Siberian Education: Family, Honour, and Tattoos: An Extraordinary Underworld Life

By Nicolai Lilin and Jonathan Hunt

A vivid, shocking, at times poetic revelation of a world we never imagined existed. Siberian Education is a real-life Eastern Promises seen through the eyes of a boy growing up in the close-knit community of the Urkas, descendants of criminals relocated from Siberia to the banks of the Dniester River, between Moldavia and Ukraine, in the 1930s. A tale of an extreme boyhood — violent, governed by rules of honour passed down through legend and taught via elaborate and mysterious tattoos, and ultimatedly doomed to disappear amidst post-Soviet capitalist gangsterism: an utterly unique look at a vanished society from someone who knew it intimately, even though he is not yet 30 years old.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 5, 2010
• ISBN: 9780771050299

Reviews for Siberian Education

[eheinlen_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I didn't think I would like this book, but I was very wrong. I loved it. Not only was it easy-to-read, but the story was fascinating and the writing style was excellent. I definitely recommend this book. It's going to show you a side of society that we don't normally get to see.

[fist_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The author describes his youth in the criminal community of Transdnistria. The amount of gruesome violence contrasts with the boy's conviction that these criminals are the good guys and that their rules are the only valid ones. It is fascinating to read how these people deal with that cognitive dissonance: by reducing the world they inhabit, ie geographically to their town quarter (of which they know everything), or sociologically to their own ilk (the descriptions of how gays are disposed of is stomach-churning), by clinging on to a strange sort of Orthodox paganism and to minute rules of behaviour that would put the Spanish Court Protocol to shame. Combined with post-Soviet nihilism, the general atmosphere of this book isn't very uplifting. It is well-written, and although Italian can never emulate the colourful Russian expressions for insults and threats, the author uses a very convincing colloquial 'street' Italian. Some scenes may have been embellished for dramatic effect, but - having known quite a few ex-Soviet youths who fled crime and violence in their home region - I was startled to recognise their mentalities and behaviours (indeed, much of that suddenly made sense to me), and I fear that most of it this book is based on true situations.

[trayceetee · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I won this book through GoodReads First Reads, for which I am very grateful. I'm not sure I'd have heard of this book otherwise, and I probably wouldn't have picked it up. But since I won it, I had a chance to read a wonderful memoir!
This book reads like Nicholas Pileggi's "Wiseguy: A life in the Mafia", about Henry Hill. It jumps around quite a bit, and it's pretty graphic when detailing beatings and killings that occur. But, like "Wiseguy", it's a compelling story and one that was difficult to put down.
I found that, once you get used to the writing style, this book is well written. I really enjoyed it quite a lot. I found it interesting that, while Nicolai admits that he is a criminal and all of his family and friends are criminals, they're the ones I was rooting for throughout the whole story. I felt like the criminals, in this case, were the "good guys".
Great story--one I'll read again, for sure!

[dekan-6 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book was a quick easy read. It is the true story of a boy who grew up in Transnistria which is by Moldova and Ukraine. it takes you through his life and the philosophies of his people. I couldn't but it down and the writter did a good job at making you feel like you were strolling through this time in life. the fact that it's based on reality made it even more interesting. The only thing i didn't like about the book was the fact that its done. I realize now that the end is at the begining but i still hope for a possible sequel for what's not there. it was a different tact to come full circle and would recommend reading the first part after you finish to reach some closure. Some the the horrific things that happen in that country and siberia to boot (hard land to live on), are glanced at but only in relation to the person. It shows how it was just the way it was to the point its casual. to me that even gave it more wieight. i've read stallin and studied quite a bit of wwII so it was interesting background music. I say it's a must read of your interested in this kind of thing and personally feel that there are things that interest a great number of people for different reasons, it's an easy interesting read, go on.. give it a try.

[ryan1adams · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Intriguing story of a boy growing up in Transnistria, a breakaway land between Russia and Ukraine. It's a relatively quick read that makes you think about the ethics of criminals and the relationships between them. The main thing i didn't like about the book was the jumping between stories in the book. It makes sense since he has to introduce people in the story, but sometimes you can lose the track of the story.

[janarose1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nicolai grew up in Transnistria, a city on the border of Ukraine and Moldova, settled by the Siberian criminal clans. Growing up he is taught a specialized style of honor, where every situation has its own set of requirements. His childhood is marked by violence, but also filled with a strong sense of community and an odd sense of right and wrong. Although Nicolai is a gifted storyteller and an excellent writer, he often diverted in the middle of one story to tell three or four others. I found this a bit distracting, but overall his story was interesting enough to hold my attention.

[jennmaine · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It is rare to find a book that is set in a place and within a culture that little has been written about that is accessible today. This is the case in Nicolai Lillin's gripping "Siberian Education" with its depiction of the Siberian Urka criminal group exiled in Transnistria, a breakaway territory between the Dniester River and Moldova's border with the Ukraine. A highly detailed and elaborate code of honor governs every aspect of the lives of the members of the group- where weapons are placed in a home, who speaks to whom and how, even tea ceremonies. Lilin moves from a brutal and violent, explicitly detailed stint in a juvenile prison to a life of street fighting. Along the way, he learns the intricate art and culture of Urka tattooing and regales readers with tales of retribution and the elaborate goings- on among the area's criminal factions. Lilin stresses the care that his culture shows to the elderly and infirm, but the capacity for extreme cruelty overshadows any sympathy that most readers would have. In his late teens, Lilin is conscripted into the Russian army to combat Chechens. At some point after this, he immigrates to Italy, where he now lives and runs a tattoo parlor. The authenticity of the book has been questioned and criticized in some circles, the cataloging in publication entry brands the book as "fiction" and indeed, there is a disclaimer to that end contained in the book itself. So, take this tale as intended. You can doubt its veracity, but remains a compelling read.

[justmerosalie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

[SIBERIAN EDUCATION]. It is a raw book dealing with life in communist Russia. I wasn't sure I wanted to see it through and although I wouldn't recommend it without a caution about the brutality of it, there are principles to be found. The brutality is not used for simple excitement or cheap thrills. It is a narrative, a biography of the author who grew up in Transnistia, Siberia. It causes you to think, which is what good litereature does in any genre.Within the book, I have to say that with all the violence there was an equal amount of principle. I had a hard time resolving the two being even coexistent, but they were. The people of the book lived in communism. They had no civil rights or humane consideration. Just as we have seen in stories and film, whole villages were carted off on trains, riding for days to who-knows-where to a point where they were dumped for relocation. How would anyone deal with this? And that was simply the barest beginning of their miserable lives.Still it was perplexing to me to read about "honest criminals". How can you ever call a criminal honest or discuss the integrity of his life?? But we just don't know, we cannot imagine what it took to survive there. I certainly cannot sanction their lifestyles, but it becomes apparant that for every victim, there is someone also a victim on the warring side. Everyone is a victim. It is an inexperienced mind that asks, "What would you do?"....but just what would you do? It was a godless place.This is an EarlyReviewers book that my daughter got. She and I have spent a lot of time talking about the philosophies threaded throughout. That has led us to talk about our own family...who we are, where we've come from, what is within each of us that is in all of us. It was a rich conversation.We talked about our ancestors, our grandparents, and what we know about them, what obstacles they faced and the courage it took just to get from day to day, not that it came anywhere close to those lives from the book, but, umh, maybe it did. We realized that things are not so often in black and white, like they should be. We appreciate our own speciality more, can see that life is truly an ongoing experience...sometimes you have to figure it out as you go along. Our family has it's own uniqueness and that can be interesting, as well as amusing.My own self concept has been honed by our discussion of this book,I would have to say the book is worth the read, if you can take the roughness. It is brutal. is comfort in the solidness of the family there and the devotion to their principles. There are also things you might not want to know or read about.

[kissmeimgone · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This book was extremely well-written and dragged me in from the very first page. Nicolai Lilin writes of growing up in a small town close to Siberia, and how life was like there, a world unfamiliar to so many of ours. An eye-opener, I defintley recommend this book to those interested in learning about others' cultures.

[melkor81205 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I have always been fascinated by both Russian history and organized crime so this book was a slam dunk for me. While the book is graphic, I do not think that should come as a surprise given the subject matter. Nicolai Lilin gives us the story of his life and the criminal culture he was raised in. While I was already somewhat familiar with it, I was intrigued by just how structured this culture is.I could not put this one down, and did not want it to end. The author gives us his personal stories as well as the numerous histories behind the people and places.This book reads like a movie and I would not be surprised if someone made a film of it.??????? ??????!

[audramelissa_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nicolai Lilin grew up as a member of a society of “honest criminals” in the small republic of Transnistria (between Moldova and the Ukraine)—a highly disputed area and still not officially recognized as a state. This is a culture that adheres to a strict and complicated moral code and does not recognize the authority of the state, but rather, of their own community. Tattoos are used to tell one’s story and superstitions are believed alongside their Siberian Orthodox Christian faith. For many readers, it will be easy to make comparisons to organized crime cultures like that of the Mafia, but this would be a very superficial reading of this book. Many of the stories are quite harrowing and disturbing, but this is a great introduction to a culture and history that most will not already be familiar with.

[tadad_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

During the collectivization era of the Soviet Union, Stalin forced the transportation of Siberian criminals, the urkas, away from their homes to Transnistria (a region of Moldova) in an attempt to separate them from their roots. Though Stalin's actions were intended to destroy the culture, in actuality, as one character puts it, "by an irony of fate, they probably saved it," at least, for several decades. The culture of these Siberian communities emphasized what they saw as norms of "honorable" behavior: protection of the weak and disabled, aversion to acquisitiveness and material display, resistance to arbitrary authority. As they made a place in their new home, they formed into very tightly-knit communities, effectively organized crime families, whose twin goals were strict adherence to their particular moral code and violent aggression against outside interference. Nicolai Lilin grew up in this society and this book is part memoir, part recounting of stories he heard. It is told with apparent nostalgia for this society (eventually overcome by the materialism of the modern Russian criminal) and a distinct perspective on the moral high ground it embodied.However, reading from a perspective that is more conventional in the West, it doesn't take long to decide that Lilin's apologia is a bit hollow and that what he wants to do is romanticize the urkas. Like modern day Robin Hoods, they take from the rich, give to the poor, protect the weak, revere Mother Mary, and live by a strict code of honor. However, like so many cultural traditions wherein the word honor appears (think: honor killings), the reality is that "honor" is a façade for violence. By the time Lilin was a tween, he was arrested for attempted murder (by the time he was actually a teen, he was an admitted multiple murderer) and talked casually of how many people he had crippled by hamstringing for not being polite. A young friend beat another boy to death with a hammer for embarrassing him in front of a girl…a "justifiable" action in their eyes. Another friend stabbed a Georgian to death for the unforgiveable sin of speaking his native language. Bigotry abounds and, for every positive aspect of the society, multiple negative ones exist: Protecting the mentally handicapped is a moral imperative? Yes. Forcing homosexuals to kill themselves? Also, yes. Give charity to your neighbors who do not have enough? Yes.Quote: "The only way of putting everything right is to kill [anyone] with money, and thereby to destroy the power that [is] built on money"? Also yes.It's a fascinating book from an anthropological perspective and I'm glad I read it. However, I find myself in strong disagreement with those reviews that exist out there (The Guardian, for goodness sake!) that suggest it might be a better world if urkan culture had endured and spread. Readers with weak stomachs are advised to think twice before embarking.

[carolee888 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is such a strange book from a very strange country. This country seems to be in a 50 year time warp, with Lenin statues still standing. The Transnistria postage,passports and money are not accepted in any other country. This country is not even recognized by the UN or other countries.I wasn't familiar with Transnistria, had never even heard of it. So,I researched it on the Internet It is a country that broke off the Moldavia to the west and has on its east is the Ukraine. Here this country is known, it is supposed to be the human trafficking it in the world, drug trafficking and is thought to be manufacturing dirty bombs. That is my short introduction to the country. What the author, Nicolai Lilin covers are what it was like growing up there and his events in his life. The author talks of a culture built around weapons. There are rituals built around the weapons. The author states that when he was a child, he did not want toys, he wanted weapons! There are 'sinful weapons' for criminal purposes and 'honest weapons' for hunting. He goes into great detail about the culture of the tattoos. I have to stop reading at times because of the tremendous amount of violence in this man's life. This book is so disturbing and life in Transnitisa is so brutal. I am not relating the worst of what is written in this book. There is a deep hatred of the police. In fact, this even enters the way that people relate to them. The differences between our society and their is overwhelming but I will leave that to you to find out the details. The writing is straight forward and I would even say blunt. The author explains the language, many words are code for other meanings. You cannot learn the languages spoken by the people in the country and have a real idea of the meaning. This book is very difficult to read because of its content. It is very gritty and so awful that you may not want to read much of it at a time. I have a weak stomach and this book really gets to it. I reccommend this book to anyone who wants to learn about the Transnistria culture and had a stronger stomach than I.This book was received from Library Thing and in no way influenced by review. My thoughts are my own.