Conversations With Valeria

by Robbie Strachan

At a time of Russian-led conflict, the peculiar similarities between the Scots and the Russians are a testament to how ordinary people the world over have so much in common.

A blend of memoir, travelogue, and popular history, Conversations with Valeria is an idiosyncratic exploration of modern Moscow, full of insights into both Russian and Scottish culture. 

Unlike most contemporary writing about Russia, which typically focuses on high-level Kremlin politics and international affairs, the author is drawn as much to what’s curious and amusing as conventionally significant. Moscow’s iconic landmarks and tourist sights are here, but so too are unfamiliar oddities, along with the many quirks of ordinary Russian life. 

While embracing an eclectic range of topics, from drunken airline pilots, city ghosts, and Soviet-era football, to a modern-day Rasputin, the book offers serious reflections on Russian history, literature, and contemporary life.