David Manicom’s Progeny is a personal love poem and souvenir to his adopted home between 1991 and 1994. A Canadian diplomat and poet in Moscow during post-Communist collapse, Manicom’s account of Russia’s recent tumultuous history includes references to reportage from journalists such as David Remnick of the Washington Post.

In diarizing his experience, Manicom has used adjectives as florid as Russian wallpaper. Long lists and bits of historical background compete with more journalistic writing. Unlike journalists, however, Manicom is hamstrung by his diplomatic status. I sensed that the juiciest bits were censored out of this essentially clean, family adventure.

For Canadians to vaguely understand life for average Soviets, Manicom draws plenty of parallels. He describes it as hearing only Mein Kampf excerpts on CBC radio, climbing over three weeks of uncollected trash to see kids rummaging for something to sell, discovering the corner store firebombed, then finding some bread at $25 a loaf.

Progeny is a thumbnail sketch particular to a Canadian diplomat-poet’s diary that at times strains to be more. Readers yearning to understand the essence of the Russian soul should look to the writings of journalists such as Remnick.

The ex-Soviet empire conjures strong feelings for those who are “mere spirits of a brief communion,” as Manicom describes himself. With this in mind, Manicom’s book conveys a Canadian’s perspective that – love or hate it, the Old Empire is not a place that leaves you indifferent.