A Terrible Country

Episodes

EpisodeFirst
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0120190311

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother.

His older brother Dima has left the country in something of a hurry after his bid to run a network of gas stations on a new highway was rejected. It had been Dima who used to keep an eye on their grandmother but now, as Andrei once again fails to secure an academic job in the US, it falls to him to take his turn.

Baba Seva is approaching 90. She is a former professor who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during which she lost her beloved dacha. She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is, and he in turn indulges her in endless games of anagrams, at which she excels.

Andrei learns to navigate Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends, including an attractive and serious young activist named Yulia. But he remains an innocent abroad, a young man with no experience of Putin's Russia or indeed of the real world beyond the petty grievances and feuds of academia.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Russia to care for his 89-year-old grandmother.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0220190312

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother.

His older brother Dima has left the country in something of a hurry after his bid to run a network of gas stations on a new highway was rejected. It had been Dima who used to keep an eye on their grandmother but now, as Andrei once again fails to secure an academic job in the US, it falls to him to take his turn.

Baba Seva is approaching 90. She is a former professor who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during which she lost her beloved dacha. She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is, and he in turn indulges her in endless games of anagrams, at which she excels.

Andrei learns to navigate Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends, including an attractive and serious young activist named Yulia. But he remains an innocent abroad, a young man with no experience of Putin's Russia or indeed of the real world beyond the petty grievances and feuds of academia.

In Episode 2 Andrei tries sort out his grandmother's medical regime, but comes to realise that her patchy memory is a symptom of dementia.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei gets to know his grandmother and meets some of his brother's friends.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0320190313

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother.

His older brother Dima has left the country in something of a hurry after his bid to run a network of gas stations on a new highway was rejected. It had been Dima who used to keep an eye on their grandmother but now, as Andrei once again fails to secure an academic job in the US, it falls to him to take his turn.

Baba Seva is approaching 90. She is a former professor who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during which she lost her beloved dacha. She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is, and he in turn indulges her in endless games of anagrams, at which she excels.

Andrei learns to navigate Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends, including an attractive and serious young activist named Yulia. But he remains an innocent abroad, a young man with no experience of Putin's Russia or indeed of the real world beyond the petty grievances and feuds of academia.

In Episode 3, Andrei learns some of his grandmother's reasons for describing Russia as "a terrible country".

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei learns how to navigate Moscow as he tries to care for his elderly grandmother.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0420190314

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother.

His older brother Dima has left the country in something of a hurry after his bid to run a network of gas stations on a new highway was rejected. It had been Dima who used to keep an eye on their grandmother but now, as Andrei once again fails to secure an academic job in the US, it falls to him to take his turn.

Baba Seva is approaching 90. She is a former professor who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during which she lost her beloved dacha. She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is, and he in turn indulges her in endless games of anagrams, at which she excels.

Andrei learns to navigate Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends, including an attractive and serious young activist named Yulia. But he remains an innocent abroad, despite his return to his homeland he is a young man with no experience of Putin's Russia or indeed of the real world beyond the petty grievances and feuds of academia.

Episode 4. A visit to a Moscow nightclub does not go well.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei meets his brother's tenants, who live in the apartment next door.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0520190315

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother.

His older brother Dima has left the country in something of a hurry after his bid to run a network of gas stations on a new highway was rejected. It had been Dima who used to keep an eye on their grandmother but now, as Andrei once again fails to secure an academic job in the US, it falls to him to take his turn.

Baba Seva is approaching 90. She is a former professor who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during which she lost her beloved dacha. She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is, and he in turn indulges her in endless games of anagrams, at which she excels.

Andrei learns to navigate Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends, including an attractive and serious young activist named Yulia. But he remains an innocent abroad, a young man with no experience of Putin's Russia or indeed of the real world beyond the petty grievances and feuds of academia.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei has been invited to give a talk at a bookshop.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0620190318

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother - a woman who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during she lost her beloved dacha.

She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is.

Andrei learns to navigate Putin's Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He looks after his elderly but surprisingly sharp grandmother, finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends - including a beautiful young activist named Yulia.

In Episode 6, Andrei's luck is on the up, as he finds a wifi signal - and possibly a girlfriend.

Capturing with a miniaturist's brush the unfolding demands of family, fortune, personal ambition, ideology, and desire, A Terrible Country is a compelling novel about ageing, radical politics, Russia at a crossroads, and the difficulty - or impossibility - of actually changing one's life.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei has told Yulia how he feels about her at a party. And he has finally found wifi.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0720190319

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother - a woman who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during she lost her beloved dacha.

She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is.

Andrei learns to navigate Putin's Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He looks after his elderly but surprisingly sharp grandmother, finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends - including a beautiful young activist named Yulia.

In Episode 7, the October Group is mobilised to take action. Andrei is unsure whose side he should be on.

Capturing with a miniaturist's brush the unfolding demands of family, fortune, personal ambition, ideology, and desire, A Terrible Country is a compelling novel about ageing, radical politics, Russia at a crossroads, and the difficulty - or impossibility - of actually changing one's life.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

The October Group tries to help a comrade who has fallen foul of the law.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0820190320

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother - a woman who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during she lost her beloved dacha.

She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is.

Andrei learns to navigate Putin's Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He looks after his elderly but surprisingly sharp grandmother, finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends - including a beautiful young activist named Yulia.

In Episode 8, Andrei's brother, Dima, calls him about selling the apartments.

Capturing with a miniaturist's brush the unfolding demands of family, fortune, personal ambition, ideology, and desire, A Terrible Country is a compelling novel about ageing, radical politics, Russia at a crossroads, and the difficulty - or impossibility - of actually changing one's life.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei is busy doing translations, and he is now officially in the October Group.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

0920190321

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother - a woman who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during she lost her beloved dacha.

She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is.

Andrei learns to navigate Putin's Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He looks after his elderly but surprisingly sharp grandmother, finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends - including a beautiful young activist named Yulia.

In Episode 9, a warm Moscow summer seems perfect, but the economy is in crisis. Russia slides into turmoil.

Capturing with a miniaturist's brush the unfolding demands of family, fortune, personal ambition, ideology, and desire, A Terrible Country is a compelling novel about ageing, radical politics, Russia at a crossroads, and the difficulty - or impossibility - of actually changing one's life.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

As Andrei and his friends enjoy the Moscow summer of 2008, Russia slides into turmoil.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.

1020190322

In the summer of 2008 as the global financial crisis erupts, Andrei Kaplan moves from New York to Moscow to look after his ageing grandmother - a woman who survived the dark days of communism and witnessed Russia's violent capitalist transformation, during she lost her beloved dacha.

She welcomes Andrei into her home, even if she can't always remember who he is.

Andrei learns to navigate Putin's Moscow, still the city of his birth but with more expensive cars and coffee. He looks after his elderly but surprisingly sharp grandmother, finds a place to play hockey, a cafe to send emails from, and eventually some friends - including a beautiful young activist named Yulia.

In Episode 10, Andrei's brief incarceration might have had some unexpected benefits for his career, but this is by no means a good outcome for his relationship with the October Group.

Capturing with a miniaturist's brush the unfolding demands of family, fortune, personal ambition, ideology, and desire, A Terrible Country is a compelling novel about ageing, radical politics, Russia at a crossroads, and the difficulty - or impossibility - of actually changing one's life.

Written by Keith Gessen
Read by Trevor White
Abridged by Jill Waters and Isobel Creed
Produced by Jill Waters
A Waters Company production for BBC Radio 4

Andrei's future is decided. Written by Keith Gessen and read by Trevor White.

An academic leaves New York for his native Moscow to care for his ageing grandmother.