Title: A brown man in Russia: Lessons learned on the Trans-Siberian
Author: Vijay Menon
Pages: 232
The world is fighting against a pandemic. People are tied to their homes for an unpredictable period. As a travel enthusiast, it is a dreadful period which no one wants to remember. But books can rescue anyone from any danger. Travel memoirs are one of my favorite genres because thry let me travel without leaving my home. I adore them. From the title itself, we can deduce that this is a journey of a brown man to Russia via trans-Siberian.
From the first page itself the author is calling the readers to join this journey with him. His parents were keen to inculcate an unconditional love for travel in him from a very young age. He was a 5-year-old boy who received National Geographic magazine as a Christmas gift. Here he is now planning to travel across Russia through Trans-Siberian railway to Mongolia to celebrate Christmas along with his Duke friends and this too in the heart of winter! The journey was not smooth, it has its ups and downs. But the author has managed to tell a travel story with a pinch of humor.
His unquenching thirst for adventure is the most striking part of this memoir. Perhaps it is the core that drives this story alone. But you can’t blend adventure with unpreparedness. It was something that I didn’t approve of. As a traveler it is essential to know and prepare for your journey especially if you are going to a totally strange country. But if I think about this from a new perspective, I can find some sort of adventure in it. Vijay’s struggle in Russia with language and people might be a lesson for some and adventure for some others. Anyway he managed to narrate his experience flawlessly.
I believe that only the writing skill can rescue an author in a travel memoir. The ability to narrate travel experiences without losing their underlying emotions, let alone drive the story. Apart from the portrayal of the scenic beauty of Russia through words, I liked the element of honesty and friendship he has. They made this journey even more sweater. If a reader can give his undivided focus to this memoir, then he could experience a beautiful journey with these friends through Trans-Siberian to enjoy a Mongolian Christmas.
Reccommended for every travel enthusiasts out there.
Rating:5/5
The Ultimate Reviewer 