Notes from the Frozenground: A Year in Irkutsk, Siberia, Russia

Milam makes the case that living in subzero temperatures in a city of Baroque architecture with a foot of ice-pack on the sidewalks can be a wonderful experience. Beginning in Moscow and St. Petersburg, he and his wife travel the Trans-Siberian Railway to Irkutsk in eastern Siberia. There, the author describes the day-to-day of living through a winter among the Siberians: visiting Lake Baikal, hiking in the taiga, hanging out with Siberian characters, and experiencing life in -40 degree temperatures. The author focuses on humorous and minute descriptions of the people and experiences of Siberian life. Read more