Russia experienced two traumatic revolutions during the 20th century, the first in 1917 bringing the Bolsheviks to power and ultimately ushering in the era of the Soviet communist state. The second in late 1991 saw the rapid dismantling of the Soviet empire, the demise of the communists as the dominating force in Russian and eastern European politics and the installation of Boris Yeltsin as the first elected president of a reborn Russia.Twenty years on from Yeltsin's revolution, this book is a keenly observed, personal account of experiences while living and working in Russia during the period of Yeltsin's presidency and the early Putin years. Informative and entertaining, it provides a fascinating insight into the political, economic and social life of the country and describes some of the challenges faced by ordinary Russians trying to face the transition from the total control of communism to an unfamiliar, unbridled capitalist system. A broad mix of events, others happy or mysterious, sit alongside interesting glimpses of the frustrations of day to day life across Russia at the time.