eShop USA > Books > The Exile: Sex, Drugs, and Libel in the New Russia
The Exile: Sex, Drugs, and Libel in the New Russia
Customer Reviews
Rating:  - great read
great read on the seminal newspaper the Exile. much recommended. DO NOT buy this book from the other sellers listed on the site. the fact that they are trying to make an unreal profit undermines what i believe to be the disgust the authors have for the u.s. itself. [...]
the other sellers should be ashamed. it's people like you that make it easy to hate, as natural as it may come.
Rating:  - On the Money
I am a lawyer from las vegas, that traveled to moscow, russia, numerous times to host a business venture. After my first trip, i came across this book and was startled to realize that Ames is on the money with his description of Moscow. Anyone planning a trip to Moscow, must read this book. It is an easy read and really allows the reader to gleen an inside to the beauty behind the beast that is Moscow.
Rating: - A Hilarious and Compelling Read
You'll be disapopinted and wishing for more when this book ends. You will want to read more of the exploits of the eXile and its two fearless leaders, Ames and Taibbi, and fortunately you can at www.exile.ru. I learned about the eXile while reading Taibbi's book Spanking the Donkey about the 2004 election. Since discovering it, the eXile has been a tremendous way to pass the time at work. Despite finding much of what they describe of Russian life terrifying and disturbing it has not tempered my desire to visit the country as soon as possible.
Also, if you enjoy the writing of Hunter S. Thompson you will definitely enjoy reading the exploits of Ames and Taibbi. They seem to be carrying the torch, albeit a dim one, into the twenty-first century. It is a sad commentary on our consolidated, witless, boring media that some of the most interesting reporting by young writers has to be found in an independent newspaper in Mosocow of all places! The eXile would probably not get published in our "land of the free."
Rating: - Outstanding Work
This book is a must read for anyone that desires understaning of russian societal mores. Mark Ames particularly does an absolutely wonderful job with his gloomy delivery explaining Moscow sex, drug and media scene throughout the 90s. I must warn you, this is not your typical narrative about what has transpired but an actual account of first hand experiences that he went through. It is not by any means pretty, but it was reality.
The other half of the book is written by Taibbi, which has a drastically different approach to writing style. His is more 'conventional' with less biased opinions and oriented mostly around facts re politics and media. I personally prefer a dark account of the world from the eyes of Ames but this is a question of preference.
This book is not for the faint of heart, it goes deep into the male psych and examines our primal instincts as they related to various vices such as sex and drugs. If you are a women, and get easily offended I suggest you passover this book for a new release by Dan Brown. Although, if you think you can withstand some unconventional wisdom as it pertains to the expat female scene you will throughoughly enjoy this.
I think this book is a great read for anyone planning on traveling to russia and getting a 'beyond the surface' understanding on the people and their rationality. Having been to Russia numerously I think little has changed since the book was written.
Rating: - Dirty. So dirty.
I fear that my eyes will get a non-negligible STD every time I read the eXile. Worth the risk? Your call.
Featured Listmania!
| |
 |
