Melissa L. Caldwell is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is the author of Not by Bread Alone: Social Support in the New Russia (UC Press).

"[Caldwell's] insight into Russian life is impressive... The book undeniably deserves to be read and appreciated." Europe-Asia Studies "Valuable and accessible... Dacha Idylls is an evocative and original examination of a central aspect of Russian life." -- Susanne Cohen American Anthropologist "Any future scholar working on modern Russian rural life would do well to read this book. It provides an excellent survey of the field." -- John Randolph Journal of Modern History

• Illustrations Note on Transliteration and Pronunciation Preface 1. Dacha Enchantments 2. Intimate Irritations: Living with Chekhov at the Dacha 3. The Pleasure of Pain: Gardening for the Soul 4. Natural Foods: Feeding the Body and Nourishing the Soul 5. Disappearing Dachniki 6. Dacha Democracy: Building Civil Society in Out-of-the-Way Places 7. The Daily Dacha Soap Opera Notes Bibliography Index

Melissa L. Caldwell is Associate Professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She is the author of Not by Bread Alone: Social Support in the New Russia (UC Press).

"[Caldwell's] insight into Russian life is impressive... The book undeniably deserves to be read and appreciated." Europe-Asia Studies "Valuable and accessible... Dacha Idylls is an evocative and original examination of a central aspect of Russian life." -- Susanne Cohen American Anthropologist "Any future scholar working on modern Russian rural life would do well to read this book. It provides an excellent survey of the field." -- John Randolph Journal of Modern History

• Illustrations Note on Transliteration and Pronunciation Preface 1. Dacha Enchantments 2. Intimate Irritations: Living with Chekhov at the Dacha 3. The Pleasure of Pain: Gardening for the Soul 4. Natural Foods: Feeding the Body and Nourishing the Soul 5. Disappearing Dachniki 6. Dacha Democracy: Building Civil Society in Out-of-the-Way Places 7. The Daily Dacha Soap Opera Notes Bibliography Index