Probably the best book about contemporary Russia was called just that. Around the time of perestroika, ‘Understanding Russia‘ by Matthew Maly was conceived as a kind of ‘how to’ guide for new foreign investors. But Matthew’s ‘tell it like it is’ essay was so off-puttingly spot on, his bosses canned the project.

The first edition of ‘Understanding Russia’ met the same fate as a later book published by the Finnish Chamber Of Commerce - also hastily withdrawn - which thoughtfully included a section on bribing officials.

Matthew has since rewritten and republished the book as ‘Russia As It Is’. It goes a long way to explain what Winston Churchill could not. Churchill, you may remember, described Russia as ‘a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma’.

Meanwhile, author Boris Starling redefines Russia with his recent book entitled ‘Vodka’. To quote the review:

“Vodka is a metaphor for Russia itself: clear as ice, apparently without flavour or odour, but wholly unique, holding its secrets tightly within its molecules, giving them up only to those willing to imbibe it in huge, enormous, mind-numbing doses. You can understand Russia, sure. But understanding will come close to killing you as well.”

Actually the book is a crime thriller about an affair between an alcoholic American woman and a Russian mafia boss, but the review claims that:

‘the real protagonist is Ms Russia, daughter of that old stalwart Mother Russia. She’s gorgeous, she’s slutty, she drinks too much and can kill over political differences.’

So to update Churchill, Russia is now an enigmatic woman, wrapped in a towel and riddled with vodka.