Vitali Vitaliev Books

Russia's smallest report (Vitali) meanders around Europe's smallest countries

Welcome to this compendium of interesting, unexpected and downright bizarre geographical anomalies that are guaranteed to delight and inspire. The world is full of little-known facts that have sometimes been a source of diplomatic or military struggle. Many still exist under the radar now to be revealed by this entertaining treasure trove.

One would assume that with the collapse of Communism, East Europeans would drink much less than before. A democratic society should surely be able to provide many more means of escape than alcohol – books, free press, foreign travel and the cornucopia of consumer goods. The reality, however, is very different; drinking in the post-communist Eastern Europe has increased dramatically since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and most of the new democracies of Europe came top of the list of the world’s fastest-growing nations following the fall of the iron curtain. Coincidence? Paradox? Curious historic aberration? Or a logical result of years of social turmoil, lies and double standards that have created a vacuum in people’s souls, a spiritual emptiness which spirits alone can fill? Vitali Vitaliev spent eleven months trying to answer these questions travelling around Eastern and Central Europe, a journey through drinks – vodka and beer, palinka and slivovitz, zubrovka and Riesling, Tokaji and cabernet sauvignon. The result is this book: a sharp and sardonic travelogue that is both informative and very, very funny.

Ein tiefer Einblick in die russische Gegenwart anhand einer raffinierten Kunstraubstory.

Fesselnde Reportagen aus dem kriminellen Untergrund der sowjetischen Gesellschaft heute.