Passport to Enclavia: Travels in Search of a European Identity

"Compelling."—The Scotsman

"Vitaliev has an irrepressible sense of humour."—Guardian

"Never less than compelling. . . . A penetrating analysis of a continent grappling with manifold dilemmas. Vitaliev is, as always, a great travelling companion."—Douglas Kennedy, author of The Pursuit of Happiness

What does national identity mean? The answer lies not in the usual definitions, but in Europe's forgotten enclaves—tiny fragments of one country cut off and completely surrounded by another. Stuck for centuries between different cultures, currencies, and (at times) languages, each is resplendent with idiosyncrasies. Passport to Enclavia is an homage to Europe's marvellous diversity.

An enclave all of his own, Vitali Vitaliev, a Ukrainian-born Russian Jew with Australian and British citizenships, set out on a personal quest to find out what really defines the European continent, just as a uniform identity—in the guise of the Euro—was being imposed from Brussels, a state he dubs EU-SSR.

Part of the proceeds from Passport to Enclavia go to The Foundation for Endangered Languages, which works to protect and promote endangered languages.

Vitali Vitaliev, the Soviet Union's first investigative journalist, was forced to defect from the USSR by the KGB in 1990. Well-known in the West for his TV and radio appearances, Vitaliev has published nine books in English and has been translated into a number of foreign languages. He has contributed regularly to national and international newspapers such as the Guardian, The European, The Daily Telegraph, and The Australian, and he has made several TV documentaries.