Russian Bride Guide
“Russian BrideGuide” by Stuart J Smith and Olga Maslova Scruton Publishing, Great Britian, 2008
There is simply no question that the authors of “Russian Bride Guide” have come into their own as a writers. An experienced businessman and his talented wife serve as coauthors, and they’ve created a work that offers the pleasant experience of reading something which flows so smoothly and is so easy to absorb, that it is matched only by the breadth and wealth of information for the reader.
As the book points out, “There are opinions by the ill-informed….truth in the reports of scam victims….and fairytale endings posted on various internet sites…” The strength of the book lies in the personal knowledge of the authors and their own international marriage. “Russian Bride Guide” lives up to it’s title and successfully guides sincere men in just about every step of such an endeavor, from where to start, choosing an agency and contact methods, communication tips and strategies, travel in Russia, and finally how to bring a lady home through the maze of various international immigration challenges.
My favourite section was the advice on culture, mindset and worldview which the authors made fun and interesting to read. Even the advice on where to look in the FSU is very helpful and the author’s experience over many trips by air and car give the reader a primer on how to handle flights, hotels, taxi’s, restaurants, apartments and so many other travel essentials.
This reviewer also appreciated the depth in which the authors delved into the topic of how to help a new wife adjust to her new home in the West. This is a topic almost always ignored in similar books and the advice given is borne from both experience and wisdom. The chapter on VISA’s and immigration was broad but very brief and that is understandable given the ever-changing policies of various Western nations in regards to immigration. That overview however is helpful to the man who is new to the process because it dispels several of the common myths and helps the reader form a correct understanding of how to proceed.
Readers should pay close attention to the book’s finely tuned chapter on communication. Communication is often a causality of language and cultural differences and even the method (technology) of communication employed is important. In this regard the author’s experience allows practical wisdom to be gleaned by the reader and again sets this book far apart from most other attempts. And just because a woman “speaks” English doesn’t at all mean that she understands English and the author’s offer solutions for helping a lady become fluent in her new language.
By the same token the chapter entitled “Overcoming Language Barriers” fails to match the overall usefulness of the book and could have used a guide for common conversational expressions instead of trying to explain the differences between the English and Cyrillic alphabets. As the subject pertains to Russian women, perhaps a guide on how to correctly pronounce things like common female names and/or major cities of the region would have been helpful to readers.
Without a doubt “Russian Bride Guide” is easy to read and worth recommending to others. The authors have created something which genuinely offers the “inside scoop” that is crucial to a successful search and will show you how a girl from the former Soviet Union can make your life complete. It is an absolute must-read for any man looking to Russia for a wife.
