Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible

The Surreal Heart of the New Russia

By: Peter Pomerantsev

Narrated by: Antony Ferguson

Length: 8 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

In the new Russia, even dictatorship is a reality show.

Professional killers with the souls of artists, would-be theater directors turned Kremlin puppet-masters, suicidal supermodels, Hell's Angels who hallucinate themselves as holy warriors, and oligarch revolutionaries: welcome to the glittering, surreal heart of 21st-century Russia. It is a world erupting with new money and new power, changing so fast it breaks all sense of reality, home to a form of dictatorship far subtler than 20th century strains, that is rapidly rising to challenge the West.

When British producer Peter Pomerantsev plunges into the booming Russian TV industry, he gains access to every nook and corrupt cranny of the country. He is brought to smoky rooms for meetings with propaganda gurus running the nerve-center of the Russian media machine, and visits Siberian mafia-towns and the salons of the international super-rich in London and the US. As the Putin regime becomes more aggressive, Pomerantsev finds himself drawn further into the system.

Dazzling yet piercingly insightful, Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible is an unforgettable voyage into a country spinning from decadence into madness.

©2014 Public Affairs (P)2016 Audiobooks.com Publishing

Fascinating

An interesting way to tell the story of the rapid changes (and their impact) in Russia.

Understanding Russia after the USSR

Would you listen to Nothing Is True and Everything Is Possible again? Why?

This would be a book I would listen to again, it helps paint a picture of the simulated reality in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the issues that persist socially from Communist rule of the past.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Had the British accent that was needed to complete the feel of the book, along with a Russian accent.

Rare Insight into Russia

This is a fascinating account of documentary producer's experience working at a TV network investigating stories, balancing happy ones with more grouping ones work the goal of looking balanced and entertaining viewers.

He produces a polished piece, we get to hear the back stories which reveal an often sinister reality, something like what you might expect if the mafia ran the government with nefarious skill with image and media. You learn much about country and culture, in the context of young suicidal models, gold diggers, high rollers, an EST-like cult, capricious arrests, and sinister characters almost everywher the stories took him.

It's beautifully written, with great metaphors and sharp observations, very effective turns off phrase. There narrator has a great speaking voice until he tries an accent -- and there are a lot of direct quotes: women, Russian male, American.. It's cringe-worthy but hang in there, you get used to it. He just tries too hard.

This was a nice find. I'm immediately buying his new book: This is not Propaganda.

Captivating !

I have been in and out of Russia since 1972 and still I found new insightful perspectives on the workings of this country and its people. A must-read! The narration is as compelling as this fabulous view behind a country and cultural not easily known.

Very Interesting and cool-fast read, very fun!

What a crazy ride through modern Moscow this gives you and frankly it just shows you how its just as nuts as some of the big cities here in America

Superb

The Author is an excellent writer. Through his portrayal of the lives of a variety of ‘ordinary’ Russian citizens, he portrays the ‘atmosphere’ of what living in today’s Russia is really like. His story is sad and tragic to me, but the clever way in which he describes certain situations and characters made me laugh out loud. I loved Antony Ferguson’s narration. He’s superb!

Revealing and entertaining portrait of what it’s like to live in Russia in the current era

An excellent follow-on to Adam Curtis’s BBC-TV epic, “TraumaZone”, covering 1985-1999; and before that, Zubok’s “Downfall”, on the last years of the USSR.

Great story, horrific ‘performance’

This is an important and illuminating look at early days of the Putin system, a useful perspective on why the system does what it does, and the cyclical relation of Russian culture and power.

The ‘performer’ - ie narrator - is a complete joke. His fake accents are first funny, then ludicrous. He spent zero time attempting to learn any russian names or words. He mispronounces nearly every one, from Ostankino to Volodya. It’s a painful listen for someone who speaks Russian.

Anthony - it’s insulting. Pls stick to romance novels.

I wonder how Pomerantsev fell into this trap.

really enlightening and scary

It is an excellent telling of how media and politics interact and then how money gets involved. really makes one think about why we believe what we believe.

Con-man state of mind...

An eye opening book. Corrupt. Everyone is lying. Everyone is trying to con everyone else. Everyone is screwing over everyone else. A worthy read.

Solid narration.