The taste of dreams - Vanora Bennett

Both a coming-of-age adventure of time spent in search of the romantic Russia the author had dreamed about, and a tale of eye-opening amazement as she discovers and gets caught up in the new, anarchic Russia emerging from its Soviet constraints. At its heart is the story of caviar: beluga, the rarest type of sturgeon harvested from the Caspian Sea, is now an endangered species, and no one knows how - or wants - to stop the plunder. People kill for it. Beautifully written, drawing on personal experience and intent observation, Vanora Bennett's critical and literary powers deliver a stunning read.