Russia: The Essential Guide to Customs & Culture (Culture Smart!)

Spanning 11 time-zones, The Russian Federation is the largestcountry on Earth by some margin. Over three quarters of itspopulation reside in the smaller Western segment, geographicallydivided from the rest of the nation by the Ural Mountains. Manywriters and thinkers have attempted to outline and illustrate thepsyche of its peoples, putting emphasis on pride, asceticism andpassion, but also a kind of indifference. With its tumultuous andmystifying past, contemporary Russians are often seen asunpredictable and somewhat cold, but beneath their hard exteriorthere are countless layers of warmth, dependability, sincerity andgenerosity. So how do you disassemble this matroyshka façade?One contributing factor is Russia’s fluctuating identity, Peterthe Great shook off the dust of the Slavic past by initiating amore European dress style and ordering the removal of beards.Later, Slavophiles swept up the remains and opposed westernisation,creating a deeply divided nation. This ideological disunion has ledto flourishing periods of creative expression, with some of thebest literature, art, and classical music the world has tooffer.Culture Smart! Russia offers you an insight into the workings ofa deeply complex nation and peoples, and will fill both touristsand businessmen/women alike with the confidence to thrive. It willgive you an overview of Russian history and culture past andpresent, and how to communicate with Russians, while allowing youto embrace their quirks and idiosyncrasies.