Pushkin House's video: Pushkin House Book Prize 2022 Award Ceremony at the London Library

Directed by Nick Denisov Camera: Mikhail Konov M.E. Sarotte, a leading expert on foreign policy, has won the annual Pushkin House Book Prize of £10,000 for "Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of the Post-Cold War Stalemate" (Yale University Press). "Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate is a revealing account of America’s relations with the new post-Cold War democracies of East and Central Europe, with its older European allies, and, in particular with Russia – a relationship that went so badly awry and sowed the seeds of the tensions that shape today's world. The judges praised all the shortlisted works and especially highly commended Maria Stepanova, author of "In Memory of Memory", a beautifully written reflection on the Soviet experience of individual families, powerfully translated by Sasha Dugdale. The tenth anniversary year of the Pushkin House Book Prize takes place at a time of seismic shifts that have changed attitudes in and towards Russia. The Prize was created to highlight, reward and encourage public understanding and intelligent writing about history, societal developments and culture within and beyond Russia. Pushkin House feels that it is our responsibility to support all thinkers and creatives who are able to contribute to our shared understanding of the world in which we have found ourselves after 24 February 2022. To mark the Prize this year, and recognising the importance of the valuable insights that research and academics offer to study Russia at this pivotal moment in history, the judges exceptionally shortlisted ten books rather than the usual six. The decision reflects on the importance of discussion around all the complexities and contradictions of Russia’s complicated history and culture. The 2022 shortlisted titles were: "In Memory of Memory" by Maria Stepanova, translated by Sasha Dugdale "On the Edge: Life Along the Russia-China Border" by Franck Billé and Caroline Humphrey "Navalny: Putin’s Nemesis, Russia’s Future?" by Jan Matti Dollbaum, Morvan Lallouet and Ben Noble "Weak Strongman: The Limits of Power in Putin’s Russia" by Timothy Frye "Klimat: Russia in the Age of Climate Change" by Thane Gustafson "Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate" by M.E. Sarotte "Stalin’s Architect: Power and Survival in Moscow" by Deyan Sudjic "The Empress and the English Doctor: How Catherine the Great Defied a Deadly Virus" by Lucy Ward "Playing with Fire: The Story of Maria Yudina, Pianist in Stalin’s Russia" by Elizabeth Wilson "Collapse: The Fall of the Soviet Union" by Vladislav Zubok Music license: RDZPOJPVGC5CP34F