Lenin's Asylum: Two Years in Moldova

The best travel writers are cool-headed, reliable reporters who offer us rare glimpses into foreign lands. Through such stories, we experience the writer’s transformation from outsider to insider, and witness a blossoming love affair with the people, the land, the history. Weiss invites us into Moldova, the poorest country in Europe … and teaches us the importance of immersing oneself in another culture, reminding us that sometimes to find ourselves, we must risk getting lost.
~ Angela Morales, author of ‘The Girls In My Town’

Like many Peace Corps volunteers, A. A. Weiss was sent to serve in a country that did not exist when he was born. Moldova? Part of the magic of the volunteer experience is a place you’ve never thought about becomes your entire world for two long years. Weiss writes beautifully, and brings the post-Soviet society to life, with humor, keen observation, and compassion.
~ Peter Hessler, author of ‘River Town’ and ‘Oracle Bones’