Bastard Republic

"""In his deeply satisfying Bastard Republic, Tyrone Shaw discovers a new world within our own, entire countries that seem to have slipped off the geopolitical map and into the deep crevasse of post-Soviet fallout. He plunges us into this obscure region with a vitality and verve that awakens us to its struggles and its improbable, bursting humanity. Again and again Shaw's sharp-eyed prose conveys the rich complexity, the mystery, and-especially now-the relevance of this region at the brink."" Jacob White, author of Being Dead in South Carolina. ""Bastard Republic is a thrilling ride. It had me in its clutches from the first page, and didn't let go until the last. Here is literary journalism of the highest order, informative, compelling, and utterly readable. Masterfully combing historical events, personal narrative, and the keenly-observed changing political climate of post-Soviet era Eastern Europe, this book is a marvel."" Jensen Beach, author of Swallowed by the Cold ""Tyrone Shaw's Bastard Republic is a raconteur's blend of reportage and cultural anthropology. This is not a breezy, drive-through travelogue. Shaw knows his territory intimately. Through richly textured scenes and brilliant exposition, he brings alive the painful contradictions that define this troubled and troubling eastern flank of Europe."" Tony Whedon, author of A Language Dark Enough"