Beyond the Urals

by Reggie Gibbs

Overview

Russia, 1942. Outside Stalingrad, Arkady’s unit is ambushed and destroyed. The only survivor, the young soldier is faced with a choice: return to the war effort, or try and find his wife, Natasha, located in a factory city somewhere far to the east of the Ural Mountains. Disillusioned and hating the war, Arkady chooses the arduous task of searching for the only person he feels gives him peace. But as he embarks on thea perilous journey into Siberia’s vastness, he unwittingly becomes enmeshed in a spiritual and political battle for his nation’s soul, a battle being waged not only in the present, but also by towering figures from Russia’s past. Meanwhile, Natasha struggles against her own loneliness and despair as intrigue develops around her city’s eventual role in a post-war Soviet Union. Told in parallel, Arkady’s journey and Natasha’s trials form an allegory for the spirit’s quest for peace in a world consumed with the pursuit of power. With the forces of history and the world aligned against the individual, how is victory claimed? To this, an unconventional answer is offered - an ancient crucifix. A sweeping portrait of Russia, Beyond the Urals is a journey into the soul itself, probing untouched regions, while exploring the forces vying to occupy and control them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781489732910
Publisher:	LifeRich Publishing
Publication date:	01/19/2021
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	318
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Reggie Gibbs lives in New York City where he works, writes, and in his spare time volunteers at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Previously he served as an infantry officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, completing four overseas deployments, to include two tours in Iraq, where he was awarded the Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Combat “V” (denoting combat valor). His travels have taken him all over the world, to include across Russia via the Trans-Siberian Railroad in 2001. He holds an MA from Georgetown University in Russian studies, and his writings have appeared in National Review, as well as other publications.