Ukraine to scale 1:1
Oleh KryštopaNon-fiction
Finished on 13.12.2021
My thoughts
One of my favorite experiences when reading a book, be it fiction or nonfiction, is the ability to visit and experience places and cultures I am otherwise very ignorant of. Not only is it fascinating to find out new things, but in a way it's also a great way to build empathy. Quite often it can remind me that people all over the world have similar struggles, aspirations and thoughts.
I have always been interested in Russian literature and although Ukraine is not Russia some writers from Ukraine get lumped into the same bracket. This generalisiation resulted in my ignorant conflation of the two cultures, now hopefully addressed. The Ukraine which is well represented in this book, is one which probably more than any other post Soviet country, still has to deal with its recent history daily. As the author himself discusses. it is a country that is both; a new nation of Ukranians and, for some people, still part of the USSR even though that in itself no longer exists. It is within this duality that most of the reportage in this book takes place.
Kryštopa, who has a journalistic background, takes us with him on his many trips around Ukraine. These trips sometimes unfold as retellings of his time as a documentary maker but also come as little snippets from his own less professional experiences during his travels. The subjects covered are varied, from the fate of the people around Chernobyl, to the strange national tensions in Crimea. Particularly powerful reportage comes from areas that have been hit by terrible flooding, we later find out that local and government corruption greatly exacerbated the loss of life and damages done to property. Other harrowing accounts come from a story about a merchant sailor who is abandoned by his company, again due to political turmoil, and the plight of his widow who is trying to seek justice.
This is a stark portrait of a nation which is still finding its place in the world, but is at all times unable to shake the corruption and greed left over from the old regime, which sadly seems to be on the rise again. The author however does believe in a better future and his affection for his people and his country keep us from despair. The people in this book are humble, real and at times harsh, as is the land they occupy. Perhaps the only small shortcoming is the quality of some of the smaller more personal chapters, which, although they add some nice details, can feel a little thin at times, which for me made the book drag in certain places.
I have always been interested in Russian literature and although Ukraine is not Russia some writers from Ukraine get lumped into the same bracket. This generalisiation resulted in my ignorant conflation of the two cultures, now hopefully addressed. The Ukraine which is well represented in this book, is one which probably more than any other post Soviet country, still has to deal with its recent history daily. As the author himself discusses. it is a country that is both; a new nation of Ukranians and, for some people, still part of the USSR even though that in itself no longer exists. It is within this duality that most of the reportage in this book takes place.
Kryštopa, who has a journalistic background, takes us with him on his many trips around Ukraine. These trips sometimes unfold as retellings of his time as a documentary maker but also come as little snippets from his own less professional experiences during his travels. The subjects covered are varied, from the fate of the people around Chernobyl, to the strange national tensions in Crimea. Particularly powerful reportage comes from areas that have been hit by terrible flooding, we later find out that local and government corruption greatly exacerbated the loss of life and damages done to property. Other harrowing accounts come from a story about a merchant sailor who is abandoned by his company, again due to political turmoil, and the plight of his widow who is trying to seek justice.
This is a stark portrait of a nation which is still finding its place in the world, but is at all times unable to shake the corruption and greed left over from the old regime, which sadly seems to be on the rise again. The author however does believe in a better future and his affection for his people and his country keep us from despair. The people in this book are humble, real and at times harsh, as is the land they occupy. Perhaps the only small shortcoming is the quality of some of the smaller more personal chapters, which, although they add some nice details, can feel a little thin at times, which for me made the book drag in certain places.