Stalking the Atomic City: Life Among the Decadent and the Depraved of Chornobyl
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- Create Date：2022-04-21 08:51:54
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- Author：Markiyan Kamysh
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Summary
Trainspotting meets A Field Guide to Getting Lost in this rare portrait of the dystopian reality that is Chornobyl today， and the marginalized people who now call the Exclusion Zone their home。
Since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986， the area still remains a toxic， forbidden wasteland。 But as with all dangerous places， it attracts a wild assortment of adventurers who climb over the barbed wire in the middle of the night to witness the aftermath of catastrophe in the flesh。
Markiyan Kamysh， whose father worked as an on-site disaster liquidator of Chornobyl， works as a “stalker，” guiding people who dare to venture illegally into the disaster area for thrills。 By turns lyrical and confessional， Stalking the Atomic City unveils the state of the site today and the unusual communities that have found a home in the desolate place known as the Exclusion Zone。
Kamysh tells us about criminals who hide in the abandoned buildings， the policemen who chase them， and romantic utopists who have built families here， even as deadly toxic waste lingers in the buildings， playgrounds， and streams。
An extraordinary guide to this alien world， Kamysh has unique access and expertise as well as a deep personal connection to this dystopian reality。 Complete with stunning photographs by the author， Stalking the Atomic City is a haunting account of what total autonomy could mean in our growingly fractured world。
Since the Chornobyl nuclear disaster in April 1986， the area still remains a toxic， forbidden wasteland。 But as with all dangerous places， it attracts a wild assortment of adventurers who climb over the barbed wire in the middle of the night to witness the aftermath of catastrophe in the flesh。
Markiyan Kamysh， whose father worked as an on-site disaster liquidator of Chornobyl， works as a “stalker，” guiding people who dare to venture illegally into the disaster area for thrills。 By turns lyrical and confessional， Stalking the Atomic City unveils the state of the site today and the unusual communities that have found a home in the desolate place known as the Exclusion Zone。
Kamysh tells us about criminals who hide in the abandoned buildings， the policemen who chase them， and romantic utopists who have built families here， even as deadly toxic waste lingers in the buildings， playgrounds， and streams。
An extraordinary guide to this alien world， Kamysh has unique access and expertise as well as a deep personal connection to this dystopian reality。 Complete with stunning photographs by the author， Stalking the Atomic City is a haunting account of what total autonomy could mean in our growingly fractured world。
Reviews
Susan Sherman
，
This book is written in a self medicated stream of conciousness style， I can see the attraction to devastated humanity。 The looters， the scrappers， the tour guides， the photo journalists people are making money off of the rapidly changing landscape。 Interesting
Brittany
，
Reminiscent of the works given to us by the Beat Generation， Stalking the Atomic City is not a guidebook nor is it a thoroughly researched history reference。Filled with both lyricism and debauchery， it is a beautifully written and deeply impassioned love letter to a place both frozen and crumbling in time: Chornobyl。 It is reflective， funny， thoughtful， disturbing， and full of the deep respect and adoration Kamysh has in his soul for an otherwise despised area of the world。 （Thank you astrahouse Reminiscent of the works given to us by the Beat Generation， Stalking the Atomic City is not a guidebook nor is it a thoroughly researched history reference。Filled with both lyricism and debauchery， it is a beautifully written and deeply impassioned love letter to a place both frozen and crumbling in time: Chornobyl。 It is reflective， funny， thoughtful， disturbing， and full of the deep respect and adoration Kamysh has in his soul for an otherwise despised area of the world。 （Thank you astrahouse for my giveaway win！） 。。。more
Ietrio
，
It sounds interesting。 Although the blurb is cheap drama and lies。 Not only Pripyat is full of all sort of people， many of whom posted on social media their adventures， also the radiation levels in the town are most of the times lower than in Moscow。
Brenda
，
Kyivan author Markiyan Kamysh thrives on danger and discomfort， especially when on overnight and multi-night stays at the Chornobyl toxic wasteland。 His goal as a stalker is to sneak people in （including tourists） through the barbed wire and past guards， through deep snow and swamps。 He gives advice on what to do and what not to do， how to pack （bare minimum） and how to endure stays， mentally and physically。 He discusses wildlife including wolves， bears and lynx and atmospheric weather。 His pass Kyivan author Markiyan Kamysh thrives on danger and discomfort， especially when on overnight and multi-night stays at the Chornobyl toxic wasteland。 His goal as a stalker is to sneak people in （including tourists） through the barbed wire and past guards， through deep snow and swamps。 He gives advice on what to do and what not to do， how to pack （bare minimum） and how to endure stays， mentally and physically。 He discusses wildlife including wolves， bears and lynx and atmospheric weather。 His passion is abandoned buildings （I share that love with him） but he has no qualms about starting fires for warmth inside or using fences for wood。 For him visits are an addiction which is evinced by his countless visits which he prefers alone to experience the fullness of terror and danger。The author's compulsive writing style is very raw and unfettered， littered with cursing and bragging。 After reading the blurb I had hoped and expected to learn more about the 1986 disaster and Russian and Ukrainian history but was disappointed with descriptions of multiple illegal visits。 The book contains a lot of angst and grit and talk of getting drunk。 I do like the author included a few evocative photographs but the writing often set my teeth on edge。 My sincere thank you to Astra Publishing House and NetGalley。 。。。more
Russell Roth
，
Like a travelogue of a seemingly dystopian future full of abandoned cities， toxic rivers， and corrupt police， Stalking the Atomic City details the adventures of an illegal tourist in the Restricted Zone surrounding Ukraine's Chernobyl。 A quick， easy read， this book takes you behind the fences， and offers an up close look at life in a disaster zone。 Like The Road meets No Reservations， you'll be ready to try to sneak past the police and enter the Restricted Zone yourself after reading。 Like a travelogue of a seemingly dystopian future full of abandoned cities， toxic rivers， and corrupt police， Stalking the Atomic City details the adventures of an illegal tourist in the Restricted Zone surrounding Ukraine's Chernobyl。 A quick， easy read， this book takes you behind the fences， and offers an up close look at life in a disaster zone。 Like The Road meets No Reservations， you'll be ready to try to sneak past the police and enter the Restricted Zone yourself after reading。 。。。more
Doreen Blair
，
STALKING THE ATOMIC CITY-Markiyan KamyshI received this to my Kindle free for the purpose of review。 Admittedly I struggled to read this book because it was painfully honest and frightening to me。 The idea that someone would consider the adventure of being in Chornobyl after it was destroyed in 1986 was just interesting。 I understand the idea of people trying to make sense out of Chornobyl and try to get their emotions steady。 I understand the adventure of climbing over the fence "just to see" b STALKING THE ATOMIC CITY-Markiyan KamyshI received this to my Kindle free for the purpose of review。 Admittedly I struggled to read this book because it was painfully honest and frightening to me。 The idea that someone would consider the adventure of being in Chornobyl after it was destroyed in 1986 was just interesting。 I understand the idea of people trying to make sense out of Chornobyl and try to get their emotions steady。 I understand the adventure of climbing over the fence "just to see" but staying there secretly seems scary。 However， I have four boys and given that piece of history would have no doubt been an exploration event for them。Well written and with our current situation in USA it takes on a new meaning for me。 The Ukrainian people people are hiding everywhere and need American help。 I found myself down as I read how difficult life is in Ukraine was but now I am seriously saddened by their plight。 。。。more
Henri
，
Brilliant
Daisy May Johnson
，
Delirious， dangerous， and rather intoxicating， Stalking The Atomic City tells of the author's visits to the 'exclusion zone' that exists about Chornobyl。 There's more than a little bit of Trainspotting about it but also I think a kind of longing for life to be lived on one's own terms， to find a place within the world that can be known in a way that nobody else has ever known it。 There's ennui in it， there's a discomfort， a sharp， sharp edge of unease， and something rather， utterly fascinating。 Delirious， dangerous， and rather intoxicating， Stalking The Atomic City tells of the author's visits to the 'exclusion zone' that exists about Chornobyl。 There's more than a little bit of Trainspotting about it but also I think a kind of longing for life to be lived on one's own terms， to find a place within the world that can be known in a way that nobody else has ever known it。 There's ennui in it， there's a discomfort， a sharp， sharp edge of unease， and something rather， utterly fascinating。 I loved this。 I've been trying to read more translated fiction and was really interested in what this book might do。 I know very little about the topic and the area and so， in a way， Kamysh guided me as much as he does the people he takes into the exclusion zone。 In a way though， his guidance becomes a kind of manifesto for visiting the zone as much as staying away from it。 Come with him。 Stay away。 Look twice。 Close your eyes。 Stylistically， it's pretty distinct。 I suspect you'll either love it or hate it but you need to experience it。 Rich， wild， contradictory sentences spike up against each other。 Tenses play against each other， rules are forgotten， perspectives shift - and sometimes all of this happens all at once。 There's a wild edge here， one that tries to evoke something very particular as much as it shies away， self-consciously aware at what its trying to do。 I liked it a lot。 I'm always on the side of literature that tries to be something， to do something， to break new ground， to form new shapes。 And the shape that Stalking The Atomic City makes is intoxicating。 It's relevant to add here that I share a publisher with Kamysh and that I requested a copy of this to review through Netgalley。 My thanks to Pushkin for the approval。 The Stalking City is published by them in July。 Make a note。 。。。more
Kid Ferrous
，
Beginning with a potted and putrid history of the Chornobyl accident and displaying unconcealed disgust at the creation of nuclear power which promised an Utopia but delivered Hell on Earth， Markiyan Kamysh’s “Stalking The Atomic City” screams relentlessly from the pages in vivid， honest and profane language。 This is a story about Stalkers， a subculture of adventurers unafraid of the radiation that still permeates the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and its surroundings， described here as being the siz Beginning with a potted and putrid history of the Chornobyl accident and displaying unconcealed disgust at the creation of nuclear power which promised an Utopia but delivered Hell on Earth， Markiyan Kamysh’s “Stalking The Atomic City” screams relentlessly from the pages in vivid， honest and profane language。 This is a story about Stalkers， a subculture of adventurers unafraid of the radiation that still permeates the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone and its surroundings， described here as being the size of Luxembourg， including the infamous town of Prypyat。 Kamysh， who is one of many such people， recounts his experiences as an “illegal tourist”， spending days or often weeks hiking through the Zone， sometimes with friends， camping out， getting drunk and exploring the deserted buildings。 Run-ins with police， looters and wildlife， sleeping next to the remains of dead wolves and battles with the merciless Russian elements are tempered with the breathtaking sights of the Zone such as the Chornobyl-2 antennas， described vividly as “behemoths” and “titans”。 In the abandoned houses， Markiyan finds peace， and considers himself to be the real deal amongst the rich hipsters who visit the Zone。Markiyan also offers a field guide of sorts to the virgin visitor to the Zone，- what to wear， what to take - but advises us to do it not because he tells us to， but because we are degenerate; that normal people have no business even being there。 He tells us about his father who was one of the original clean-up crew after the Chornobyl accident， of shepherding naive first-timers on trips into the Zone through waist-deep snow， and shares a beginner’s guide to looting。 The Zone is almost like an addiction for Kamysh; he curses the Zone， hates it and swears he’ll never go back， but he always does， if only to feel the overwhelming relief of leaving it。 He feels proprietorial towards the Zone， much like the titular stalker in the film by Andrei Tarkovsky; it is like a lover， the ultimate non-sexual relationship。 He mourns the dismantled Chornobyl landmarks， victims of the most recent clean-up。 Asked about the dangers to his health， he has no fears， taking life as it comes， his way。 Haunting， monochrome photographs from inside the Zone， pepper the book， stark reminders captured for all time。 The English translation by Hanna Lelia and Reilly Costigan-Humes of the 2015 Russian original is excellent， creating an unfussy style that is very easy to read。 The writing is lean and immediate with hardly a word wasted。 Markiyan’s story is told with a sense of freedom and irreverence throughout， and I felt a little envious of his having found joy and contentment， even in such an ostensibly awful place。 We can envy him this， if not exactly the location where he finds it。 “Stalking The Atomic City” is a short and affecting book that is full of life in a place of death and I cannot recommend it highly enough。 。。。more
Joseph
，
Markiyan Kamysh， the author of this unusual book， is the son of a nuclear physicist and design engineer who worked as one of the “liquidators” after the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl – or， to use the alternative name favoured by Kamysh – “Chornobyl”。 Perhaps because of this personal connection， Kamysh is obsessed with the Exclusion Zone that is still in place， spanning a radius of several kilometres around the remains of the Power Plant。 Since 2010， he has ventured into this out-of-bounds a Markiyan Kamysh， the author of this unusual book， is the son of a nuclear physicist and design engineer who worked as one of the “liquidators” after the 1986 nuclear disaster at Chernobyl – or， to use the alternative name favoured by Kamysh – “Chornobyl”。 Perhaps because of this personal connection， Kamysh is obsessed with the Exclusion Zone that is still in place， spanning a radius of several kilometres around the remains of the Power Plant。 Since 2010， he has ventured into this out-of-bounds area on numerous occasions， whether on his own， with friends， or with curious foreigners who appoint him as a “stalker” or guide to the Zone。 Stalking the Atomic City is a curious blend of memoir and travelogue， peopled by dubious characters including reckless （and hapless） adventurers， looters， scrap-dealers， vandals， drug-addicts and alcoholics in search of a high。 Throughout the book， there is a palpable sense of danger。 The author’s own photographs highlight a desolate landscape， a toxic wasteland where wild animals （and police patrols） roam。 The text， rendered from the Ukrainian by Hanna Leliv and Reilly Costigan-Humes， has an idiosyncratic style which needs some getting used to。 It veers from poetic （substance-induced？） ecstasy to expletive-strewn passages worthy of a hard-boiled thriller。 The results are often original， but at other times maddeningly overwritten and overwrought， with hit-and-miss attempts at humour。 Sometimes， awkward switches of tenses （past， present， future） and changes of POV create some confusion， although this strangely fits the discombobulating atmosphere of the Zone。 Some examples will give a taste of what I mean:"We threw our backpacks on the ground and started to climb in silence。 At the height of a sixteen-story building， wind blew into our faces and our hands were frozen to the bone， as a frigid thaw stretched its wetness onto the antennas’ rusty skeletons， and my gloves got soaked through。 My friend captured the panorama of the expanse of snow on his old phone。 You can’t cram a hundred million impressions into two million pixels。 Under the vault of those incredible constructions， myriads of drops crashed against the cold metal。 Every moment brimmed with new sounds。 You can’t stuff myriads of falling drops into millions of bytes of voice messages。 Even if Erik Satie played on all the pianos in Prypyat at the same time， he wouldn’t have impressed me as much as those drops， wouldn’t have beaten my hungover memory as hard with a sledgehammer of bright impressions。…As a matter of fact， I don’t like taking new people along。 Or some of the old ones， either。 I have to take them where we agreed to go。 To Prypyat， that is。 But what if on the way to Prypyat， somewhere after Chornobyl-2， it occurs to me that I haven’t been to the Emerald summer camp for a hundred years and that its little cottages will soon crumble – what then？ In short， when you bring someone along for a trip， it’s like you’ve thrown a manhole cover from the ninth floor onto your own head – a manhole cover of obligations and rules。…So， I return from the Zone and think to myself: “Here I am， back home， drinking my orange Hike， devouring brand-name chocolate bars， washing them down with Pepsi， and enjoying the spice of life。 “ And then I realize that I have a few words to say to the folks criticizing consumer goods of modern civilization。 To everyone who hates that you can buy ten kinds of frozen veggies and twenty kinds of cigarettes at the supermarket。 You’re fuckers。 Just taste a chocolate bar after a two-week trip to the Chornobyl dump; just feel the hazelnuts crunching on your long-unbrushed teeth; just take a swig of soda and only then can you curse having access to a large variety of foreign goods。 Fuckers。"Style apart， I guess that whether you love this book or not will depend on whether you’ll fall for its atmosphere。 In that regard， I must say that Stalking the Atomic City appealed to my neo-Gothic sensibilities， the huge antennas and moody ruins replacing the decrepit castles and abbeys of old， the swamps and beasts standing in for the awe-inspiring Romantic sublime， the frisson of danger adding a hint of horror。 And although the book is not strictly speaking a work of psychogeography， there are echoes of the genre in its descriptions of abandoned urban spaces， as in Lubyanka， “the oasis of the old Zone” where:The ghosts of dead grandmas still floated around…; clocks were in the cupboards， no longer ticking; jugs stood intact; and boots were lined up in the hallways… It still looks like the Zone of the nineties， those turbulent times when you went inside a house and you knew – someone had been living there just yesterday。Stalking the Atomic City is more than a book， it is an experience。 Whether it is to your liking is another matter， but the only way to know is to try it。3。5*https://endsoftheword。blogspot。com/20。。。 。。。more
Dan
，
My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Astra Publishing House for an advanced copy of this travel and regional history book。The tragedy of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl has been used in movies， books， video games and other media almost since the incident occurred in 1986。 Many of the books Voices of Chernobyl by Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich and Midnight at Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham are classics not only in their field， but in literature。 Most books deal with what happened an My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Astra Publishing House for an advanced copy of this travel and regional history book。The tragedy of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl has been used in movies， books， video games and other media almost since the incident occurred in 1986。 Many of the books Voices of Chernobyl by Nobel Prize winner Svetlana Alexievich and Midnight at Chernobyl by Adam Higginbotham are classics not only in their field， but in literature。 Most books deal with what happened and the aftermath。 This book deals with the grave the area has become。 Which makes me as a reader wonder how this book is just not that interesting。 From the Hunter S。 Thompson-like subtitle， the use of the word "stalking" borrowed from the Russian movie and novel Stalker， everything in this book seems derivative。 The On the Road writing， the ennui of being a guide Stalking the Atomic City: Life Among the Decadent and the Depraved of Chornobyl by Markiyan Kamysh is just there。 Not long enough to just give up on， yet not informative to be interesting。 I knew more about the author's disliking of warm Pepsi then I knew where he was walking， why he was walking and anything about his companions， if he had any。 Things happen， some walking， a line about other people or police， more walking。 Nothing really about anything。 Well I did learn that fences burn quite well， so you really don't need a sleeping bag。 There are some photos， which are haunting， but again there is nothing to tell you about them， or why the photos were taken。 You go in， bring some food， Snickers， a gas stove， vodka， cigarettes， hang around， walk， leave， grab bus go home。 I'm not sure if it was a translating problem， or the fact that he wrote for people who live with this radiated ghost city in their backyard and will be more familiar with the whole system。 I wanted to know more about the bus drivers， and the police who patrol the area then another story about sitting in some deserted room， cooking tea and wondering why he was there。 The book was published in 2015 so I don't know if Beat writing and shoegaze music came to the Ukraine， but that is very much what this book seemed like。 I wanted to enjoy this book， but I learned so little， and found myself not caring at all about the writer， or the people he brought in。 He mentions a lot of famous people like to take tours， but do they just come to eat candy bars， burn furniture， and wander around。 More "My Chernobyl Romance" than a book that a reader could learn from。 。。。more
Martin
，
A new entry into the canon of the Chernobyl disaster。 Part raw history， statement on Soviet/Russian culture， and extreme travel narrative。 A sort of nonfiction version of the representation of the exclusion zone in Martin Cruz Smith’s Wolves Eat Dogs
Maria Merlino
，
Bello ， in alcuni tratti impegnativo。 Si viene rapiti dalla scrittura， dalle immagini raccontate ed evocate ， dalla bruttezza e dalla bellezza dei luoghi ， dei sentimenti e delle sensazioni。 A tratti ci si chiede perché， perché rischiare la vita in luoghi pericolosamente contaminati， perché rischiare la libertà violando la legge， perché soffrire la fame il gelo la paura è desiderare di farlo ancora ， ancora e ancora pur ripromettendomi di non farlo più。Il viaggio al di là del filo spinato， nell’ Bello ， in alcuni tratti impegnativo。 Si viene rapiti dalla scrittura， dalle immagini raccontate ed evocate ， dalla bruttezza e dalla bellezza dei luoghi ， dei sentimenti e delle sensazioni。 A tratti ci si chiede perché， perché rischiare la vita in luoghi pericolosamente contaminati， perché rischiare la libertà violando la legge， perché soffrire la fame il gelo la paura è desiderare di farlo ancora ， ancora e ancora pur ripromettendomi di non farlo più。Il viaggio al di là del filo spinato， nell’abbandono e nella desolazione di Chernobyl， serve forse a desiderare l’abbandono e la desolazione che è toccata al di qua di quello stesso filo。 。。。more
Christine Cazeneuve
，
Perhaps something was lost in translation， but I truly didn't understand this book。 It almost sounded like a manual for illegal backpacking。 The pictures were beautiful and spoke volumes and as the author is also a photographer， perhaps his point would have been better served by that。 Thanks to NetGalley， the author and publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion。 Perhaps something was lost in translation， but I truly didn't understand this book。 It almost sounded like a manual for illegal backpacking。 The pictures were beautiful and spoke volumes and as the author is also a photographer， perhaps his point would have been better served by that。 Thanks to NetGalley， the author and publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion。 。。。more
Margaret Sankey
，
Son of a nuclear physicist--one of the Chernobyl liquidators， the author grew up with the special privileges extended to the children of the workers who contained the reactor and constructed the Luxembourg size "Zone，" which the government gave up patrolling in anything but a half-assed way in the 1990s （except the bus drivers， who almost always call the cops）。 Kamysh as an adult， and in the wake of his father's 2003 death， is drawn to wandering the Zone， sometimes with friends， or idiot disaste Son of a nuclear physicist--one of the Chernobyl liquidators， the author grew up with the special privileges extended to the children of the workers who contained the reactor and constructed the Luxembourg size "Zone，" which the government gave up patrolling in anything but a half-assed way in the 1990s （except the bus drivers， who almost always call the cops）。 Kamysh as an adult， and in the wake of his father's 2003 death， is drawn to wandering the Zone， sometimes with friends， or idiot disaster tourists， encountering looters， wolves， scrap metal dealers， radiation fetishists， bears， druggies， peripheral settlers and eerie silences in the villages， schools and barracks。 This is a haunting account of generational trauma and the enduring gravitational pull of catastrophe， also a good book on which to practice reading Ukrainian。 。。。more
Annina
，
3。5
Alexander Peterhans
，
"Smelly and sweaty， you arrive at the cold concrete high-rises in Prypyat， you break into an apartment， pick up the chairs lying around， drop down onto a couch， toss your backpack on the floor， and stare into space as your candle flickers orange。 You make hot chocolate， go out onto the balcony， and light up a Camel， looking down onto the courtyard that turned into the impenetrable Amazon rainforest。"This is one of those books that I can't be sure what the point of it all is。Markiyan Kamysh， the "Smelly and sweaty， you arrive at the cold concrete high-rises in Prypyat， you break into an apartment， pick up the chairs lying around， drop down onto a couch， toss your backpack on the floor， and stare into space as your candle flickers orange。 You make hot chocolate， go out onto the balcony， and light up a Camel， looking down onto the courtyard that turned into the impenetrable Amazon rainforest。"This is one of those books that I can't be sure what the point of it all is。Markiyan Kamysh， the author， is the son of one of the original liquidators at the Chernobyl （aka Chornobyl） disaster， and has spent a lot of time in the 'exclusion zone'， the closed off area around Pripyat and the sarcophagus， sometimes on his own， sometimes to act as a guide to disaster tourists。"In abandoned towns， you have to rub your feet sore， drink tainted water， curse dead batteries， and save rice that seems to run out so quickly。 It’s much cooler， though， if you do this not because I told you tobut just because you’re a degenerate。 Normal people have no business in a radioactive dump。 Remember this。"Kamysh writes about his travels in a worldweary tone， that to me came across as being rather forced， trying very hard， making me wonder who he is trying to impress。The zone he describes doesn't sound very enticing， only occasionally beautiful， and it made me think: who is this for？"They’ll ask me， “You come here so often 。 Aren’t you afraid of radiation？” And I’ll tell them， “No。 It’s only here that life won’t slip by me， for I’m living it in the most exotic place on Earth。”Only towards the end， when Kamysh describes his role as a guide， I could connect more to the text。2。5 stars（Thanks to Astra House for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss） 。。。more
ClaudiaBiEnne
，
Parto sfavorita: questi memoires semionirici di vagabondaggi alcolici non sono il mio forte。Mi aspettavo altro， invece è proprio un testo contemplativo della debauche， una disamina meticolosa dell’erranza radioattiva e scalcagnata a -20•C。Gli riconosco una complessità linguistica notevole， ma nel complesso la lettura è stata un girare pagine di una noia mortale。
Mattia Davolio
，
"Ma è così， a volte abbiamo a che fare con la vita， altre volte con la morte。 [。。。] E so perfettamente che tra una ventina d'anni quei ragazzi e quelle ragazze con cui sono andato in giro per la zona li incontrerò a fare la chemioterapia in qualche simpatico reparto oncologico a Kiev。 E so anche che ci sorrideremo。 Sorrideremo alla vita， che ti sfida e ti dice dove divertirti， dove vivere， dove respirare。 Perché alla fine siamo figli del nostro tempo。 Dove altro potremo andare， se no？"Diaro， rom "Ma è così， a volte abbiamo a che fare con la vita， altre volte con la morte。 [。。。] E so perfettamente che tra una ventina d'anni quei ragazzi e quelle ragazze con cui sono andato in giro per la zona li incontrerò a fare la chemioterapia in qualche simpatico reparto oncologico a Kiev。 E so anche che ci sorrideremo。 Sorrideremo alla vita， che ti sfida e ti dice dove divertirti， dove vivere， dove respirare。 Perché alla fine siamo figli del nostro tempo。 Dove altro potremo andare， se no？"Diaro， romanzo， reportage e forse qualcosa di più。 Il libro di Kamys è il manifesto del disagio di una generazione che ha vissuto il dramma di Chernobyl e la fine del mondo ideologico， ritrovandosi completamente perduta。 Un disagio che è anche il nostro， che in quelle innumerevoli passeggiate nella zona vediamo noi stessi， alla disperata di ricerca del bello， in un mondo che è distrutto e non ha più nulla da offrire。 E così sfidiamo la sorte， proprio come i turisti clandestini di Chernobyl， spesso nemmeno consci di un pericolo che， nel loro caso， è così evidente。 Il racconto di Kamys è in fondo il racconto della nostra difficile ricerca di senso in questo mondo capitalista e post-ideologico， arricchita dalla potenza evocativa di chi quella distruzione， che per noi è al momento soltanto socio-culturale， l'ha toccata con mano。 Tante， troppe volte。 。。。more
Ingrid
，
Questo è uno di quei libri che rileggerò tra qualche anno， stupendomi di quanto il mio immaginario sia cambiato e quanto più colorata e nitida sia la mia visione （spero）。
Pavlo
，
Чудовий подорожній твір， написаний живою мовою， по суті моїм однолітком。 Шикарнючі описи природи， що перемежовуються контрастами сучасного пиздеця， жорсткими філософськими роздумами про дивний потяг Зони。Якщо хочете дізнатися про справжній Чорнобиль， чим він живе та дихає， якими цінностями керується та яким він є поза хроніками та фоточками в Instagram， тоді вам в Оформляндію до Маркіяна。
Mao01
，
L'autore mi pare un po' confuso， da addosso ai "turisti regolari"， da addosso agli stalker， da addosso ai metallisti， poi si vanta di essere stato un metallista， uno stalker ed una guida， poi se ne lamenta， poi si vanta di aver bevuto acqua contaminata e di bruciare tutto qurllo che gli capita a tiro per scaldarsi。。。 per lamentarsi subito dopo che la Zona sta sparendo。Lo stile di scrittura è anche più confuso di lui。。。Le prime cento pagine sono spazzatura sconclusionata， poi 3 pagine belle， poi L'autore mi pare un po' confuso， da addosso ai "turisti regolari"， da addosso agli stalker， da addosso ai metallisti， poi si vanta di essere stato un metallista， uno stalker ed una guida， poi se ne lamenta， poi si vanta di aver bevuto acqua contaminata e di bruciare tutto qurllo che gli capita a tiro per scaldarsi。。。 per lamentarsi subito dopo che la Zona sta sparendo。Lo stile di scrittura è anche più confuso di lui。。。Le prime cento pagine sono spazzatura sconclusionata， poi 3 pagine belle， poi ancora spazzatura fino alle ultime 10-15 pagine。Evitabilissimo， 2 stelle solo per quello che la Zona mi ha lasciato quando ci sono stato e quello che ho provato a sentir patlare nel libro di posti dove sono stato。 。。。more
marivogon
，
Folgorante。
Come Musica
，
Com'è Černobyl’ dopo Černobyl'？ Cosa c'è al di là del filo spinato， nella zona inaccessibile dopo il disastro del 1986？ "Per alcuni è il terribile ricordo di un'infanzia semidimenticata， di una felice giovinezza sovietica， in cui nel giro di pochi giorni la tua esistenza va a rotoli e tu e tutti i tuoi vicini dovete lasciare le vostre cose e rifarmi una vita。" Inizia così il viaggio del protagonista， tra memoir e reportage， nella Zona， spinto dal destino， dalla vita e dal desiderio。 Un viaggio l Com'è Černobyl’ dopo Černobyl'？ Cosa c'è al di là del filo spinato， nella zona inaccessibile dopo il disastro del 1986？ "Per alcuni è il terribile ricordo di un'infanzia semidimenticata， di una felice giovinezza sovietica， in cui nel giro di pochi giorni la tua esistenza va a rotoli e tu e tutti i tuoi vicini dovete lasciare le vostre cose e rifarmi una vita。" Inizia così il viaggio del protagonista， tra memoir e reportage， nella Zona， spinto dal destino， dalla vita e dal desiderio。 Un viaggio lungo duecento giorni， in cui il protagonista fa i conti con il senso del limite， del proibito， immerso nella desolazione e nella natura completamente contaminata dal disastro radioattivo。 E accetta questa contaminazione con una naturalezza spiazzante， perché， nella sua visione del mondo， la morte fa parte della vita。 Cosa ha imparato da questa lunga peregrinazione tra sentieri impervi， abbandonati， malsani e avvelenati？ La felicità si aggirerà nella Zona？ "Le traiettorie della felicità sono più intricate degli imprevedibili risvolti di una partita a palla prigioniera in una calda giornata estiva？"Qual è il senso di questo lungo peregrinare？ Forse la rivalutazione di ciò che si ha ogni giorno， che è più salubre di quello confinato nella Zona。 Esplorare la Zona， percorrerla in lungo e in largo， non è forse la spasmodica ricerca di percorrere i sentieri che sono dentro di sé？ E quando il viaggio si è concluso， non si può che dire "Addio， Zona。 Sei il tempo che si è fermato e in cui d'ora in poi vedrò sempre me stesso。" Ma questo è davvero un addio， o è solo un arrivederci？Tra 3 e 4 stelle。Un'intervista all'autore。 https://www。blascodamompracem。it/una-。。。 。。。more
Maria Mestichelli
，
Libro veramente interessante che fa capire qual è la realtà di Pripjat' oggi tra sciacalli e "turisti"。 Lo stile di scrittura mi ha ricordato molti russi， ma rimane un po' indigesto， secondo me。 Libro veramente interessante che fa capire qual è la realtà di Pripjat' oggi tra sciacalli e "turisti"。 Lo stile di scrittura mi ha ricordato molti russi， ma rimane un po' indigesto， secondo me。 。。。more
Chiara Carnio
，
“Arrivo subito， ma per andare a Krasno。 Ci sono degli angoli stupendi e un senso di alienazione veramente notevole， lì。 Non c’è niente e non ci passano i gruppi regolari。 Non ci costruiscono sarcofaghi e non c’è nessun’altra cagata ispirata alla potenza militare sovietica。 È una Zona diversa: lontana dagli occhi dei turisti per caso e dagli incontri negli appartamenti di Prypjat’ che conoscono tutti。 C’è solo una chiesa abbandonata in cui vivono un gufo e delle api。”Sulla superficie del nostro p “Arrivo subito， ma per andare a Krasno。 Ci sono degli angoli stupendi e un senso di alienazione veramente notevole， lì。 Non c’è niente e non ci passano i gruppi regolari。 Non ci costruiscono sarcofaghi e non c’è nessun’altra cagata ispirata alla potenza militare sovietica。 È una Zona diversa: lontana dagli occhi dei turisti per caso e dagli incontri negli appartamenti di Prypjat’ che conoscono tutti。 C’è solo una chiesa abbandonata in cui vivono un gufo e delle api。”Sulla superficie del nostro pianeta c’è un’area che è una natura morta di rovine abbandonate， Čornobyl’ （come si pronuncia in ucraino）， che significa “assenzio”。 È la zona di esclusione， o di alienazione， a radioattività crescente mano a mano che ci si avvicina alla centrale nucleare。 È stata evacuata immediatamente dopo il disastro dell’aprile del ‘86。 Nel dettaglio la conoscono solo i “liquidatori”， quei tecnici che， nel momento di massima contaminazione， hanno provveduto a mettere in sicurezza la centrale。 Tra questi “eroi”， il padre di Markijan Kamyš， morto quando lo scrittore aveva 15 anni。 Anche Kamyš la conosce parecchio bene， perché， clandestinamente， ci è andato più di quaranta volte in due anni。 E non solo fino a Pripjat’， dove arrivano turisti da tutto il mondo a vedere la ruota panoramica o quella selva di condomini che ospitava - fino al 26 aprile 86 - 49。000 persone， turisti che poi condividono la loro esperienza con foto su Instagram （se cercate le vedete）。 No， lui si è spinto oltre gli appartamenti abbandonati， quelli gli servivano per riposarsi la notte e ripartire il giorno dopo e farsi 30 km a piedi fino alla Zona Quattro， quella più vicina al sarcofago。 Probabilmente per non dimenticare e per vivere appieno la sua vita “Ucraina”。 Si è inoltrato fin dove le ferrovie abbandonate sono diventate boschi， le cui traverse sono rifugi per i serpenti e i binari delle piste da corsa per i cinghiali。 Lì Kamyš ci ha dormito， guardato le stelle e la luna， visto le antenne di Čornobyl’2， bevuto l’acqua delle pozzanghere， incurante di neve， freddo o pioggia， con la musica della natura， la migliore “ambient” di sempre。 Incurante anche del rischio che si corre con quell’esposizione: “ma se non c’è contatore， non c’è radiazione。”。 “Non hai paura delle radiazioni？ E io risponderò: No。 Soltanto che qui la vita non mi sfugge via。 E me la vivo nel posto più esotico del mondo。”Il suo registro stilistico diretto e vitale riesce a rendere bella e poetica anche una delle più squallide e tristi realtà del nostro tempo。Qui la natura si sta riprendendo il suo spazio: tra palazzi di cemento e antenne di metallo crescono gli alberi。 Quelle paludi attorno a Chernobyl si stanno preparando per l’oblio， che， pensa Kamyš， arriverà e trasformerà tutto in un grande Truman Show ad uso delle generazioni future。Intanto è tutto lì， spettralmente， a ricordare come l’uomo può massacrare l’unico pianeta che ha。 。。。more
Alessia
，
"L'autista non dirà niente， mentre l'oscurità calerà sul ciglio della strada， sui campi e sulle pallide acque dei tortuosi fiumiciattoli。 Mi fisserò sui colori del tramonto e conterò le stelle， che piano piano si faranno strada tra le morbide luci viola del cielo serale。 Mi fisserò anche sulle mistiche torri dell'acquedotto， sulle carcasse dei kolchoz e sui villaggi i cui nomi dimenticherò subito dopo。"🔝🔝🔝 "L'autista non dirà niente， mentre l'oscurità calerà sul ciglio della strada， sui campi e sulle pallide acque dei tortuosi fiumiciattoli。 Mi fisserò sui colori del tramonto e conterò le stelle， che piano piano si faranno strada tra le morbide luci viola del cielo serale。 Mi fisserò anche sulle mistiche torri dell'acquedotto， sulle carcasse dei kolchoz e sui villaggi i cui nomi dimenticherò subito dopo。"🔝🔝🔝 。。。more
Alfonso D'agostino
，
Il 2019 ha evidenziato – principalmente grazie a una serie Tv davvero ben costruita – il ritorno di Chernobyl （o Černobyl’， a scriver si voglia） nell’immaginario e nella cultura popolare collettiva。 L’editoria non è naturalmente rimasta neppure un passo indietro: sono usciti o sono stati riediti resoconti storici （ottimo， a mio parere， Mezzanotte a Cernobyl’ di Adam Higginbotham per Mondadori， che ho divorano in meno di tre giorni）， raccolte di saggi， persino trattati scientifici （alcuni dei qua Il 2019 ha evidenziato – principalmente grazie a una serie Tv davvero ben costruita – il ritorno di Chernobyl （o Černobyl’， a scriver si voglia） nell’immaginario e nella cultura popolare collettiva。 L’editoria non è naturalmente rimasta neppure un passo indietro: sono usciti o sono stati riediti resoconti storici （ottimo， a mio parere， Mezzanotte a Cernobyl’ di Adam Higginbotham per Mondadori， che ho divorano in meno di tre giorni）， raccolte di saggi， persino trattati scientifici （alcuni dei quali di difficile approccio）。Keller， nella sua linea editoriale e grafica pulita e affascinante che mi conquista ogni giorno di più， si è affidata a Markijan Kamyš （e alla traduzione di Alessandro Achilli） nel suo Una passeggiata nella zona per guidarci nella Chernobyl di oggi con un punto di vista totalmente inedito: Kamyš è uno dei cosiddetti “esploratori illegali”， persone – direi personaggi – che trascorrono del tempo nella zona di esclusione non attraverso le visite guidate （fatevi un giro su Instagram selezionando Chernobyl nella ricerca luoghi e vi si aprirà un mondo）， ma in maniera totalmente non accompagnata e altrettanto non autorizzata。E’ un racconto straordinario， molto oltre il reportage。 Direi a metà fra Kerouac e Bukowski， fra il romanzo di formazione di chi ha vissuto Chernobyl come riflesso della sua esistenza e il racconto di una ricerca forse alienata ed alienante， probabilmente incomprensibile a noi che viviamo （anche felicemente！） la nostra normalità， ma di certo affascinante。http://capitolo23。com/2020/01/18/una-。。。 。。。more
Appunti di carta
，
https://appuntidicarta。it/2020/01/13/。。。 https://appuntidicarta。it/2020/01/13/。。。 。。。more
Francesca Tiefenthaler
，