NEW YORK — Evan Gershkovich, the American journalist detained in Russia on espionage charges for 16 months, released his memoir, "This Cursed Beautiful Land," detailing his ordeal. Gershkovich, then a Moscow correspondent for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested March 29, 2023, in Yekaterinburg.
His detention concluded with his release in the largest prisoner exchange between Russia and the West since the Cold War. The United States and Germany were involved in diplomatic efforts securing his freedom.
Gershkovich, 34, met with EL PAÍS at the New York offices of Penguin Random House, his publisher, to discuss the book. He told EL PAÍS that his prison experience did not diminish his desire to continue working as a journalist.
"Life feels heightened when you’re chasing a story," Gershkovich said. "In those moments there’s an excitement that makes everything else seem boring."
The journalist, a son of Russian immigrants, grew up in New Jersey. He moved to Russia in 2017 to explore his heritage and pursue a career in journalism. He established friendships and engaged in investigative reporting until Vladimir Putin's government increased its authoritarian policies.
Increased authoritarianism in Russia made reporting difficult, prompting many within Gershkovich's professional and personal circles to leave the country. He titled a chapter in his book "The party's over," referencing this shift.
His arrest in the Ural Mountains followed a setup by a source. Gershkovich spent his 16 months of imprisonment in Moscow's Lefortovo Prison, a czarist-era facility. During this time, he maintained a journal, copying entries onto loose-leaf paper and mailing them out weekly.
A Russian talk-show host remarked shortly after Gershkovich's arrest, "We’ve replenished our exchange fund." This statement reflected a perception in some Russian circles that Gershkovich became a bargaining chip.
Gershkovich said he does not harbor a worsened view of Russia despite his imprisonment. He said the tone of his book is intentionally not miserable, responding to a comment about its surprisingly upbeat nature: "I’m not going to make up that they strung me up with a rope by my feet and look how miserable it was."
He explained that he has since found a balance between his American upbringing as Evan and the identity he adopted in prison, Vanya. He became so proficient in Russian that he struggled to speak English during a visit from the U.S. ambassador.
His recovery, he said, took approximately the same amount of time he spent in prison. Gershkovich sought treatment from a psychiatrist specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder, experiencing symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, specific triggers, and a short tem. He added that writing the book served as a form of therapy, helping him process the events by confronting them directly.
