who tells us about his voluntary retirement - six months in a cabin on the shores of Lake Baikal. For company he took a whole pile of books and a goodly supply of vodka. He hunts, he cuts wood. Apart from rare visits by other humans, his Russian ' neighbours ' - the nearest village is more than 60 miles from his small house - or French friends, he is there alone. And time changes him.

VERONIQUE DURRUTY

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DK Top 10 St Petersburg

Dorling Kindersley

£ 8.99

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Recommended Non-Fiction reading for Russia

High Caucasus: A Mountain Quest In Russia’s Haunted Hinterland

Tom Parfitt

Agents of Influence: How The KGB Subverted Western Democracies

Mark Hollingsworth

Downfall: Prigozhin, Putin, and The New Fight For The Future of Russia

Mark Galeotti and Anna Arutunyan

The Stalin Affair: The Impossible Alliance That Won The War

Giles Milton

1812: Napoleon’s Fatal March On Moscow

Adam Zamoyski

The Avant-gardists: Artists In Revolt in the Russian Empire and The Soviet Union 1917–1935

Sjeng Scheijen

Navalny: Putin’s Nemesis, Russia’s Future?

Jan Matti Dollbaum

Journey Into The Mind’s Eye

Lesley Blanch

The Man Who Loved Siberia

Roy Jacobsen and Anneliese Pitz

Blood On The Snow: The Russian Revolution 1914-1924

Robert Service

Putin and The Return of History: How The Kremlin Rekindled The Cold War

Martin Sixsmith

A Nasty Little War

Recommended Fiction reading for Russia

There Are Rivers in the Sky

Elif Shafak

Andrey Platonov

The Master and Margarita

Mikhail Bulgakov

Ariane: A Russian Girl

Claude Anet

Fathers and Sons

Ivan Turgenev

A Dictator Calls

Ismail Kadare

Last Dance At The Discotheque For Deviants

Paul David Gould

Russian Gothic

Aleksandr Skorobogatov

Poor Folk and Other Stories

Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The Gambler and Other Stories

Misunderstanding In Moscow

Simone de Beauvoir

Privacy Overview

While it’s the world’s largest country, bordering both Europe and Asia, as well as the Pacific and Arctic oceans, Russia is a country that most people know very little about.

Most travelers who visit Russia will tick off St Petersburg and Moscow, which, with their glittering palaces and cathedrals, are undoubtedly spectacular. But beyond these cities is a collection of ancient towns and landscapes that often lie forgotten by the rest of the world.

Urban life in Russia is a far cry from the adventure that lies further out, and it’s only here, among the icy Siberian tundra; among communities who have never seen a foreign tourist; among Nomadic desert tribes on the Mongolian border, that you’ll find the true soul of Mother Russia.

And it’s this soul that is so perfectly captured in Fabio Bertino and Roberta Melchiorre’s new book “ Destination Russia. A ship and a cat in the tundra and other extra-ordinary encounters ”.

Having recently been released in English after immense success in Italian, the book is a captivating collection of stories that takes you on a journey with Fabio and Roberta as they travel to the farthest corners of the country, discovering the treasures (and adventure) that lie beyond Russia’s increasingly westernized veneer.

Destination Russia: A Captivating Travel Read For the Intrepid Soul

An intrepid journey.

Destination Russia is the narration of a truly intrepid journey across one of the most fascinating and mysterious countries of our time. The book is a collection of short stories that follows Fabio and Roberta’s itinerary, and brings to life the human experiences they have across the country.

Each chapter revolves around encounters with ordinary people, from Moscow to the Arctic tundra; heartwarming accounts that establish the warmth of the Russian people, despite how cold their environment may appear.

There’s dinner with three generations of Russians in Moscow, which describes the food in such detail you can almost taste it, and recounts the conversations so vividly that you’re there with them at the table, diving into Soviet history with an 80 year old grandmother who has actually lived it.

There’s the story of the cat they meet in the Arctic tundra, of the man they find ice-fishing in Siberia, and of two railway workers who live their love aboard the world’s longest railway line; the Trans Siberian.

There’s insight into the lives of people who can’t afford a plane ticket, so spend an entire week on a train just for the round trip to go to work further south; of young women who so desperately cling to modern culture that they brave high heels and mini skirts even though it’s 50 below 0 out.

From meeting nomadic reindeer breeders, to leaders of indigenous Siberian tribes, this book is far more than your ordinary travel tale; it’s a book about human connection, and telling the stories of the real Russian people, which would otherwise remain untold.

The Human Connection

The human element of this book is what makes it so captivating.

Roberta speaks fluent Russian, which puts the couple at a unique advantage over most other travelers; the ease of travel when there’s no language barrier opens doors to more immersive experiences, and the pages of the book offer the type insight that you wouldn’t normally have access to as a traveler.

With the ability to visit villages where people don’t speak English, and actually communicate with locals who are just as interested in their lives in Italy, as they are of them, Roberta and Fabio’s journey offers a fascinating insight into remote Russian life.

They have a natural tendency on their travels to really engage with people; to start conversations and inquire about people’s lives; the types of food they eat, the types of music they listen to, the types of challenges they face in every day life.

This in turn sees the chapters of the book adopt an emphasis on telling people’s stories, and it’s a really interesting insight into parts of Russia that you wouldn’t normally see, as well as the lives of people who you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to communicate with.

In their account of the Trans Siberian Railway, as opposed to discussing what it’s like to travel on it, the chapter goes into detail about the lives of people on the train. The story dives into the relationships formed with fellow passengers as well as the actual people who live and work on the railway.

Here, we realize, it’s possible to encounter all of the varied humanity that populate the largest continent on earth, and this is one of the rare places where people live all together for days on end in the small space of a coach.

A Passionate Love Affair With Russia

Weaved into the human encounters are incredible stories of the small towns and rural villages they visit; the book dispels myths, and paints destinations stereotyped as grey and boring, with deep, new color, and captures your imagination with rich descriptions, and vivid storytelling.

Fabio and Roberta show us an extraordinary world through their eyes, and their deep, unadulterated love for the country spills out through their words and pages; their love affair with Russia is quite infectious, and their passion for the country quickly rubs off on the reader.

Passion drips from every word in this book, and their descriptions are often quite soul stirring. They talk of the hypnotic appeal of the endless expanse of tundra as they travel further north into the Arctic; just an empty expanse of snow; unlimited, mysterious and captivating all at the same time.

They recall how visiting Chernobyl feels as though they were the first humans to have come back since the nuclear explosion, and how this must be what the earth looks like after mankind; a ghost town overtaken by vegetation, devoid of all human life.

Their knowledge of each city’s history is in depth, and they truly manage to capture each destination’s unique personality. Their journey is a continuous discovery that unveils the true essence of a monumental country, and through their words they manage to overcome geographical boundaries to pinpoint Russia’s soul.

Russia Like You’ve Never Seen Her Before

Through visiting far flung destinations, and travelling well off the beaten path, Fabio and Roberta’s story presents a side of Russia you’ve likely never seen, or heard of before.

They tell us what it’s like to stay in a log cabin in the middle of Arctic Russia, where the walls of the main room are completely covered in the furs of brown bears, wolves, and for some reason the windows are decorated with Christmas garments all year round.

They tell us what it’s like to travel so remotely that your water supply comes from barrels because there’s no running water in the village. And how, as soon as you check in there are five or six metal shot glasses and a bottle of ‘herbal liqour’ (vodka), on the table, because it’s -2 degrees inside.

As they travel south towards the Mongolian border, the landscape changes into a lunar desert, and we learn about Russian legends that offer context for religion, trade history, and war.

In one specific chapter there are really interesting insights into the relationship between Russia and the indigenous Siberian tribes who largely still maintain their traditional lifestyle.

This is a world that is so far removed from the glittering palaces and domes of Moscow, and presents a very authentic look at a side of Russia you’ve never seen before.

Image: Sergey Pesterev / CC BY-SA 2.0 / Flickr

Start Reading It Already!

The book is a relatively quick read; it’s an easy 140 pages, and each short story has a separate identity, so you can pick up where you left off without having to re-read previous chapters.

What they pack into 140 pages is quite phenomenal; you genuinely feel as though you there on the journey with them, having the conversations they’re having, seeing the sights that they’re seeing; and after finishing the book you’re left with quite a remarkable sense of connection to a land you may not have ever visited before.

This book is for the intrepid traveler, and the adventurous soul. It is for anyone who is passionate about discovering other cultures, and connecting with people from opposite sides of the globe.

What are you waiting for? Click to  buy the book already!

Destination Russia is available on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback. It’s been a hit success in Italy, Fabio and Roberta’s home country, and I thank them for having decided to release it in English!

Check out their Facebook page ‘ Destination Russia. The travel book ‘ for daily inspiration and wanderlust, where they share photos and further stories about corners of Russia you’ve never seen.

Buy Book on Amazon

Other reader reviews:

Don’t just take my word for it – other readers LOVE this book too! Check out more reviews:

Destination Russia: A Book of Travel Stories that Bring the Enigma to Life  

by  Betsy Wuebker of PassingThru.com

Destination Russia: A Delightful Travel Memoir about the Voyage East

by Stephanie Craig of Historyfangirl.com

Review: Destination Russia By Fabio Bertino And Roberta Melchiorre

by Tamason Gamble of Travelling Book Junkie

Destination Russia: An Intriguing Collection of Travel Stories About A Fascinating Country

by Lauren Yakiwchuk of Justinpluslauren.com

Reading about Russia: A ship and a cat in the tundra

by Amanda Kendle of Notaballerina.com

Destination Russia: A Magical Travelogue About Russia Worth Reading

by Karen Turner of Wanderlustingk.com

Destination Russia: Extra-Ordinary Encounters from a Land Full of Stories

by Ashley Hubbard of wild-hearted.com

Destination Russia: Book Review

by Mar Pages of Onceinalifetimejourney.com

PRODUCTS WE RECOMMEND FOR RUSSIA: CLICK PHOTOS ↓

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Megan is an Australian Journalist and award-winning travel writer who has been blogging since 2007. Her husband Mike is the American naturalist and wildlife photographer behind  Waking Up Wild ; an online magazine dedicated to opening your eyes to the wonders of the wild & natural world.

Having visited 50+ countries across all seven continents, Megan’s travels focus on cultural immersion, authentic discovery and incredible journeys. She has a strong passion for ecotourism, and aims to promote responsible travel experiences.

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Destination Russia: An Intriguing Collection of Travel Stories About A Fascinating Country

Posted on Published: August 5, 2019  - Last updated: July 6, 2024

Categories Blog , Product Reviews , Resources , Reviews

Required reading for instant Russia wanderlust.

Have you traveled to Russia? I’ve yet to visit this alluring country. To be honest, I really don’t know much about Russia, yet it’s always intrigued me. The entire country feels shrouded in mystery. Perhaps it’s because Russia only opened itself up to mass tourism within my lifetime. Most people visit the big cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, but the country itself is massive. There’s so much that lies beyond those major destinations.

Want to learn more about traveling in Russia from those who have personally experienced the journey first hand? Enter Destination Russia: A Ship and a Cat in the Tundra and Other Extraordinary Encounters . Authors Roberta Melchiorre and Fabio Bertino put their experiences into a collection of short stories. In this Russia travel book, we gain insights into what it’s like to visit Russia as an outsider. It’s enlightening, fascinating, funny, and captivating.

This article contains affiliate links, which help run this site at no extra cost to you.

Table of Contents

Personal Tales and Connections

One of the major aspects of Destination Russia are the personal connections and recollections from traveling around the country. Some of the best travel stories come from the people we meet while we travel. Every short story centers around the authors’ encounters with the people of Russia.

In The Beauty of Petersburg , the Italian travel companions, Melchiorre and Bertino reveal a story detailing the kindness of strangers. Their encounter with a boy named Andrey back in the early 90s demonstrates how the true beauty of Petersburg lies with its people. His kindness helps the traveling couple while making his life a little more difficult, and he asks for nothing in return.

In the story, A life on the Trans-Siberian Railway , we delve into the lives of a husband and wife working on the train. He works at night, and she works during the day. While they live together in a very small space on the train, their main encounters happen during their shift changes.

The whole life of Lyudmila and her companion is permanently linked to the Trans-Siberian Railway. He is from Moscow where from Yaroslavskiy Vokzal, one of the nine stations in town, depart the trains to East. She is from Novosibirsk, boasting the biggest and most im- posing station of the whole Siberia, more than 1,864 miles from the capital. Without the railway they would have probably never met.

Historical Context

In every short story in Destination Russia, we gain some historical context about Russia’s mysterious and intriguing past. Having a basic knowledge of the history of a place or event helps us understand the present day lives of the people. I’m grateful that the authors made these historical connections to help connect the dots for those of us who might not have a great knowledge of Russian history.

For instance, A Dinner in Moscow , highlights a dinner party with Lilya Mihaylovna, an elderly Russian lady. We learn about her personal history in the context of a broader framework about Moscow and Russia’s past. It’s amazing what you can learn over a meal with a local.

The story, Visiting the Museum , illustrates a trip to the small museum of Komi culture in Vorkuta. It also details the harsh conditions of living so far to the north, with frequent closures due to the winter weather. While the snow and ice make Vorkuta nearly uninhabitable, the city also has a harsh past for its residents. From its forced labour camps in the 1930s to the internment of prisoners in the 1940s and 1950s, the only memorial that remains are small metal crosses without names, poking through the deep snow of the tundra.

My Favorite Stories in Destination Russia

It’s hard to choose a few favorite stories from Destination Russia, but I was able to identify with a few of them. The first story, Towards Belarus , demonstrates the mishaps that can happen while traveling by train between countries. What seemed like an easy journey is never quite so easy. I felt like this story resonates with anyone who has traveled by train…or who has traveled at all. Nothing ever goes off without a hitch (at least, in my experiences it doesn’t). Something always goes a little askew. For Melchiorre and Bertino, this issue almost disrupted their entire trip from Warsaw to Brest, Belarus.

And naturally, I loved the story called A Cat in the Tundra (for regular readers of this blog, I’m sure you know how much I love cats !). The story isn’t so much about a cat as it is about living in a remote village in the Arctic tundra. It seems that the entire town of 25 residents welcomed the two travelers to their home. Social life in Seyda revolves around the main shop in town where a cat also happens to live.

Buy Destination Russia

Destination Russia is a fairly quick read at 140 pages, although I feel it’s a perfect length. You can pick it up, read a story or two before bed, and put it back down. Each story is self-contained, making it easy to pick up from where you left off with a new tale. This Russia travel book is such a captivating read that you might not want to put it down until you finish the whole thing!

If you’re interested in books about Russia, travel stories, or personal tales in general, definitely pick up a copy of Destination Russia: A Ship and a Cat in the Tundra and Other Extraordinary Encounters . I was left with a greater knowledge about Russian people and their history, and I now want to pack my bags to experience this amazing country first hand.

Have you ever traveled to Russia? Do you want to?

Lauren is the full-time travel blogger and content creator behind Justin Plus Lauren. She started Justin Plus Lauren in 2013 and has travelled to 50+ countries around the world. Lauren is an expert on vegan travel as one of the very first vegan travel bloggers. She also focuses on outdoor adventure travel, eco and sustainable travel, and creating amazing travel itineraries for cities and small towns.

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World » Asia » Russia

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Last updated: July 19, 2024

We have a wide range of interviews recommending books on the history, politics and culture of Russia, and shed light on the reign of its current leader, Vladimir Putin, in power since 1999. For books to understand the Ukraine Russia conflict we turned to Harvard history professor Serhii Plokhy. For a recent book on Russia and where it's at, The Return of the Russian Leviathan by Russian academic Sergei Medvedev—who has already lost his job for writing critical of the current regime—won the 2020 Pushkin House Russian Book Prize and is a good place to start.

Looking back in time we have an excellent interview on Putin and Russian History with Edward Lucas, formerly a senior editor at the Economist, and now a security analyst. His recommendations include one of the best ever titles for a history book: It Was a Long Time Ago and It Never Happened Anyway . Our 2011 interview with British academic Simon Pirani on Putin's Russia is also an excellent insight into the late Yeltsin years and how Putin consolidated his power in his first decade.

Looking back to Russia's history ,  Andrei Maylunas chooses his best books on pre-Revolutionary Russia . Roland Chambers chooses his best books on the Russian Revolution and  Thomas Keneally chooses his best books on Revolutionary Russia . Both recommend A People’s Tragedy:  The Russian Revolution by Orlando Figes. Francis Spufford chooses his best books on Russia in the 20 th -century  and Robert Conquest chooses his best books on Communism . Robert Service chooses his best books on totalitarian Russia . Anna Reid chooses her best books on the Siege of Leningrad . We also have a selection of recommended books on Stalin and  about Mikhail Gorbachev , the final leader of the Soviet Union.

Thomas de Waal looks at conflict in the Caucasus . A number of other interviews also deal with Russia’s relationship with its periphery. Vanora Bennett chooses her best books on Chechnya and the poet, Nigan Hasan-Zadeh, chooses her best books on Azerbaijan .

On more cultural and literary themes, we have a collection of recommended Russian literature (including, among others, the best books on Solzhenitsyn, Vladimir Nabokov and Fyodor Dostoevsky . Rosamund Bartlett chooses the best Russian short stories . Books by Leo Tolstoy are some of the most frequently recommended on Five Books, attesting to the country's role in producing some of the greatest novels ever written.

Five Mysteries Set in Russia , recommended by Boris Akunin

Crime and punishment by fyodor dostoevsky, the brothers karamazov by fyodor dostoevsky, the shooting party by anton chekhov, five plays: ivanov, the seagull, uncle vanya, three sisters, and the cherry orchard by anton chekhov, captain ribnikov by alexander kuprin.

The golden age of mystery largely passed Russia by, but that doesn't mean there weren't some great crime novels produced over the last 150 years. Bestselling crime novelist Boris Akunin , who was born Grigory Chkhartishvili in Soviet Georgia and now lives in exile in London, recommends five Russian mysteries—great works of literature that happen to also have a crime at their heart. If you'd like to see Boris/Grigory in person, he's speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival on 18 March, 2024 at 6pm .

The golden age of mystery largely passed Russia by, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some great crime novels produced over the last 150 years. Bestselling crime novelist Boris Akunin, who was born Grigory Chkhartishvili in Soviet Georgia and now lives in exile in London, recommends five Russian mysteries—great works of literature that happen to also have a crime at their heart. If you’d like to see Boris/Grigory in person, he’s speaking at the Oxford Literary Festival on 18 March, 2024 at 6pm .

The Best Russia Books: The 2023 Pushkin House Prize , recommended by Ekaterina Schulmann

Overreach: the inside story of putin and russia’s war against ukraine by owen matthews, russia's war by jade mcglynn, muppets in moscow: the unexpected crazy true story of making sesame street in russia by natasha lance rogoff, places of tenderness and heat: the queer milieu of fin-de-siècle st. petersburg by olga petri, cigarettes and soviets: smoking in the ussr by tricia starks, red leviathan: the secret history of soviet whaling by ryan tucker jones.

Since its invasion of Ukraine last year, Russia has been much in the news, with many of us struggling to better understand its politics, history, society and culture. Fortunately, we have the Pushkin House Book Prize, which every year celebrates the best nonfiction written about Russia and available in English. Russian political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann , chair of this year's judging panel, talks us through the books that made the 2023 shortlist.

Since its invasion of Ukraine last year, Russia has been much in the news, with many of us struggling to better understand its politics, history, society and culture. Fortunately, we have the Pushkin House Book Prize, which every year celebrates the best nonfiction written about Russia and available in English. Russian political scientist Ekaterina Schulmann, chair of this year’s judging panel, talks us through the books that made the 2023 shortlist.

The Best Russian Novels , recommended by Orlando Figes

War and peace by leo tolstoy, fathers and sons by ivan turgenev, the white guard by mikhail bulgakov, the first circle by aleksandr solzhenitsyn, day of the oprichnik by vladimir sorokin.

They're among the finest novels ever written , often vast in their scope and ambitious in their subject matter. Some are long, others can be read in an afternoon. They're also one of the best ways of understanding Russian history. Historian Orlando Figes , author of The Story of Russia and Natasha's Dance , recommends his favourite Russian novels, from the 19th century to today.

They’re among the finest novels ever written , often vast in their scope and ambitious in their subject matter. Some are long, others can be read in an afternoon. They’re also one of the best ways of understanding Russian history. Historian Orlando Figes, author of The Story of Russia and Natasha’s Dance , recommends his favourite Russian novels, from the 19th century to today.

The best books on Ukraine and Russia , recommended by Serhii Plokhy

Ukraine and russia: from civilied divorce to uncivil war by paul d'anieri, ukraine: what everyone needs to know by serhy yekelchyk, ukraine’s nuclear disarmament: a history by yuri kostenko, ukraine in histories and stories: essays by ukrainian intellectuals, the orphanage: a novel by serhiy zhadan.

Thousands of people have been killed since 2014 in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in a war that has been rife with disinformation, misleading narratives and false flag operations. Here Serhii Plokhy , Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, recommends books to better understand the conflict, from an introductory work by an eminent historian to the latest work of some of Ukraine's leading novelists.

Thousands of people have been killed since 2014 in the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in a war that has been rife with disinformation, misleading narratives and false flag operations. Here Serhii Plokhy, Professor of Ukrainian History at Harvard University, recommends books to better understand the conflict, from an introductory work by an eminent historian to the latest work of some of Ukraine’s leading novelists.

The best books on Contemporary Russia , recommended by Edward Lucas

Internal colonization by alexander etkind, bloodlands by timothy snyder, gulag: a history by anne applebaum, lenin's tomb by david remnick, putin’s kleptocracy by karen dawisha.

Journalist and author Edward Lucas explains how a revanchist Russia can be traced back to Putin’s sense of betrayal after the collapse of the USSR

The Best Russian Short Stories , recommended by Rosamund Bartlett

The queen of spades and other stories by alexander pushkin, lady macbeth of mtsensk by nikolai leskov, master and man and other stories by leo tolstoy, about love and other stories by anton chekhov, the complete works of isaac babel by isaac babel.

In Russia, it’s often fallen to writers to challenge conventions and speak the truth, says the translator and biographer Rosamund Bartlett . She makes a personal selection of some of the most exhilarating Russian short fiction.

In Russia, it’s often fallen to writers to challenge conventions and speak the truth, says the translator and biographer Rosamund Bartlett. She makes a personal selection of some of the most exhilarating Russian short fiction.

The best books on Putin’s Russia , recommended by Simon Pirani

Godfather of the kremlin by paul klebnikov, russia’s oil and natural gas by michael ellman, labour after communism by david mandel, bourdieu’s secret admirer in the caucasus by georgi m derluguian, one soldier’s war in chechnya by arkady babchenko.

Vladimir Putin has crafted a careful narrative about his rise to power and rescuing of Russia. The trouble, says author and academic Simon Pirani , is it isn’t true. He recommends the best books on Putin's Russia.

Vladimir Putin has crafted a careful narrative about his rise to power and rescuing of Russia. The trouble, says author and academic Simon Pirani, is it isn’t true. He recommends the best books on Putin’s Russia.

The Best Vasily Grossman Books , recommended by Maxim D Shrayer

The life and fate of vasily grossman by john and carol garrard, the complete black book of russian jewry by ilya ehrenburg and vasily grossman, the road by vasily grossman, life and fate by vasily grossman and translated by robert chandler, forever flowing by vasily grossman.

The Soviet writer bore witness to the horrors of Russia's World War Two and the Shoah — and deserves a place in literary history, says scholar Maxim D Shrayer . He recommends the best books by and about Vasily Grossman.

The Soviet writer bore witness to the horrors of Russia’s World War Two and the Shoah — and deserves a place in literary history, says scholar Maxim D Shrayer. He recommends the best books by and about Vasily Grossman.

The best books on The Russian Revolution , recommended by Roland Chambers

Six weeks in russia in 1919 by arthur ransome, a people’s tragedy: the russian revolution by orlando figes, the debate on soviet power by john lh keep (editor and translator), lenin in zurich by aleksandr solzhenitsyn, history of the russian revolution by leon trotsky.

The Russian revolution was the beginning of the modern age, says award-winning author Roland Chambers . He tells us what Solzhenitsyn imagined Lenin was like, and about the children’s author who led a double life as a spy in Bolshevik Russia.

The Russian revolution was the beginning of the modern age, says award-winning author Roland Chambers. He tells us what Solzhenitsyn imagined Lenin was like, and about the children’s author who led a double life as a spy in Bolshevik Russia.

The best books on Why Russia isn’t a Democracy , recommended by Martin Sixsmith

The russian tradition by tibor szamuely, august 1914 by aleksandr solzhenitsyn, ten days that shook the world by john reed, v d nabokov and the russian provisional government, 1917 by v d nabokov.

The former BBC Moscow correspondent and author Martin Sixsmith chooses five great works on Russia's doomed democracies.

The former BBC Moscow correspondent and author Martin Sixsmith chooses five great works on Russia’s doomed democracies.

We ask experts to recommend the five best books in their subject and explain their selection in an interview.

This site has an archive of more than one thousand seven hundred interviews, or eight thousand book recommendations. We publish at least two new interviews per week.

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Books about Russia – (Travel) Memoirs, Non-Fiction, Fiction, Guidebooks

December 12, 2018 January 20, 2024 | Karin-Marijke

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“So many books, so little time.” ~Frank Zappa

1. Non-Fiction Stories about Russian People

Russia: A Short History , by Abraham Ascher

A very readable, fascinating overview of Russia’s history from its early age to modern time with a focus on the last 300 years. Updated after Putin’s third election as president it includes very recent history.

Russia, what everyone needs to know , by Timothy J. Colton

Apart from an introduction to Russia’s history, this book gives an introduction to Russia’s political climate. Colton has written  several books about Russia , so other titles may follow on my list.

The Future Is History: How Totalitarianism Reclaimed Russia , by Masha Gessen

Hopefully this book will help me understand the workings of Russia’s autocracy.

2. Stories about the Gulag System

Prisoner of the OGPU: Four Years in a Soviet Labor Camp  (non-fiction), by George Kitchin

After hearing from a couple of Russians that they doubt whether it was really that bad in the gulags, or if it did happen it needed to be done for a greater good, I figured I had some reading to do. Unable to buy the above-mentioned Gulag Archipelago, I bought this.

What can I say? It’s a harrowing story and reading it with the critical notes from locals in my mind, I’d argue that even if only ten percent were true and the rest lies or exaggerated, this kind of treatment is still unacceptable for a greater good of a country.

Journey into the Whirlwind  (non-fiction), by Eugenia Ginzburg

A critically acclaimed memoir of the harrowing eighteen years she spent in prisons and labor camps under Stalin’s rule.

One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich: A Novel  (fiction) , by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

In the madness of World War II, a dutiful Russian soldier is wrongfully convicted of treason and sentenced to ten years in a Siberian labor camp. I’d like to read  The Gulag Archipelago  as well, his most controversial work (non-fiction) but it’s not available on  Kindle .

Zuleikha , by Guzel Yakhina (fiction).

Winner of the Big Book Award, this fiction details a life in the gulag inspired by Guzel Yakhina’s grandmother’s childhood memories.

3. Travel Memoirs about Russia

Off the Rails: 10,000 km in fourteen months – Russia, Siberia, Mongolia, and China , by Tim Cope and Chris Hatherly

This story had me captivated from beginning to end. What a feat to cycle on recumbent bikes in all seasons through such wilderness. Kudos to them.

Under the Flight Path: 15,000 kms Overland Across Russia, Mongolia & China , by Simon Pridmore

A similar trip across similar countryside but travel experiences and ways of telling them are unique and so this is a different account that inspires me.

Travels in Siberia , by Ian Frazier

On the Best-Book Lists of the Washington Post, Boston Globe, and more, Ian Frazier chronicles his various trips to Siberia that includes many insights into its history and culture.

4. Fiction Books set in Russia

Rasputin’s Daughter , by Robert Alexander

A historical novel about imperial Russia’s most notorious figure of Rasputin.

The Master of Petersburg , by J.M. Coetzee

5. Classic Russian Books

War and Peace , by Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina , by Leo Tolstoy

Doctor Zhivago , by Boris Pasternak

6. Guidebooks for Russia

Travel guides for russia.

(click on the images to look inside)

Insight Guides – Russia

DK Eyewitness Travel Guides – Russia

Lonely Planet Travel Guides – Russia

Products from Amazon

Lonely Planet Travel Guides – Moscow

Trans Siberian Handbook

Lonely Planet – Russian Phrasebook & Dictionary

7. Books about Russia in Dutch

Jelle Brandt Corstius woonde en werkte in Rusland als correspondent voor Trouw en RTL Nieuws. Deze boeken gaan over zijn reizen in Rusland, zijn makkelijk te lezen en vol met leuke anecdotes die bizarre aspecten van het land laat zien op een respectvolle manier.

• Rusland voor  Gevorderden
• Kleine Landjes (over de Caucasus)
• Van Moskou tot Medan

Tips, Suggestions, Feedback?

Interested in more books about Russia? Check out this list .

Do you have suggestions on books about Russia that I should add to my list? I’d love to hear them. Feel free to share them in the comment section below or send me an email . Thanks!

Originally published in February 2018 / Updated December 2018

Books about our Favorite Travel Destinations

• Books about Central Asia, Mongolia & the Silk Road
• Books about Kazakhstan
• Books about Russia
• Books about Japan
• Books about China
• Books about Israel
• Books about Jordan

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More on Russia:

The Ferry Crossing From South Korea to Russia (+ the Car Paperwork)

A Train Journey in Russia – Riding Siberia’s BAM to Komsomolsk-on-Amur

Rough Camping along Lake Baikal (Where Are We – Russia 3)

3 thoughts on “books about russia – (travel) memoirs, non-fiction, fiction, guidebooks”.

Great post! Very inspiring and informative! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for introducing these great books, I am currently writing a travel memoir about Russia too. Any advice?

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Discovering Russia: A Guide to Safety and Respect

I magine walking through the historic streets of Moscow, admiring the grandeur of the Red Square, or traversing the vast Siberian landscapes. Russia, with its rich history and diverse culture, beckons travelers from around the world. But, like any other destination, it comes with its own set of challenges. How do you ensure you're both safe and respectful during your Russian adventure?

TL;DR: Key Takeaways

• Stay informed about the regions you're visiting and their safety levels.
• Respect local customs and traditions to ensure a harmonious trip.
• Be cautious but don't let fear deter you from exploring this magnificent country.
• Always have a backup plan, especially in unfamiliar territories.
• Engage with locals; they're your best guide to authentic experiences.

Navigating Safety Concerns

According to the Global Peace Index 2021 , Russia ranks 154 out of 163 countries, indicating a somewhat higher level of risk for travelers. This might sound alarming, but it's essential to understand the nuances behind these numbers. While certain regions might pose risks, many parts of Russia are as safe as any other popular tourist destination.

The U.S. Department of State's Level 2 Travel Advisory for Russia emphasizes increased caution due to concerns like terrorism and arbitrary law enforcement. It's always a good idea to stay updated with travel advisories and plan your itinerary accordingly.

Respecting Russian Customs

Chris Grayling, a British politician, once said, "Russia is a beautiful country with a rich history and culture, but it is also a place where you need to be aware of your surroundings and always respect local customs and laws." This sentiment is particularly true for first-time visitors. From simple gestures like greeting elders with respect to understanding religious customs, being aware can make your journey smoother.

For instance, when visiting religious sites, dressing modestly is a sign of respect. In Russia, it's customary for women to cover their heads when entering orthodox churches. Similarly, always wait for an invitation before entering someone's home and remember to remove your shoes.

Engaging with Locals: The Key to Authentic Experiences

One of the best ways to truly understand a country is by interacting with its people. Russians are known for their warmth and hospitality. While language might be a barrier in some parts, a smile is universally understood. Don't hesitate to engage in conversations, ask for directions, or simply share a meal. These interactions often lead to the most memorable travel experiences.

Understanding the Russian Soul

When you step into Russia, you're not just entering a country; you're delving into a rich tapestry of history, culture, and emotion. The Russian soul, or "Russkaya Dusha" as locals call it, is a unique blend of deep sentiment, resilience, and a touch of melancholy. It's this soul that has given the world literary giants like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, and it's this same spirit that you'll encounter in the streets of Russia, from the bustling avenues of Moscow to the serene landscapes of Siberia.

The Importance of Family and Tradition

Family is paramount in Russian culture. Don't be surprised if a newfound Russian friend invites you over for a family dinner. These gatherings are often filled with laughter, stories, and a lot of food. Traditional dishes like Borscht, Pelmeni, and Blini are not just meals; they're a celebration of Russian heritage. If you're lucky enough to be invited to a Russian home, remember to bring a small gift as a token of appreciation. It's a customary gesture and is sure to earn you extra brownie points!

Language: The Bridge to Hearts

While many Russians, especially the younger generation, speak English, making an effort to learn a few basic Russian phrases can go a long way. Simple words like "Spasibo" (Thank you), "Privet" (Hello), and "Da" (Yes) can make your interactions smoother. Plus, Russians appreciate it when foreigners make an effort to speak their language. It's seen as a sign of respect and can lead to more meaningful connections.

Deborah Green's Insider Tips

Deborah Green shares, "While major cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg are quite cosmopolitan, venturing into the countryside offers a glimpse into the real Russia. But remember, always inform someone about your whereabouts, especially if you're exploring offbeat paths."

She adds, "Public transport is efficient, but having a translation app can be a lifesaver. And yes , always carry a copy of your passport and visa. It's common for officials to check them."

Russia, with its vast landscapes and rich cultural tapestry, offers an unparalleled travel experience. While it's essential to be cautious and informed, it's equally important to embrace the journey with an open heart. After all, every trip is about making memories, learning, and growing.

Is it safe to travel alone in Russia?

Yes, many solo travelers explore Russia without any issues. However, always stay informed, avoid risky areas, especially at night, and keep your belongings secure.

Can I use credit cards everywhere in Russia?

While credit cards are widely accepted in cities, it's advisable to carry some cash when traveling to remote areas.

Are there any specific customs I should be aware of when dining in Russia?

Yes, it's polite to finish all the food on your plate as it's a sign of appreciation for the meal. Also, when toasting, it's customary to look into the eyes of the person you're toasting with.

How should I dress in Russia?

While cities are quite liberal, it's always a good idea to dress modestly, especially when visiting religious sites. In winters, ensure you're adequately layered as temperatures can drop significantly.

Is it okay to photograph everything in Russia?

While capturing memories is essential, always ask for permission when photographing people. Avoid taking pictures of military installations or other sensitive areas.

Global Peace Index 2021

U.S. Department of State - Russia Travel Advisory

Russia Beyond - Understanding Russian Customs

23 Best Books to Learn Russian for Beginners to Advanced Learners

This article may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For full information, please see the disclaimer  here .

Learning Russian beyond saying hello is a mighty but exciting challenge. To get to the finish line, some books to learn Russian are a must.

In this article, I’ll be listing the best textbooks, grammar books, audiobooks, and even storybooks for Russian learners, from beginners to advanced.

The best part? You can find all of these on Amazon so you can learn Russian from anywhere in the world.

With some hard work and dedication, you’ll start to follow along to Russian rap and understand the words of Tolstoy and Chekhov.

Let’s get started.

Editor’s note : To reach fluency faster, combine these books with apps like Babbel and Mondly , and grow conversational skills with Pimsleur . Find more options in this list of 40+ Russian learning resources .

Best books to learn Russian for beginners

A quick Google search for books to learn Russian yields so many results. But how do you find the best Russian language books in a sea of choices?

If you’re just starting, I recommend finding easy Russian books for beginners.

Start with books that teach Cyrillic script or the Russian alphabet, azbuka . Then dip your toes into Russian grammar and learn more Russian words and phrases with vocabulary books.

Good Russian textbooks will give your learning journey some structure. But you can also keep it fun and engaging with audiobooks and Russian short stories.

Books to master the Russian alphabet

1. teach yourself beginner’s russian script.

• Used Book in Good Condition
• Daphne M. West (Author)
• English (Publication Language)

A favorite amongst novices, this book introduces a great method to learn how to write and pronounce Cyrillic script.

Each chapter is accompanied by dialogue and exercises with phrases that come in handy whether you’re at a restaurant, a metro station, or need to ask for directions in Russian. 

Overall, this book is a must-have for self-taught beginners.

This book is available on BetterWorldBooks.

Why you should get this book:

• Compartmentalization of pronunciation and writing
• Best value for money as a starter’s guide
• Revision quizzes to re-assess your knowledge
• Perfect for learners who plan to visit Russia

2. Master the Russian Alphabet, A Handwriting Practice Workbook

• Workbooks, Lang (Author)
• 110 Pages – 09/11/2019 (Publication Date) – Independently published (Publisher)

Generally, the Cyrillic script comes with heavy baggage. The modern Russian alphabet has 33 letters: 20 consonants, 10 vowels, a semivowel, and two modifier letters.

It may sound disheartening but fortunately, workbooks like Master the Russian Alphabet can help you assimilate faster.

Perfect for both kids and adults, this workbook teaches the Russian alphabet with ease and lets you master the Cyrillic script the best way possible – by writing. Sure, you can type out Russian letters with a keyboard but learning to write on paper will strengthen your muscle memory.

• Upper and lower case variations of Russian letters in both print and cursive
• “Trace and Learn” sections for detailed stroke order and strengthening stroke technique
• Simple pronunciation guidelines
• Extra pages dedicated to handwriting practice

Textbooks to learn Russian

4. russian for dummies.

• Andrew D. Kaufman (Author)
• 384 Pages – 03/06/2012 (Publication Date) – For Dummies (Publisher)

Having cold feet at the daunting task of teaching yourself Russian? Then Russian for Dummies is the book for you!

This all-encompassing beginner’s guide is a perfect option to grasp the basics: learn how to count; write in Cyrillic; confess to your friend how many pounds of Borscht you ate; talk about your hobbies, and much more.

It combines fun facts about Russian culture with humor-driven text and poignant illustrations. You will learn about common phrases, favorite holidays, traditional dishes, and things that you should never do in Russia.

• User-friendly and conversational format
• Focus on oral and listening skills
• Supplemented by an audio CD with conversations
• Gives you a taste of Russian traditions and customs

5. Sputnik: An Introductory Russian Language Course

• Rochtchina, Dr. Julia (Author)
• 234 Pages – 12/20/2014 (Publication Date) – TLT Network Inc. (Publisher)

If you feel ready to dedicate yourself to the glory of the Russian language, opt for this holistic option.

A go-to book to learn Russian , it’s packed with listening, grammar, and vocab exercises. It explains the rules of grammar and sentence structures in a way that’s easy to grasp.

It also comes with accompanying audio materials that will help you improve your pronunciation skills.

• Concise and easy to read
• Includes pictures and illustrations
• Can be supplemented with a free online program

6. Complete Russian (Beginner to Intermediate Course)

• West, Dr. Daphne (Author)
• 384 Pages – 09/24/2010 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)

The Complete Series by Teach Yourself is one of the best resources for any language learner. This Russian learning book is also one of the most exhaustive books to learn Russian as it covers lessons in the four key skills – reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

Complete Russian uses authentic conversations, extensive vocabulary lists, and clear grammar explanations. It also contains lots of review sections to help beginners advance to the next level.

I love that the sample sentences and exercises present a variety of settings and situations that have cultural context, so you also build cultural awareness along the way.

• Extensive reference for verbs and glossary for vocabulary building
• Perfect for self-learners, with a tutor, or even for classroom use
• Plenty of culture notes and everyday conversations that give a flavor of real spoken Russian
• Includes an audio CD for listening practice

7. Living Language Russian Complete Edition

• Audio CD – Audiobook
• Living Language (Author)
• 368 Pages – 06/11/2013 (Publication Date) – Living Language (Publisher)

Living Language is one of the most useful books to learn Russian for serious students. True to its name, it is comprehensive and intended to take you from beginner to advanced level.

Living Language Russian Complete Edition consists of three books of increasing difficulty. In total, there are 46 lessons, review exercises, culture notes, and a grammar summary.

You also get nine audio CDs for listening practice, but you can also download these online, along with other online learning materials.

• Thorough and easy-to-grasp explanations of grammar rules, tenses, conjugations, and more
• All-in-one and multimedia resource for serious Russian learners
• Complimentary online learning materials
• Useful tips and hints on how to learn Russian fast

Russian grammar and vocabulary books

8. english-russian, russian-english dictionary.

• Katzner, Kenneth (Author)
• 1120 Pages – 12/07/1994 (Publication Date) – Wiley (Publisher)

This is an almost exhaustive dictionary that can be your Sancho Panza when you are trying to kill those grammar giants… which are just harmless modal verbs.

More than just a Russian dictionary, this book helps with conjugation and declension, imperfective and perfective versions of a verb, and even a bit of Russian spelling rules.

Best of all, it’s written in a clear and precise manner.

• Good explanations of the multiple meanings of every word
• Useful for all levels of learners, from A1 to near-experts
• Lots of Russian language bonuses

9. The New Penguin Russian Course: A Complete Course for Beginners

• Brown, Nicholas J. (Author)
• 528 Pages – 12/01/1996 (Publication Date) – Penguin Books (Publisher)

Plunging into the unknown sphere of teaching yourself Russian? Then this can be your grammar bazooka.

It’s a no-nonsense introductory Russian language textbook with concise grammar rules, readings, and exercises. It’s i deally combined with Russian learning apps for listening practice.

Whether you are a novice or a well-versed learner, this is one of the best books to learn Russian. It can help you revise the basics of Russian and build your intuition when using different grammatical structures.  

• Straight-forward with digestible instructions
• Suitable for self-taught beginners
• Focus placed on grammar and reading

10. Russian Picture Word Book: Learn Over 500 Commonly Used Russian

Words through pictures.

• Rogers, Svetlana (Author)
• 32 Pages – 06/20/2003 (Publication Date) – Dover Publications (Publisher)

Building Russian vocabulary can be tough when you don’t have context. Picture books are great because images aid memory through context and association.

One of the best books to learn Russian, this language workbook contains 15 common scenes devoted to different themes such as picnic, classroom, living room, at the beach, and more. Each scene contains familiar objects labeled in Russian.

By the time you finish the book, you’ll have over 500 terms for various objects in your vocabulary arsenal. The photos for each scene can even be colored, adding another fun element to your language learning time.

• Contains a variety of words that are used in everyday settings
• Complete list of Russian words and English translations at the back of the book
• Fun supplement to your Russian studies
• Perfect for self-learners or children

Audiobooks to learn Russian

11. pimsleur russian.

• Pimsleur (Author)
• 8 Pages – 01/01/2006 (Publication Date) – Pimsleur (Publisher)

Created by Pimsleur , this audio-focused course which can come in an audiobook form is based on the Pimsleur Method. This effective method enriches your vocabulary through spaced repetition and incorporating a manageable number of new words in different contexts.

Pimsleur Russian provides 30-minute core lessons, with digital flashcards and bonus learning materials. By the end of this Russian course, you’ll be able to understand and speak Russian confidently.

Click to: Try Pimsleur Russian absolutely FREE!

Why you should sign up for this course:

• A good tool to sharpen listening and oral skills
• Contextualized and common dialogues
• Improves comprehension through detailed instructions
• Can be combined with Russian textbooks for writing as well as the Pimsleur app

12. Learn Russian for Beginners Easily & in Your Car! Vocabulary Edition!

• Audible Audiobook
• Immersion Language Audiobooks (Author) – Boris Zavgorodnev (Narrator)
• 12/17/2018 (Publication Date) – Immersion Language Audiobooks (Publisher)

Let’s face it. Not every language learner has the luxury of time to read books and review for hours on end. But the lack of time shouldn’t deter you from learning.

Learn Russian For Beginner’s Easily & In Your Car is perfect for people who have no time because as its title suggests, you can simply listen to it in your car. Or anywhere, really.

This approximately six-hour-long Russian audiobook can help you kill your time productively while practicing your listening skills. 

This book is available on BetterWorldBooks. You can also listen for free with an Amazon Audible trial .

• Contains over 1,500 frequently used Russian words, covering several spheres of everyday life
• Ideally combined with a quality grammar book and a vocab exercise book
• Contains a PDF with the transcribed version of the audiobook
• Addressed towards intermediate learners who are comfortable reading Cyrillic text

13. Easy Russian Phrase Book: Over 1500 Common Phrases for Everyday Use and Travel

• Lingo Mastery (Author) – Denis Bates (Narrator)
• 06/18/2020 (Publication Date) – Lingo Mastery (Publisher)

Russian is a language overflowing with phonetic nuances and accent subtleties. Even if you work hard on your grammar and vocabulary, it still takes a great deal of confidence to be able to speak like a native. Audiobooks are ideal for this purpose.

This phrasebook consists of over 1,500 common phrases used in everyday conversations and native surroundings. Lessons cover a variety of topics like ordering food, medical situations, money, and more so you’ll surely go beyond the basic “thank you” and “you’re welcome” .

• Auditory lessons improve listening, recall, and build confidence to speak.
• Practical Russian vocabulary
• Introductory lessons on how to pronounce vowels and consonants in the Russian tongue
• Includes a section with learning tips

Storybooks to learn Russian

14. russian short stories for beginners.

• Lingo Mastery (Author)
• 215 Pages – 11/28/2019 (Publication Date) – Lingo Mastery (Publisher)

When Russian learning books become too academic, you can take a break by picking Russian literature. And nope, I don’t mean War and Peace . Russian novels generally won’t help beginners. Instead, I recommend starting with short stories.

Lingo Mastery’s Russian Short Stories for Beginners is a bestseller for lots of reasons. It’s relatively easy to read and compelling. And it contains realistic dialogues and common day-to-day situations.

Story summaries include text in both Russian and English, helping you to easily understand what the story is about. A list of relevant vocabulary is also included, plus questions to test you on what you learned.

Admittedly, this one’s not for absolute beginners. But as you continue learning from other resources, this can be a great additional material for review or expanding your vocabulary.

• Entertaining and realistic stories that help expand Russian vocabulary
• Includes Russian slang and sayings
• Perfect for upper beginners to intermediate learners

15. Short Stories in Russian for Beginners

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Richards, Olly (Author)
• 281 Pages – 10/04/2018 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)

In my third year of learning Russian, I surprised myself when we did an excerpt from Pushkin’s Eugene Onegin (a special recommendation for some of you who are into sonnets).

Despite not knowing most of the words, I managed to understand the gist of the story. When I studied the unfamiliar vocabulary afterward, each word represented a part of the plot, embedding its meaning in my memory. 

If this is an effective learning method for you as well, then you will certainly enjoy these eight short stories , transitioning from romantic to thriller and mystery genres.

• Contains plot summaries and a bilingual word list
• You can test yourself with comprehension questions
• Ideal for upper-beginner Russian learners

Best books to learn Russian for intermediate and advanced learners

If you’re in your second or third year of studying Russian and have somehow understood the six tricky declensions in Russian, it’s time to delve into advanced books. Maybe you can even take on books that are entirely in Russian.

Once you’ve achieved a higher level, you don’t need to limit yourself to academic materials. Whether you choose to read Russian novels, history books, or Russian travel guidebooks, you will end up challenging yourself while also developing a deeper knowledge of the Russian language and culture.

And if you ever need help, you can always look for an online Russian tutor for guidance.

Textbooks to learn Russian for intermediate and advanced learners

16. russkij jazyk: 5 elementov.

• Esmantova Tatjana (Author)
• Russian (Publication Language)
• 320 Pages – 07/20/2024 (Publication Date) – Zlatoust (Publisher)

My path to learning Russian began with this textbook .

The book is organized into a conventional teaching structure. It’s filled with real-life conversations so you can acquire essential Russian grammar and vocabulary. Exercises include writing essays, completing audio tasks, and grammar quizzes.

The little appendix at the end of the book contains all the Russian phrases and vocabulary you encountered in each chapter.

I promise that the Russian cultural references and humor in this book will make your baby steps into the world of the Russian language a lot more exciting.

• Good for building reading and writing skills
• Works well with a Russian tutor
• Useful exercises and illustrations

17. Russian: From Intermediate to Advanced

• Kagan, Olga (Author)
• 466 Pages – 08/26/2014 (Publication Date) – Routledge (Publisher)

466 pages may seem daunting but this should be fairly manageable for intermediate learners. It’s one of the best books to learn Russian if you’re in year 3 or 4 of studying.

This Russian language course focuses on developing reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills while also expanding cultural literacy. Lessons are structured around contemporary themes and use up-to-date readings and excerpts.

• Wide assortment of readings that include blogs, forums, surveys, commentaries, and audio/video excerpts
• Comes with free online resources in audio and video formats
• All-around resource for learning Russian grammar, vocabulary, and improving oral skills

Russian grammar and vocabulary books for intermediate and advanced learners

18. a comprehensive russian grammar (4th edition).

• Wade, Terence (Author)
• 637 Pages – 03/26/2020 (Publication Date) – Wiley-Blackwell (Publisher)

This is the book of books to learn Russian grammar.

This grammar book covers every subject you can imagine, organized in detailed chapters ranging from numerals to pronunciation, case usage, short and long-form adjectives, and verb conjugation.

The ebook format allows you to write down notes, highlight sections, and browse different chapters smoothly.

• Caters to English-speaking learners
• Modern reference grammar book for all levels
• Covers all topics related to the Russian language
• Plenty of ebook features that appeal to tech-savvy folks

20. Russian Tutor: Grammar and Vocabulary Workbook

• Ransome, Michael (Author)
• 224 Pages – 03/07/2017 (Publication Date) – Teach Yourself (Publisher)

If you’re a serious self-learner who wants a tighter grasp of Russian grammar rules and vocabulary, you’ll love this book.

With Russian Tutor , you can teach yourself Russian grammar and broaden your vocabulary with 200 activities that have concise explanations and real-world tasks. It also contains illustrations and infographics for extra context and practice.

What’s great is that you can follow along, unit by unit, or dip in and dip out to address your weak areas. This is easily one of the most flexible books to learn Russian while still providing intensive lessons.

• Interactive lessons allow you to advance in both Russian grammar and vocabulary
• Strengthens understanding of how the Russian language works
• Great for self-learners who need structured and engaging materials
• Bonus tutor hints and tips for learning Russian effectively, plus culture points

Alternative books to learn Russian

21. advanced russian through history.

• Rifkin, Benjamin (Author)
• 264 Pages – 01/15/2007 (Publication Date) – Yale University Press (Publisher)

Who says learning Russian should only be focused on grammar rules and vocabulary indigestion? History books, while not focused on the language, teach culture through a wide lens.

This book is an exposition of the history of Russia, starting from the times of Kyivan Rus’ and reaching up to the Post-Soviet Era. Chapters on Slavic philosophy, the activity of the Samizdat, and the position of women in the 19th and 20th-century are sprinkled throughout the book.

If you are up for a challenge and enjoy a good command of the language, this is one of the best books for you to learn Russian. Highly recommended for insatiable history buffs!

• Interactive applications, with chapters expanded by mini-lectures
• Diverse online exercises that cultivate your argumentation skills in Russian
• Multi-dimensional presentation of Russian history
• Ideal for advanced learners who want to learn more about Russia as a whole

22. Russian Folktales from the Collection of A. Afanasyev: A Dual-Language Book  

• Afanasyev, Alexander (Author)
• 240 Pages – 05/21/2014 (Publication Date) – Dover Publications (Publisher)

I don’t think that you can really take a deep dive into the Russian soul without knowing the Tale of Tsarevich Ivan, the Firebird, and the Grey Wolf or without being aware of the mythical creature Baba Yaga.

This book features new translations of stories selected from Alexander Afanasyev’s three-volume collection. Left-hand pages feature the original Russian text while right-hand pages contain the new English translation by Sergey Levchin.

These timeless tales are captivating and will no doubt earn you bragging rights.

• Provides cultural immersion in the world of Russian literature and folklore
• Gives an insight into the transformation of the language and the thought patterns of the masters of that era
• Compelling stories with good translations to aid learning

23. Cinema for Russian Conversation, Volume 1

• 196 Pages – 02/01/2005 (Publication Date) – Focus (Publisher)

Both cinephiles and movie-mortals will have a blast with this one. A book that acquaints you with the largely unchartered (for most Westerners) world of Russian cinema.

This Russian book covers 14 Russian language films from which you can learn new vocabulary and practice writing and speaking skills. It also includes structured exercises that help in understanding the film better.

The proposed films aim to spark discussions on Russian culture, reflected through the lens of Russian directors at different points in history.

• Good selection of Russian films that tackle shifting Russian norms and culture
• Allows students to combine their Russian linguistic and historical knowledge
• Exercise combinational thinking while improving oral and writing skills
• Perfect for classroom discussions

How to learn Russian fast

Download some apps

Combine these books with some of the best apps to learn Russian such as Babbel , Pimsleur , and Rocket Russian . This will transform the strenuous act of learning Russian into vocabulary-charged games of speed and memorization.

Use a language exchange app

Finding an exchange pal on language exchange apps and sites like HelloTalk or Tandem is one of the best investments for learning Russian. This way, you can receive immediate feedback on your sentence structure, declension, and verb conjugation. You can also ask for constructive corrections on written assignments and messages.

Even better, study Russian with the guidance of an online tutor on italki or Preply .

Watch Russian movies and listen to Russian music

I will make a confession. I have an unhealthy addiction to Soviet Patriotic songs. Also, I have been recently falling into a rabbit hole of Russian Cold War spy movies.

All in the name of learning Russian, of course. So, I’d suggest obsessing away on Russian pop, rock, or rap (or even join the Cold War comrade club).

You can always indulge yourself with movies like Ivan the Terrible (1945), Brother (1997), Russian Ark (2002), and Battle for Sevastopol (2015). You can also learn from Russian TV shows and movies on Lingopie .

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KidsTravelBooks

10 fun facts about Russian culture for kids

1. russia is the largest country in the world..

At 6.6 MILLION square miles, Russia is the largest country in the world by land size. Compare that to the second-largest country in the world, Canada, which sits at 3.9 million square miles. Or the United States (which according to some sources is the third largest, and other sources has it at the fourth largest) which is 3.6 million square miles.

Russia is a huge country. It also covers 11.5% of the earth.

2. Russia is the ninth largest country in population.

The population of Russia is 145.9 million people, which is far below the most populous countries of China (1.43 billion people) or India (1.37 billion people. The United States is the third most populous country at 329 million people.

What’s even more interesting is that because Russia is so large, it’s not as crowded as other places. For example, the most densely populated country, Macau, has 21,000+ people per square kilometer. Russia only has 9 per square kilometer. The United States has 35.

The most populated city in Russia is its capital, Moscow. It’s is the 21st most populated city in the world at 12. 5 million people.

The second most populated city in Russia is also the 49th most populated in the world – St. Petersburg. Over 5.4 million people call it home.

Many of these facts come from World Population Review .

3. Russia’s landscape is made up of 5 natural zones and 6 topographical zones.

These zones help explain why Russia isn’t more populated they are:

• The tundra – treeless, arctic area
• The taiga – forest
• The steppe – plains
• The mountains
• The arid – dry

The 6 topographical zones are often referred to in the following:

• Ural Mountains: separating Europe and Asia
• Western Siberian Plain: home to some of the world’s largest swamps
• Central Siberian Plateau: composed of several plateaus
• Sayan and Stanavoy Mountains: where the world’s largest lake, Lake Baikal, is located
• Caucasus Mountains: Alps-like mountains and location of the highest point in Europe, Mount Elbrus
• Northeast Siberia and Kamchatka: known for its volcanoes, both active and inactive

4. Lake Baikal is the world’s oldest and deepest lake. And, to me, the world’s most fascinating.

Here are some interesting Lake Baikal facts:

• Lake Baikal is estimated to be 25 million years old.
• It holds almost 20% of the world’s fresh water supply.
• The water is so clear, you can sometimes see up to 130 feet down.
• It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Fun youtube videos to watch with kids about Lake Baikal

5. UNESCO loves Russia. There are almost 40 Russian sites inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage list.

The first two cultural sites to be inscribed were in 1990. The Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow , which has been the political center of Russia since the 13th century and is one of the most recognizable sites in Russia, is the more popular one. The other, Kizhi Pogost , is a set of churches from the 1800s built on an island in Lake Onega.

Including Lake Baikal, there are 11 natural sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The most recently added natural site is the Central Sikhote-Alin . This is a mountain range with an interesting collection of flora and fauna.

Read about these here .

6. Russia has one UNESCO City of Literature, the city of Ulyanovsk.

Considering this is a website dedicated to travel books for kids, I think it’s always important to point out UNESCO Cities of Literature . Ulyanovsk sits closer to the border of Kazakhstan and is almost 12 hours away from the Russian capital of Moscow.

Many famous Russian writers have called the city home. There are book-related sites and events that are updated on their website . One cool event is the annual Literary Tram . Riders tour the city while listening to texts of famous authors.

7. The Russian alphabet uses the Cyrillic script and has 33 letters.

Here they are:

The Russian alphabet uses a Cyrillic script . While some of the letters seem very similar to the letters we’re used to, their sounds are actually quite different than what we’d expect.

Take a moment to listen to the song below and see how many letters actually make the same sounds we’re familiar with in English.

Related: Children’s book about Rechenkas Eggs

8. The Russian National Anthem, State Anthem of the Russian Federation, uses the same melody as the USSR National Anthem.

They use the same melody, but, of course, different words. The anthem is played at the beginning and end of every broadcasting day on both the television and on the radio. It’s also played after the president’s New Year’s Eve address.

You can listen to it below:

9. There are 8 national holidays in Russia.

And they are as follows. As you see some are similar times to how we celebrate them, some are slightly different.

Some of the holidays have links to YouTube videos of the celebrations or more information about how the holiday is celebrated.

10. Famous Russians and children’s books about them.

Let’s take a look at some of famous Russians and some of the books written about them.

Marc Chagall

Marc Chagall was considered Russian-French, although he was born in Belarus. He worked in various styles and his artwork is available in many major art museums around the world.

Vasya Kandinski

This Caldecott Honor Book highlights the life of Moscow-born, abstract artist, Vasya Kandinsky. He’s especially appreciated by the Guggenheim Museum .

Yuri Gagarin

Russia-born Yuri Gagarin was the first person in space. The date of his flight, April 12, is Cosmonaut Day in Russia and other former USSR countries. The UN has also declared it the International Day of Human Space Flight.

Leo Tolstoy

Leo Tolstoy was a Russian-born author known for some of the world’s greatest literature. One of his best-known books is War and Peace. The book to the side, The Three Questions is not a book about Leo Tolstoy, but a picture book based on a story by Leo Tolstoy.

Peter Tchaikovsky

Peter Tchaikovsky was a Russian-born composer who wrote the music for what would become some of the most famous ballets of all-time, including Swan Lake and the Nutcracker. See below for a spotify Tchaikovsky play list.

There are so many more great Russians, than the above list of books would imply. So, I’m going to direct you to a few lists to help you find stories that might interest your family:

• 100 Russian Artists
• 10 Successful Russians
• Famous Russians

Tips for experiencing hands-on Russian Culture for kids

Obviously traveling to Russia is the quickest way to learn about Russia. But it’s not the easiest.

Sharing the facts above, reading children’s books set in Russia, and using the printable at the bottom of the page are other ways to help. But, it’s not enough.

So, to give a more hands-on experience without hopping on an international flight, try these ideas:

Purchase some fun Nesting Doll items

I love searching on Etsy for fun cultural finds. Here’s a link to their selection of Nesting Doll items .

Check out Russian Museums

Check out local museums. Many museums across the country have Russian artists on permanent or temporary exhibit. There are also museums dedicated to Russian art. Here are some in the U.S.:

• The Museum of Rusian Art in Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Museum of Russian Icons in Clinton, Massachusetts
• MoRA: Museum of Rusian Art in Jersey City, New Jersey
• Russian Cultural Center in Washington D.C.
• Museum of Rusian Culture in San Francisco, California
• Russian Heritage Museum in Brooklyn, New York

Join a Russian Organization or attend a Russian Festival

Many major cities have cultural organizations celebrating a specific country. Search for one in your community. They’ll often host events.

One particularly large organization is the Russian American Foundation . They’re based in NYC, and, while the focus on NY-area events, they may be able to help find something closer to home.

Hot Tip: Check out the list of Russian holidays above. They’re a good guideline as to when organizations may host celebrations.

Try Russian food via restaurants and shops

Another thing you may be able to find locally is either a Russian restaurant or shop. You may need to widen your area of focus to Eastern Europe cuisine, but within that circle, you should be able to find a Russian meal to try. I know our local European grocery store offers a variety of Russian options.

You can also shop online. Here are two options: RussianFoodUSA and Skazka Russian Food .

Cook Russian food with kids

If you can’t find a reliable local restaurant option, cook the food at home. I think this is a wonderful way for kids to learn about other cultures – through their stomach via hands-on cooking.

Here are some Russian cookbooks:

Russian Culture for Kids Printable

I created this free download to coincide with the 10 Russian culture facts for kids section of this post. Just another way to give children more opportunities to learn about Russia. (Click on the image to download)

More sources for Russian culture

There’s so much more about Russia culture for kids that I know I’m missing. Please take the time to learn about Russian ballet , sports in Russia , or add a stop to one of the most Russian places in the U.S on your next trip. Don’t forget to check out children’s books set in Russia and bookmark Russian children’s books where I’ll update all my Russia culture posts in the coming months.

What are your thoughts?

What cultural things did you find interesting in Russia? Have you travelled there with your kids? Let me know in the comments.

Do you want to join other like-minded families who are interested in learning about other cultures via books and travel? Join our Facebook Group . I approve new members daily. It’s still small but growing.

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A concerted effort to preserve our heritage is a vital link to our cultural, educational, aesthetic, inspirational and economic legacies –  all of the things that quite literally make us who we are. - Steve Berry

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Democrats Seek Criminal Investigation of Justice Thomas Over Travel and Gifts

The senators said the Supreme Court justice’s failure to disclose lavish gifts and luxury travel showed a “willful pattern of disregard for ethics laws.”

By Maya C. Miller

Reporting from Washington

Two top Democratic senators have asked the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation of Justice Clarence Thomas for possible violations of federal ethics and tax laws.

Senators Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island and Ron Wyden of Oregon sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland last week asking that he appoint a special counsel to investigate Justice Thomas’s failure to disclose lavish gifts , luxury travel , a loan for a recreational vehicle and other perks given to him by wealthy friends.

The request further intensified efforts by Senate Democrats to scrutinize Justice Thomas’s conduct at a time when they are trying to force Supreme Court justices to comply with stricter ethics and financial disclosure rules.

“We do not make this request lightly,” the senators wrote in a joint statement. “Supreme Court justices are properly expected to obey laws designed to prevent conflicts of interest and the appearance of impropriety and to comply with the federal tax code.”

“No government official should be above the law,” they added.

Specifically, the senators asked that a special counsel investigate whether Justice Thomas violated federal ethics and tax laws by failing to disclose as income the $267,000 he received in forgiven debt for a luxury R.V.

The senators wrote that Justice Thomas had “repeated opportunities” to explain his failure to disclose the gifts to the Senate Finance Committee, of which Mr. Wyden is the chairman, as well as the Judiciary Committee’s panel on federal courts, which Mr. Whitehouse leads.

They also accused Justice Thomas of showing a “willful pattern of disregard for ethics laws,” behavior that they said surpassed that of other government officials who have been investigated by the Justice Department for “similar violations.”

A spokeswoman for the Supreme Court did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Maya C. Miller covers Congress and is a Times Fellow , a program for journalists early in their careers. She is based in Washington. More about Maya C. Miller

Our Coverage of Congress

Here’s the latest news and analysis from capitol hill..

Biden’s Age Concerns: President Biden has yet to do what many Democrats on Capitol Hill said he must to show he is up to remaining in the race. But so far, they are doing nothing to nudge him aside .

The Aging Senate: Senators have had plenty of practice watching colleagues hold stubbornly onto their positions of power as they grow old. None wants to lead a public call  for  Biden to withdraw.

Merrick Garland: The House defeated a Republican measure that would have imposed a $10,000-a-day fine on the attorney general  for refusing to turn over audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with a special counsel.

Justices Alito and Thomas: Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, introduced articles of impeachment  against the two justices , accusing them of improperly failing to disclose gifts from wealthy benefactors and to recuse themselves from certain cases.

​​McCarthy’s Revenge Tour: Kevin McCarthy, the former House speaker, has spent much of his time, energy and money since leaving Congress trying to defeat the Republicans who cost him his gavel .