Midnight Diaries
Yeltsin, Boris, and Valentin Yumashev. 2001. Midnight Diaries. Phoenix (an Imprint of The Orion Publishing Group Ltd ).
Rating:
6
Summary:
Interesting, though biased and limited to just Yeltsin’s perspective
The book covers highlights from Yeltsin’s tenure as the President of Russia. It does not cover his political life prior to his election as President nor does it cover his tenure in great detail. In fact, most of the book is made up of Yeltsin’s health problems and his post-presidential thoughts on the state of Russia. Several historical events that are highlighted include: his decision to resign as president; his relationship with Vladimir Putin; his involvement in making Russia a full-member of the G8; and his views on the conflict in Serbia.
Review:
First, let me just say that I found this book very interesting. I wasn’t sure what to expect was quickly engaged by the book primarily because it offers a very different perspective from what I’m used to – a former leader of Russia is writing very clearly (though not particularly eloquently) about his views on how the world works and his intentions while the leader of Russia. I had never been privy to this perspective and found it enlightening. That this is clearly a unique perspective becomes apparent when Yeltsin strongly criticizes the U.S. for its policies isolating Russia – especially after the fall of the U.S.S.R. – when it would have been in the world’s interest for the U.S. and Russia to develop stronger relations. The U.S. government discouraged trade with Russia among countries with which it had relations and still maintains something of a trade embargo with Russia. If I were the president of Russia, I wouldn’t look particularly favorably on the U.S. either.
Another engaging aspect of the book is that it allows for peeks inside Yeltsin’s private life. He talks a great deal about his family (more on his patriarchal views below) and his past times. He mentions that his net worth is about 8 million rubles (on 10/30/2004, that was only $280,000.00). I was surprised that he wasn’t wealthier, but he wanted to make it clear to the press that he had not benefited financially from his political career. Yeltsin also talks about some of his quirks. Apparently he used to be a big drinker. As I didn’t follow politics much while he was in power (1990s), I don’t recall the incident when he directed a symphony drunk, but apparently it caused quite a stir. I think my favorite personal note on Yeltsin is the fact that he likes to drive golf carts straight at trees and swerve at the last minute. He gets so close that he’s even had his personal guards bail out on him before. Hilarious!
As for the problems… First, the book is obviously biased. Yeltsin doesn’t present alternative perspectives and he certainly doesn’t paint anything he ever did in a bad light, including his deceit of the Russian people when he suffered a heart attack just before the election in 1996 and didn’t let the press or the people know. Somehow I don’t see that as honest, even if the party he was trying to defeat was the Communist Party. If your only source for information on Yeltsin is this book, you’re going to come away thinking he was a virtual saint, never having done anything wrong, ever. As far as the literary aspects of the book go, this is the only criticism I have. The rest of the criticisms are of Yeltsin and his policies, beliefs, and values.
I was appalled at Yeltsin’s anti-religion stance. Basically, religious liberties came to a head at a certain point during his presidency (I think 1998ish) and when the Russian Parliament tried to pass a law relaxing restrictions on new religions in Russia, Yeltsin opposed it. The basis for his opposition was that the Orthodox Church was against it. Yeltsin’s logic basically went like this: the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Russia said it would threaten their monopoly, so Yeltsin opposed it. Somehow he failed to see that the Orthodox Church wanted to maintain their monopoly and therefore wanted Yeltsin to oppose the legislation. Yeltsin admits he was stuck because most modernized countries encourage religious freedom and if he vetoed the bill he’d be criticized by the world community. So, he compromised by amending the bill and then passing it, even though he didn’t want to. It’s apparent he doesn’t think very highly of New Religious Movements (a.k.a. cults) like Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Hare Krishnas, etc. I’d be fine with that if he disliked all religions equally, but to somehow not recognize the drive towards monopolizing the religious market of Russia just stinks of ideological blindness.
Yeltsin also talks extensively about his views on family. He’s a strict, conservative, traditional, family man, but conflicted in this view. He seems to want his daughters to get good educations but then wants them to leave their jobs once they marry. However, one of his closest political advisors is his daughter, who seems to work full-time for him. I didn’t really understand it all that well, but he is unabashed in his support for his wife basically pampering him and doing whatever he wants her to do (e.g., cooking, cleaning, ironing his suits all night, etc.). This didn’t raise my estimation of him.
Overall, I’m mixed on this book. It’s interesting because it shows Yeltsin’s human side and his personal perspective on Russian politics. Yet it’s obviously biased and I certainly disagree with Yeltsin on a number of points. It was worthwhile reading, but perhaps accompanied by a more objective biography the biases would fall away and a clearer image of this now historic figure would emerge.
