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Adventures in Post-Soviet Ukraine
by Sophie Pinkham
A distinctive writer's fascinating journey into the heart of a troubled region.
Ukraine has rebuilt itself over and over again in the last century, plagued by the same conflicts: corruption, poverty, substance abuse, ethnic clashes, and Russian aggression. Sophie Pinkham saw all this and more in the course of ten years working, traveling, and reporting in Ukraine and Russia, over a period that included the Maidan revolution of 2013–14, Russia's annexation of Crimea, and the ensuing war in eastern Ukraine.
With a keen eye for the dark absurdities of post-Soviet society, Pinkham presents a dynamic account of contemporary Ukrainian life. She meets - among others - a charismatic doctor helping to smooth the transition to democracy even as he struggles with his own drug addiction, a Bolano-esque art gallerist prone to public nudity, and a Russian Jewish clarinetist agitating for Ukrainian liberation. These fascinating personalities, rendered in a bold, original style, deliver an indelible impression of a country on the brink.
Black Square is necessary reading for anyone who wishes to learn not only the political roots of the current conflict in Ukraine but also the personal stories of the people who live it every day.
"Starred Review. First-rate reporting, research, and writing in a debut that will make readers care as much as the author does." - Kirkus
"Rich and fascinating ... Pinkham's look at Ukraine is accessible and comprehensive." - Publishers Weekly
"The two sections will draw different readers. The first half will hold those interested in travel, NGOs (nongovernmental organizations), and a glimpse at their oft-ignored underbelly while the discussion of the Maiden protests will draw in everyone from casual readers to news junkies and beyond." - Library Journal
"[Pinkham] is a unique and fascinating guide to the post-Soviet generation…honest, clear, and deeply humane." - Financial Times
"Essential reading. What makes Black Square superb, to my mind, is Pinkham's keen eye for the dark comedy and tragedy that mark so many of her subjects. Her portraits of individual Ukrainians and Russians are as rich and nuanced as her synthesis of their national histories and politics. The result is a book whose literary achievement will outlast its timeliness." - Anthony Marra
"Black Square is as elegant, suggestive, ominous, beautiful, and deceptively simple as, well, a black square. Perhaps the only thing more impressive than the sheer number and diversity of people Sophie Pinkham has spoken to is how deftly she has woven their stories into a single compulsively readable narrative." - Elif Batuman
"Sophie Pinkham is a wry, erudite observer of human foibles, political illusions, and funny hats. In Ukraine and its complex and tragic confrontation with Russia (and itself), she has found the perfect subject. Anyone who wants an explanation of Ukraine's recent history that goes beyond Kremlin propaganda and Western media oversimplification should read this book." - Keith Gessen
"An empathetic and deeply humanizing look at troubled times and dangerous, revolutionary days." - Peter Pomerantzev
"Black Square is a sharp-eyed portrait of Ukraine in post-Soviet times - funny and moving, sad and slyly ironic by turns." - Tony Wood, author of Chechnya: The Case for Independence
"Black Square is a remarkable historical memoir: humane, shocking and full of brilliant insight. Sophie Pinkham never succumbs to easy judgement. Her book is essential reading for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the tragic and dangerous confrontation between Ukraine and Russia." - Rachel Polonsky
This information about Black Square was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Sophie Pinkham's writing on Russia and Ukraine has appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, n+1, the London Review of Books, and Foreign Affairs, among other publications. She lives in New York.
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