Flying Alligators & Empty Shovels Book

The adventures of two middle-aged Americans with no foreign language or international experience who left the U.S. behind to witness first-hand the breakup of the Soviet Union and all that followed. The story chronicles forging a life in Siberia and other remote locations in Russia, and the resulting bonds with the Russian people and their way of life. Coupled with this are the memoirs of three treasured Russian co-workers, which provide a unique window into the Soviet Union's downfall and the changes and associated impacts that continue to result. Reflections upon personal views and aspirations-from both our and our Russian colleagues' perspective-on Russia's evolving way of life during such a fertile yet tumultuous period completes the narrative. The lives of ordinary people undergoing such extraordinary times, as told by those who experienced it first-hand.