In 1894, Eleanor L. Pray left her New England home to move with her merchant husband to Vladivostok in the Russian Far East. Over the next thirty-six years-- from the time of Tsar Alexander III to the early years of Stalin's rule--she wrote over 2,000 letters chronicling her family life and the tumultuous social and political events she witnessed. Vladivostok, 5,600 miles east of Moscow, was shaped by a rich intersection of Asian cultures, and Pray's witty and observant writing paints a vivid picture of the city and its denizens during a period of momentous social change. The book offers highlights from Pray's letters along with illuminating historical and biographical information. Birgitta Ingemanson is professor of foreign languages and cultures at Washington State University. Patricia D. Silver, Pray's granddaughter, preserved and organized the letters.