Putin's Labyrinth: Spies, Murder, and the Dark Heart of the New Russia, by Steve LeVine (TPB, 2009, $2.50)
"LeVine portrays the growth of a 'culture of death'- from targeted assassinations of the state's enemies to the Kremlin's indifference when innocent hostages are slaughtered. Interviews with eyewitnesses and the families and friends of these victims reveal how Russians manage to negotiate their way around the ever-present danger of violence and the emotional toil that this lethal maze is exacting on ordinary people. The result is a fresh way of assessing the forces that are driving this major new confrontation with the West."
Read this book to have a sense of what it was like to live in Russia 4 years ago, and then ponder how things have changed since Putin announced his intention to run again for president. Mass protests in Russia? Who would have thought it possible even a year ago! Look for this book on the new non-fiction table, avail. 12/28.
(Later: Russ.)
