Citizen Journalist: From Pussy Riot to the Boston Marathon

Russian-born Masha Gessen is one of our most eloquent reporters on global citizenry. "Words Will Break Cement: The Passion of Pussy Riot," an account of the Russian punk band protesting the regime of Vladimir Putin, details the perils of activism in 21st-century Russia. Now she turns her unflinching eye to a story much closer to home. "The Brothers" is a groundbreaking book on Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the two men behind the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Building on research and interviews in Kyrgyzstan, Dagestan, Chechnya, and the United States, Gessen unfolds a disturbing story about two young men with their feet on American soil but their loyalties elsewhere. CHF Associate Artistic Director Alison Cuddy joins Gessen for a conversation.

This program is generously underwritten by Angela Lustig and Dale Taylor.