The Snake in the Vodka Bottle

The Snake in the Vodka Bottle's strongest suit might be its effortless marriage of both scholarly and intimately personal insights into post-Soviet Lithuania. Over the course of a page or two, the reader may find that they have traveled from historical accounts or document analysis to the personal musings of a mother concerned for the well-being of her children in a world not entirely her own. As such, both regional scholars and casual armchair travelers may find something of value in this book. What's also great is that the author weaves this appealing narrative through a diverse set of topics and anecdotes that range from the near-comical to the deadly serious, sometimes weaving these elements together in the same story. As the table of contents indicates, readers may expect to read about paintball, gypsy camp drug trade, a wealthy butter-smuggling cat woman, and the family that was left behind when a young man fed up with the USSR's occupation of Lithuania decided to immolate himself in protest. The book is a great read for anyone with any interest at all in Lithuania, or in life in a former Soviet. By Dovilas Bukauskas