A Terrible Country is a novel by Keith Gessen. The novel follows Andrei Kaplan, who has a PhD in Russian literature and is about 30 years old. He has had no success in attaining a steady job in academia. One day, at his brother’s request, Andrei goes to Moscow to help take care of their 89-year-old grandmother. While living in Moscow, Andrei grapples with the uncertainty of his own future, as well as with the many complexities of life in Russia. The novel explores themes of interpersonal connection, home, responsibility, work, and politics.
