Meier, Andrew

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MEIER, Andrew

PERSONAL:

Male. Education: Oxford University, graduated, 1989.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Washington, DC.

CAREER:

Freelance writer and editor. Pacific News Service, San Francisco, CA, associate editor, c. 1995-96; Time, Moscow correspondent, 1996-2001; also reporter for the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Alicia Patterson Foundation fellowship, 1996; Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars fellowship.

WRITINGS:

Black Earth: A Journey through Russia after the Fall, W.W. Norton (New York, NY), 2003.

Chechnya: To the Heart of a Conflict (contains excerpts from Black Earth: A Journey through Russia after the Fall), W.W. Norton (New York, NY), 2005.

Contributor to periodicals such as Harper's, New Republic, New York Times, Washington Post, Wired, and Time.

SIDELIGHTS:

Andrew Meier first traveled to Russia in the early 1980s, studying the country in depth and returning as a correspondent for Time magazine in 1996. His extensive travels throughout the region gave him a unique perspective on the tribulations faced by post-Soviet Russians, in particular the far-reaching effects of the ongoing war in Chechnya. Meier consolidated anecdotes from his six-year journey, beginning and ending in the Russian capital of Moscow, in his first book, Black Earth: A Journey through Russia after the Fall. Excerpts from the book that focused on the Chechen war were later published as Chechnya: To the Heart of a Conflict.

"Vivid prose snapshots of Russians are the greatest strength of Black Earth," wrote James Gibney in the Wilson Quarterly. Despite the book's sad overtones, Gibney maintained that "Meier's fresh prose, his eye for history, and his obvious affection for the country" keep the reader from being overwhelmed. A reviewer for the Economist also felt Meier's "knowledge of the country and his abiding love for its people" are standout features. The reviewer further called the book "informed and scrupulously researched," adding: "The treasures lie in the detail, the small nuances that emerge from his encounters with soldiers, politicians, pensioners, and public servants." In a review for Commentary, Sean McMeekin remarked: "Although the scenes it describes took place over some six years, the narrative flows smoothly, as if we were touring Russia with the author in real time.… Meier is an engaging companion on this tour of Russia." Writing specifically about Chechnya, a reviewer for Publishers Weekly commented that the book "draws one in immediately" and is a "work of summary historical analysis mixed with quick-hit war reportage … [that] fills an important gap."