Return to Russia

Heinz Lathe & Günter Meierling

Published by Galley Press, hardcover with dustjacket, illustrated

Russia from the front seat

If anyone imagines that the old Russia has been totally erased by the new, or contrariwise that things are in many ways what they used to be, this book should remedy matters by its portrayal of truth assuming her customary position somewhere in between.

Return to Russia is a highly entertaining book in which the authors meet many sympathetic and refreshing people—the ordinary ' Russians—and the reader may perhaps be forgiven a feeling that he has, in some cases, met their grandfathers in the pages of Gogol's Dead Souls.

At the same time this is a factual account of a car journey undertaken by two Gerrnan journalists in the spring of 1958, following the usual authorized tourist route in their Diesel saloon, not specially equipped for rough travelling. They sought to discover what the unofficial traveller might expect to find by way of facilities at any season.

The difference between the normai journey to Moscow and the Crimea and the authors' was that theirs was covered earlier in the year than is usual, before the snow had completely melted. However, most of the hardships encountered were no novelty to the authors, both veterans of Hitler's Eastern campaign.

Since 1957 the number of tourists to Russia from the United Kingdom has doubled each year and doubtless this fascinating country will continue to attract more and more sightseers in the future. The authors' descriptions of accommodation available and of their encounters on the seemingly endless road to the east are practical and detailed enough to make the book a helpful item of equipment to the private tourist to western Russia and the Caucasus.