Need a book recommendation

[aggieamy]

I hope that you guys can come up with some suggestions for me because I'm stumped. I want to get my step-mom a book for Christmas. My parents don't usually like us kids to get them gifts but I made a calendar for my dad and I'll like to send her something to open up also. We won't be able to be with them because they live in PA and we're in KS.

 

My step-mom loves Russian culture and history. In college she got to visit the USSR - a really amazing trip for an American college kid. I was thinking about a book that's historical fiction set in Russia but I don't have any ideas on titles. She's read all the classics so that's out and she is already a bit of expert on Russian history so I don't know about non-fiction unless it was a recent book. I remember being a kid and her sitting there telling us all about the last czar.

 

Outside of the Russian stuff she also likes to travel, bird watching, and history in general. Nothing romantic. She enjoys mysteries but I wouldn't know which ones she's read and I can't ask my dad because he'll insist that we don't get them anything. The guy is generous with us but just wants us to save any extra money we have for an emergency.

 

Any suggestions?

[NanceXToo]

Maybe this would be helpful for you?

 

http://www.librarything.com/topic/70048

 

(I just googled "historical fiction set in russia") LOL.

[Rosie_0801]

I enjoyed this one: http://www.amazon.com/Russia-Which-Paradise-Monica-Attard/dp/0868247421/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292030532&sr=8-1

 

Maybe you can find it cheaper elsewhere.

 

Rosie

[6packofun]

One of my favorite mysteries of all time: Child 44 by Tom Rob Smith. You'll have to read the description to see if the topic of the investigation is too harsh for your stepmom (murder of a child), but it's SO well-done and I really felt like I got a glimpse into Stalinist Russia.

[Perry]

One of my all time favorite books is

Alexander Dolgun's story: An American in the Gulag

 

Amazing story.