Philip Marsden writes excellently using his pen as a paintbrush - painting unique and lively images of everyday life in Russia amongst mystics and spirit-wrestlers. This book is written with love and magic. It is in itself - an small miracle.


Facinating view of a corner of Russia today   August 8, 2000
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Marsden travels in a country ravaged by communism seeking out individuals with a connection to the pre Bolshevik past. In doing so, he describes parts of the vast area bordered by the Black Sea, the Caspian and the Caucasus, observing, barely influencing, but bringing it to us in such light and sensitive prose that the you can smell the oil of the icons and the dust of the steppes. A wonderful book about one of the lesser known edges of Europe in a period of transition.


Chockingly perfect!   November 14, 1999
 6 out of 7 found this review helpful

Marsden tip toes gracefully through fairytale steppe landscape south of the river Don and from the first page to the very last he draws you breathlessly into this fascinating ancient world, he describes the cultures he encounters with a complete openminded and nonjudgmental mind and with a poetic language so fluffy, effortlessly written,embroidered as the sentences are in lacy textures so much so that it sometimes feels that he has given wings to his words.Pure and immaculate. This is how all travel writing should be, opening peoples minds with tantalizing aromas instead of the arrogant sneering and sniggering that seems to dominate travel books these days!