Chapter 5 Summary

In the early days of Glasnost (openness) Remnick and his wife Esther move to Moscow. The weather is dreadful, gloomy and dark. They live in an overpriced, rundown apartment that is bugged by the Soviet government. As a reporter and resident of the area, Remnick calls on his political representatives, the Regional Communist Party Committee for the October Region (the area where he lives). He complains about the state of his apartment building, but his complaints are met only by the Party officials' own complaints about their terrible plight of long workdays, no weekend breaks, and constant complaints from their constituents.

While walking to the Kremlin, Remnick and Esther meet Yuri Kiselyov, a well-known dissident, who is now without legs. He is pushing himself along the walk in a wheeled cart and is clearly challenged by the lack of conveniences provided for the...