One would assume that with the collapse of Communism, East Europeans would drink much less than before. A democratic society should surely be able to provide many more means of escape than alcohol – books, free press, foreign travel and the cornucopia of consumer goods.
The reality, however, is very different; drinking in the post-communist Eastern Europe has increased dramatically since the fall of the Berlin Wall, and most of the new democracies of Europe came top of the list of the world’s fastest-growing nations following the fall of the iron curtain. Coincidence? Paradox? Curious historic aberration? Or a logical result of years of social turmoil, lies and double standards that have created a vacuum in people’s souls, a spiritual emptiness which spirits alone can fill?
Vitali Vitaliev spent eleven months trying to answer these questions travelling around Eastern and Central Europe, a journey through drinks – vodka and beer, palinka and slivovitz, zubrovka and Riesling, Tokaji and cabernet sauvignon. The result is this book: a sharp and sardonic travelogue that is both informative and very, very funny.

Borders Up!: Eastern Europe through the bottom of a glass

VITALIEV, Vitali

Travel

Thrust Books

Acclaimed writer Vitali Vitaliev takes a personal journey through Europe's forgotten enclaves, tiny fragments of countries cut off and completely surrounded by another. Stuck for centuries between two different cultures, currencies and (at times) languages, each enclave features fascinating idiosyncrasies of everyday life, making these geographical and historical anomalies perfect destinations for an inquisitive, knowledge-hungry traveller.An enclave in his own right, Vitaliev, a Ukrainian-born Russian with Australian and British citizenship, travels in search of his own elusive identity and in search of what makes Europeans truly unique. He goes to Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Holland, Switzerland, Italy and Austria, setting out just as the European identity is being imposed from Brussels through the Euro.A renowned investigative journalist, Vitali was able to uncover the roots of the current EU crisis 14 years ago, just when the Euro was being introduced. This makes his book extremely topical and surprisingly up-to-date, particularly now that campaigning has started in earnest for Britain's EU referendum, making a convincing, yet witty and non-didactic, case for Brexit.

Passport to Enclavia: Travels in Search of a European Identity

Europe

A unique perspective on 21st century Irish cultural identity, delivered in a style rich with his typical sardonic wit. Ukrainian-born Vitali Vitaliev, an award-winning travel writer and journalist, uses his outsider's perspective to recount his Irish adventures. A renowned cultural observer, he muses on the nation's quirks and stereotypes, whilst his reference to mid-19th century guide books provides an insightful historical comparison. The result is an affectionate if slightly perplexed portrait of a nation in transition.Vitali's time in Ireland coincided with the period of the now dead and buried 'Celtic Tiger' yet the author saw no sign of it. At times, he recounts, "I was ready to believe that its very existence was a myth, a creation of the lazy journalists' and inept economists' imagination." Daily life in the Republic of Ireland, he observed, was more reminiscent of that in a third world country, rather than of a modern industrial and financial 'mini-giant' - as it was at that time being described by the world media. "During my travels, I developed a chronic dislike for the elusive and intrusive Tiger. It simply did not fit with Ireland's pristine landscape and even less so - with the nation's poetic soul."Ukrainian-born Vitali Vitaliev, an award-winning travel writer and journalist, uses his outsider's perspective to recount his Irish adventures. A renowned cultural observer, he muses on the nation's quirks and stereotypes, whilst his reference to mid-19th century guide books provides an insightful historical comparison. The result is an affectionate if slightly perplexed portrait of a nation in transition.Reviews of Vitali's Ireland: "This is a book that will perplex and infuriate some but appear quite humorous to others . . . Eccentric guide to a land of contradictions . . . A rather eclectic mixture of farce, travel guide and personal observation . . . This book should be required reading for those executives who run our tourist authorities."Colin Lenihan, Minister for Integration, in The Irish Times"Slightly eccentric and highly enjoyable . . . Slightly cranky, sometimes bewildered, often meandering back across his life and generally highly entertaining, Vitali's Ireland is very much an outsider's look into our country. If he doesn't know what to make of us, it is maybe because he is viewing us at a junction where we don't know what to make of ourselves."Dermot Bolger, in Sunday Business"Vitali is big hearted, broad minded and smart as a whip . . . A Ukranian-born Russian exile whose worldwide perambulations have produced a string of fine, intelligent works of idiosyncratic reportage, this somewhat unusual visitor offers a valuable gift to us Irish readers: The outside perspective . . . Vitaliev wanders the 32 counties like some kind of gormless, amiable pilgrim, half-Mr Bean, half-Socrates. . . . (His) observations on the folly of the Northern conflict are heartbreaking in their simplicity and world-weary resignation . . . I could fill this paper with quotable extracts"Hugh Tynan, in the Irish Examiner Weekend

Vitali's Ireland: Time Travels in the Celtic Tiger

The Bumper Book of Vitali’s Travels: Thirty Years of Globe-Trotting (1990 – 2020)

Travel Writing

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Books by Thrust Books

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Thrust Books publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Borders Up!: Eastern Europe through the bottom of a glass

Passport to Enclavia: Travels in Search of a European Identity

Vitali's Ireland: Time Travels in the Celtic Tiger

The Bumper Book of Vitali’s Travels: Thirty Years of Globe-Trotting (1990 – 2020)