I am guessing many thing in the book are not explained simply because it was written for those who live in the former Soviet Union and know all the facts, and they do not have to be explained. Apparently, the author’s intentions were not to make an analysis of what happened, but just to tell about what he witnessed and what he felt, and in that way the book is more valuable.
You bewilderment with “logical and emotional disconnect” is simple lack of life experience or human psychology. Look, the man lived a long life, when he was young he just wanted to live without grief, he needed to be emotionally connected to something big what would make his live more meaningful and less miserable. That something big was the Soviet Power. I have met some old people, very respectable for what they have done in their life, who were abused by the Soviet Power, deprived of everything they once had, but they still they worked all their life for the Power and when old they were glorifying their past, mainly for the people’s collective spirit and hard work.
You’ve probably heard that it was very common in the history, when, for instance, turkish leaders (and some others too) were making personal bodyguards out of boys whose parents they killed, and those boys grew up very devoted to their lords.
Another example – the USA system can turn kids against their parents for the pretence of bad parenting, and the fact that it may turn the kids into emotional cripples does not seem to bother anybody.
The man who wrote the book made a wise decision for not blaming anyone but his fate for what happened to him. Many thing can happed to anyone, but blaming never helps to live, it’s non-constructive. He could not pass his blames or hatred to his children, he can’t revenge anyone.
You know, these stories by M. Shayakhmetov and other survivals of the dark times (believe me I have heard more horrible stories, the ones you would prefer that you never heard) may make their childred very angry and willing to seek revenge on – in this case – russians. But would more atrocities solve any problems? I guess that is one of the reasons why the leaders of the countries like Kazakhstan prefer that some facts of the past history are told quietly.

How about this, though? I also have The Railway by Hamid Ismailov sitting on my shelf. I’ll do that once I finish this damned frustrating USAID worker’s memoir of doing counternarcotics work in Helmand.

And man, I need more time to read! Oh the life of an academic! But this looks fantastic. Maybe I’ll read it if I ever get a vacation (it’s been two years since my last, BOO).

P.S. I don’t mind the US-version of this book. Quite unlike Mr. Murray’s book, this subtitle is not offensive in the least.

Still, my vocabulary can always use a little expanding. There’s just a little too much of the “good ol’ boy” in me, I suppose. But us hicks needs good learning, too.