A Russian Journal

I ended up wishing I could see more of Capa's work and hear less of John's meanderings.

It seems they got to the heart of the issue and away from the Potemkin villages as much as possible.

Reads as a Russian Travels With Charley.

I liken this bit of photo-journalism to Hemingway's A Moveable Feast. Rather than Parisian cafe's Steinbeck and photographer Robert Capa travel to and within Russia in 1947 with the intent to debunk misconceptions about Russian people held by Americans at that time. To capture the typical, everyday life of Russians; the type of food they eat, clothes they wear and schools they attend, all while keeping a perfectly neutral view.
Steinbeck and Capa traveled to Moscow, Ukraine, Stalingrad and Tiflis, Georgia. Along the way they were treated generously by farmhands and sometimes suspiciously by others but always with an over abundance of food, vodka and wine. Their conversations were enlightening and their fears similar to those back home.
Steinbeck's conclusion is heartfelt and just as relevant 70's years hence as he states, "...the most dangerous tendency in the world is the desire to believe a rumor rather than to pin down a fact."

Some good things about this book:

- No amount of previous WWII books and documentaries had made me "see" the devastation the Nazis caused in the east as this book has. The scarred earth full of trenches and craters in the former front lines, the ubiquitous metal skeletons being recycled into Soviet tractors and cars, the long lines of Germans POWs moving rubble ... the marks on the belts showing the improving conditions and the harsh past years.

- The take on censorship and generally working under the Soviet institutions is eye opening, think bureaucracy not fighting you but itself and making everyone who dares come near its victim.

- The love for partying of both Steinbeck and Capa, plus the numerous quirks of the latter, will never let the smile disappear form the reader's face.

Bad things ... I cannot think of anything I didn't like.

Overall a good book. Steinbeck and Capa have a great chemistry going on that flows throughout their travels. Robert Capa (the photographer) writes a small chapter of his disgust and annoyance (more of a rant in form of a letter). It sheds some light and humor on the trip and gives a perspective different from Steinbeck. I enjoyed the dynamic between the writer and the photographer and the styles of personality that shine through while traveling in such a drastic difference of culture. They clashed, worked together and bonded.

The information gathered is unlike any other, being more of a human nature. More of a documentation viewing the life of the Russian people, not the politics. Pieces of it bored me and I found myself dragging but as I was dragging I found my interest being perked in the next section with something just as interesting. This made me easily like the book, writing and content. The bits that were dull were dreadfully dull but the interesting bits are more then enough to make up for it.

Steinbeck does a wonderful job telling the story with a varied eye. I believe this is why I find myself on this roller coaster, he makes sure there is something for everyone and doesn't miss a beat on anything he sees or experiences. It is a very thorough account of the travels. The photographs alone tell a wonderful tale and aid in the story, putting you right there and keeping you wondering about the life and times of the Russian people after the war.

Some of my favorite bits were about the obsession the Russians have over soccer (as in most Europeans). They have a great passion for the game. Point in case:
"The only really heated argument we heard during our stay in Russia concerned Soccer". I also particularly liked the parts about Georgia and the Georgians and I now find myself wanting to visit that part of the country very badly. Not to forget that I now have a desperate need to visit and try all the food that he writes about. Yum!

This book reminded me why I love Steinbeck's books so much. His tone, his warm and quiet humour, his ability to be wise without being a cultural snob, his humanity. For me he is the best writer ever. And his journal from his trip , together with Robert Capa, to Russia right after WWII, is a very, very good read. Most readers of Steinbeck skip his non-fiction. My strong advice: Don't... And even if you're not already a Steinbeck fan, read it anyway. A Russian Journal is a rare glimpse of Stalin's Russia as seen through the eyes of two rather apolitical artists meeting the Russian people. not the rulers.

Steinbeck's travels around officially sanctioned USSR with Robert Capa.