Comprising of a collection of reading passages from the Russian press, this book is intended for students of Russian language who are interested in the process of change which took place in Russia in the decade following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its central theme is culture, broadly understood as people's perceptions of themselves, their social and political environment, their personal circumstances, and the ways in which they react to them. The extracts aim to bring out specifically Russian attitudes, as well as those which Russians share with people in the West.

The central theme is developed in sections on Russian national identity, political culture, social culture, including such themes as the sexual revolution, the family, women's issues, unemployment, homelessness, and finally a section on culture and the market. The book is aimed at intermediate and advanced students of Russian. Notes on the more difficult linguistic points are provided, and each extract is followed by detailed questions in Russian.

The introductory essay fills in the broader context in which the extracts are set.