Pskov is the capital of the sparsely populated Pskov Region, one of the 83 territories that make up the Russian Federation. On a map it nestles below St. Petersburg, with its western edge bordering on Estonia, Latvia and Belarus. Once a thriving nexus of trade and cultural exchange, today it is one of the poorest and most sparsely populated parts of the Russian Federation. Howard Amos’s recently published book, Russia Starts Here: Real Lives in the Ruins of Empire (Bloomsbury, 2025) is a lyrical portrait of this forgotten region. In his talk, which will be illustrated with slides and informed by his intense and extensive personal experience, Howard Amos will tell us about Pskov Region and the deep affection he feels for both the region and its people. He will also tell us about the writing of his book, which is based on hundreds of face-to-face interviews and encounters over the course of more than 15 years, and by referring to a cross-section of these he will give us an idea of what everyday life is like for people in the region. Howard Amos is a writer and journalist, whose articles over the last 15 years or so about various aspects of life in Russia have been published in leading outlets - including the Guardian, Newsweek, Foreign Policy, Associated Press and The New Republic.