{"title":"Pieter Waterdrinker","description":"\u003cp\u003ePieter Waterdrinker is a celebrated Dutch author known for his captivating storytelling and unique exploration of history and culture. With a literary style that blends biography and memoir, Waterdrinker's works offer readers a deep dive into fascinating narratives often set against the backdrop of Russia, a country that's long held his intrigue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of his renowned works, \u003cem\u003eThe Long Song of Tchaikovsky Street\u003c\/em\u003e, exemplifies his ability to merge historical context with personal narrative, bringing to life the rich tapestry of Russian history and its intertwining with personal experiences. Waterdrinker's deep knowledge and personal insights offer readers an engaging and reflective reading journey.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhether you're a history enthusiast or a lover of memoirs, Pieter Waterdrinker's books promise an enriching experience. His works, categorised under Biography \u0026amp; Memoir, invite readers to explore the past through his expertly crafted narratives, gaining a personal and broader understanding of the times and places he writes about.\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"the-long-song-of-tchaikovsky-street-by-pieter-waterdrinker-9781925849134","title":"The Long Song of Tchaikovsky Street","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'History doesn't repeat itself, it rhymes.'\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne day in 1988, an enigmatic priest knocks on Pieter Waterdrinker's door with an unusual request—will he smuggle seven thousand bibles into the Soviet Union? Pieter agrees and soon finds himself living in the midst of one of the biggest social and cultural revolutions of our time, working as a tour operator with a sideline in contraband.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThirty years later, from his apartment on Tchaikovsky Street in Saint Petersburg, where he lives with his Russian wife and three cats, Pieter reflects on his personal history in the Soviet Union, as well as the century of revolutions that took place in and around his street. A master storyteller, he blends history with memoir to create an ode to the divided soul of Russia and an unputdownable account of his own struggles with life, literature, and love.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Long Song of Tchaikovsky Street\u003c\/em\u003e 's recreations of revolutionary Russia are vivid (including his hatred of the Tsar, Lenin, and Stalin) as is the daily reality of living in glasnost Russia. There are some positively Dostoevskian characters, and his portrait of Russia caught at twin moments of upheaval (1917, 1988) is an epic tale told with deceptive simplicity.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Giselle Au-Nhien Nguyen, \u003cem\u003eThe Sydney Morning Herald\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Waterdrinker's gift for savage comedy and his war correspondent's eye have few contemporary equivalents.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Simon Ings, \u003cem\u003eThe Times\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e'Engrossing ... grips you and doesn't let go.'\u003cbr\u003e\n—Matthew Janney, \u003cem\u003eThe Spectator\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Penguin Random House NZ","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46380193972460,"sku":"9781925849134","price":36.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/18816673482873.jpg?v=1744845146"}],"url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/collections\/pieter-waterdrinker.oembed","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}