A refreshing, polemic-free view of Russia

published 15 March 2017

As recently as 15 years ago, many still believed that Russia would become a benign liberal democracy. Today, it is regarded as an international pariah. In his new book, journalist Peter Conradi looks at the blunders that thwarted the reformers, and led to a renewed resurgence of nationalism.

Much of what is written about Russia is "warped by polemics", says John Thornhill in the New Statesman. So it's "refreshing" to read "so well-written and dispassionate an account". The book could have done with a bit more "colour and sizzle", says Edward Lucas in The Times. But it neatly debunks many "myths and misapprehensions". Overall, this is a "sober and skilfully constructed" book that emphasises that "it was not just Russia that lost a sense of purpose and status after 1991", says Arkady Ostrovsky in The Sunday Times. The West also suffered from "a striking lack of vision, imagination and strategic thinking" in its failure to help Russia adjust to a new world.

Subscribe to MoneyWeek

Subscribe to MoneyWeek today and get your first six magazine issues absolutely FREE

Get 6 issues free

https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/mw70aro6gl1676370748.jpg

Sign up to Money Morning

Don't miss the latest investment and personal finances news, market analysis, plus money-saving tips with our free twice-daily newsletter

Matthew graduated from the University of Durham in 2004; he then gained an MSc, followed by a PhD at the London School of Economics.

He has previously written for a wide range of publications, including the Guardian and the Economist, and also helped to run a newsletter on terrorism. He has spent time at Lehman Brothers, Citigroup and the consultancy Lombard Street Research.

Matthew is the author of Superinvestors: Lessons from the greatest investors in history, published by Harriman House, which has been translated into several languages. His second book, Investing Explained: The Accessible Guide to Building an Investment Portfolio, is published by Kogan Page.

As senior writer, he writes the shares and politics & economics pages, as well as weekly Blowing It and Great Frauds in History columns He also writes a fortnightly reviews page and trading tips, as well as regular cover stories and multi-page investment focus features.

Follow Matthew on Twitter: @DrMatthewPartri