In Search of Melancholy Baby

This travelogue/memoir starts out strong and hits a wall around page 120. From then on, the book sinks into discussions (rants?) about feminism, racism, and other sentiments. Written in the first person, Aksyonov refers to his initial trip to the US, it's effect on his Soviet citizenship and work,

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and walks the reader through his emigration to the US. Traveling with his wife, the first hundred pages paint a funny and real picture of America, how Americans consider Russians everywhere from a Texas diner to a Washington DC dinner party. There are great stories and jabs at Communism. Written before the fall of Communism, and when the Soviet State still existing, the references to the State are easily ignored as the truths are timeless. Only slightly narcissistic, the author is happy to poke fun at himself at other times. A wonderful work before it groans away from interesting stories and into fluff.

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