"Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation" by Serhy Yekelchyk

Once again, Ukraine has been making headlines with its political unrest and uncertainty. Even after being independent for over 20 years, the country is still struggling to figure out its national identity. A lot is being said in the press about the country being divided into the "pro-Russian" and the "pro-Western" factions. If you are curious to learn more about Ukraine and Ukrainians, I highly recommend Serhy Yekelchyk's Ukraine: Birth of a Modern Nation. The book came out in the wake of the so-called Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004-2005, when the world watched as Ukrainians refused to accept the results of a rigged presidential elections and poured into the streets to demand justice.

Most other books I've seen about Ukraine tend to either overemphasize its historic ties with Russia or completely disregard those ties. I think Yekelchyk's book offers a balanced view of Ukraine's history which underlines the fact that this constant tension between leaning towards the West or towards Russia has always existed throughout Ukraine's history. The trick for this nation is to figure out how to balance these opposing forces and to stand on its own. A house divided cannot stand. It is time for Ukraine to realize that its strength is in unity and independence. It is a great nation that can stand tall without being subservient to either Russia or the West. Enjoy the book!

"The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith

By now it is common knowledge that The Cuckoo's Calling was penned by J.K.Rowling. It is interesting that she released two books almost simultaneously: one under her own name (The Casual Vacancy - see my review of this book here); and the other under the name of Robert Galbraith. While the first book did not receive positive reviews by critics, the second was hailed as "one of the best books of the year" (USA Today). 

One might speculate how big a role expectations played in such a difference in reviews. The highest expectations were placed on the famous writer, whereas not as much is usually expected of a debutante. Having read both, I must agree with the critics. I liked The Cuckoo's Calling a lot more than The Casual Vacancy. Even though the latter takes up a social issue, the novel drags in places and there are just too many points of view to easily keep track of. The message gets lost among the variety of issues raised. 

The Cuckoo's Calling is a detective story which plunges the reader into the world of the rich and famous as the main character - private eye Strike - is hired to investigate a suicide of a famous supermodel. The story moves along at a nice pace, the characters are interesting and multidimensional and the denouement is not obvious until the very end. Even if you are not a fan of detective stories, I think you might enjoy this one. It is exceptionally well-written and funny, and it also examines the perils of fame and wealth. J.K. Rowling allegedly promised to write more books with detective Strike as the lead character and I am looking forward to reading those.