*ONLINE* Thinking On Sunday: Assignment Moscow – Reporting on Russia from Lenin to Putin

** At the time of announcement this is an ONLINE only event — however, we may in the future also make physical tickets available. If this becomes possible we will announce it here. Please register for an online ticket using the “Book Now” link **

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The story of western correspondents in Russia is the story of Russia’s attitude to the west. Russia has at different times been alternately open to western ideas and contacts, cautious and distant or, for much of the twentieth century, all but closed off. From the revolutionary period of the First World War onwards, correspondents in Russia have striven to tell the story of a country known to few outsiders. Their stories have not always been well received by political elites, audiences, and even editors in their own countries-but their accounts have been a huge influence on how the West understands Russia. Not always perfect, at times downright misleading, they have, overall, been immensely valuable.

In his book Assignment Moscow, former foreign correspondent James Rodgers analyses the news coverage of Russia throughout history, from the coverage of the siege of the Winter Palace and a plot to kill Stalin, to the Chernobyl explosion and the Salisbury poison scandal.

James Rodgers writes books on international affairs, especially armed conflict. His work has a focus on how the stories of those events are told to the world. Much of his writing draws on his own experience reporting from the former Soviet Union and the Middle East as a journalist from the 1990s onwards. During his BBC career (1995-2010), James completed postings in Moscow, Brussels, and Gaza where, from 2002-2004, he was the only international correspondent based in the territory. His numerous other assignments included New York and Washington following the September 11th attacks; reporting from Iraq in 2003 and 2004 during the United States-led invasion; and covering the wars in Chechnya.

LINKS FOR FURTHER INFO:

Website:  https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/assignment-moscow-9780755601158/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloomsburyPublishing

Twitter:  @BloomsburyBooks

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** This talk will be held online using the Zoom application (available for PC, Mac, iOS and Android). A link to join the talk will be sent to ticketholders on the day of the event. **