Arkady OstrovskyBesprekingen

Une très précise analyse de la montée (du montage) en puissance d'une Russie auto fantasmée.½

Goes beyond the simple reconstruction of the chain of events and provides ample explanation and analysis of possible motivations and reasons behind the current state of Russia.

Russia has always needed a new project, a novel undertaking, or a new war to divert the attention of the people from their economic misery, and to unite them under the aegis of their strongman leader. TV was there to provide the fake news to spark revanchism, nationalism, antisemitism, and hatred of the West.

How things went wrong in Russia, with the failure of democratic reformers to put in a structure that could survive the transfer of power. Very few heroes here.

The Invention of Russia is a comprehensive and compelling look at the way that media played a role in the fall of the Soviet Union, the wild 90s, and the rise of Putin's New Russia. It's a very interesting look at matters that have suddenly become highly relevant, with the events of 2016. Begining with the Krushchev era, the book shows how intellectuals and the media both reflected public opinion and molded it. We also watch its awkward relationship with the government, sometimes in opposition, sometimes in its pocket. The author has a theory about generational change in Russian society that does seem to at least have a kernel of truth. Whether or not this will actually be able to stop Putin and his ideological allies remains to be seen. Russia is a mess, but the state puts on a strong front and distracts its citizens with glorious victory. Anything than have the people realize just how far behind they've fallen as they did in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. But while war can bring cohesion, it can only work for so long. Only time will tell what the future holds for Russia, its people, and its media.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in current events, Russian and/or Soviet history, or media studies. The book was actually originally published in 2015 with a different subtitle, but has been given a new preface for the 2017 paperback edition that ties in Putin's election manipulations and the rise of fake news to the books overall narrative about the relationship between Russians, their government, and their media.

The Invention of Russia is severely misrepresented by its book jacket, probably intentionally. The book is primarily about political changes in Russia from 1980 to 2000 *as reflected in the Russian media landscape.* (A short chapter is added to the end that jumps forward to 2014 and the invasion of Crimea.) Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin all exist in the book, but their entourage is barely present except when they appear on TV. The angle is certainly a unique one, but it's hard not to feel like it makes the book somewhat superfluous. Certainly the media played a key role in both the collapse of the Soviet Union and the rise of Putin, but Ostrovsky makes it sound like it was the only factor and, conversely, that the loss of independent media was also the major loss for Russians under Putin. This seems to give outside importance to the media in both directions.

Ostrovsky also falls victim to a number of blind spots common to Western neo-liberals (Ostrovsky writes for The Economist) when writing about Russia. Gorbachev is well-intentioned but unprepared, the liberals under Yeltsin, however bad, are assumed to be the best chance Russia ever had at democracy, and Putin is a nefarious KGB agent who seeks control of the country almost as soon as he is handed the reins to power. It is not that these portrayals are wrong, exactly, but they exist largely unjustified by the content of the book itself. Why did Yeltsin become so unpopular so quickly? Why did Putin remain so popular if he is as authoritarian as the book claims? These facts are mentioned in the book but never explained beyond some very broad reasoning -- basically, control of the media amounts to control of public opinion. But this raises its own questions -- if Ostrovsky believes that people are so dim-witted and uncritical as to accept whatever the media puts in front of them, what does that say about prospects for democracy, in Russia or anywhere else? Was Russia chasing a mirage all along?

Thorough overview of the media in the last 30 years -from Gorbachev to Putin. Very well done although assumes a knowledge of Russian historical events and recent history.

"Author, Arkady Ostrovsky is a Russian-born journalist who has spent 15 years reporting from Moscow, first for the Financial Times and then as bureau chief for The Economist.....(from book cover)

Arkady Ostrovsky proposes the answer to the question
What happened to the promise of the late 80's and early 90's Russia?
Parameters like foreign affairs, politics and economy do not
give the complete narrative.

Media was seen as a "prism for Russia's post Soviet transformation."
Idealogues and oligarchical activity promoted words, ideas and images that often conflicted with actual reality.

The television literally came first and reformation of country
was to follow.
Reading, you'll see how oligarchs, ideologues and television rebuilt Russia.
Acknowledgments, notes,"dramatis personae" and bibliography
are extensive.

I found Ostrovsky's chronicle to be a clear explanation of the fall of the Soviet Union and the rise of Vladimir Putin.

5 ★

(I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway)