Walking on Ice: An American Businessman in Russia
Russia! Have you ever wondered what Russia and the Russian people are really like? Mr. Andresen has given his readers a peek into the very soul of Russia and her people. Not from the view of a tourist or a tour guide but as an author and a businessman who has lived and worked among and beside native Russians.

The author has written in a way that enables us to visualize the vastness and the starkness, yet beautiful landscapes. His vivid descriptions and stories of friends, business associates and everyday life in Moscow and beyond are enlightening. Ordinary and extraordinary Russians are portrayed in a lively and sometimes humorous manner.

This is a book of great interest for those who plan to visit Russia as a traveler or even an "armchair" traveler. Train rides come alive in the first two essays of a collection the reader will find toward the end of the book.

Anyone planning to enter the business field in Russia will have a head start on understanding the Russians and their way of life by reading "Walking on Ice: An American Businessman in Russia."

Where is Red Square?
I lived and worked in Russia for 9 years... two of them during the Cold War. I was 'gut hooked' on the third day there. Experiencing Russia in Communist times, and then again after Peristroyka, I have a deep understanding of things Russian, even though it's from a Western prospective, and this book had me laughing out loud, softly crying, and racing for the phone to call Moscow.

Whether you are a business man or a tourist, if you want to know and visit Russia, you must read this book. This is the book that finally explained some of the feelings I always had but didn't understand. Powerful and enjoyable writing, real truth, raw or otherwise, this book will make a difference in your experience and enjoyment of a trip to the magical land called Russia.

If you go, be sure to stand in Red Square at Midnight. Winter is best... a light snow helps. Stand in the middle and rotate around slowly... 360 degrees. Within one full rotation you will understand. Read this book first!

Walk Softly but Culturally
"With new leadership in Russia, many Westerns still do not fully understand how history and politics have shaped the commercial landscape for the largest country in the world. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, doing business in Russia requires a keen curiosity into the beliefs and values of the varied ethnic groups living and working there. In his book, Walking on Ice, Fred Andresen has accurately captured what it takes to economically thrive in Russia. His formula includes: patience, perseverance, perspicacity, professionalism, and perspiration.
Patience is required in order to wade through the bureaucratic mazes implemented by governmental officials. Perseverance is necessary to wait until a business decision is made against a backdrop of political dealings. Perspicacity requires discerning the difference between what is being said and what is actually being meant. Professionalism necessitates adherence to standards in order to derive the full value of any potential opportunity. Finally, perspiration means realizing that one must work hard across virtual borders, multiple time zones, and multiple cultures in order to be successful.

As a professor of international business and marketing, I highly recommend Walking on Ice by Fred Andresen. Without reservation, I have found it to be a concise, personal view into the intriguing, and lucrative world of Russian business.

- E.S. Wibbeke, Author of Global Business Leadership"

Insightful and fun to read!
I loved reading "Walking on Ice." It's an easy-to-read fun book full of important insights into the Russian (and at times, American) culture.
For every Rusophile out there, I highly recommend it!

Walking on Ice
Andresen, an American doing business in Russia, has written a lovely book in a most UNbusinesslike style. It's quite literary, filled with surprising and poignant and insightful phrases. I'm not a business person, but am a "Russia" person, and love the warmth rising from this book about slippery, icy negotiations in a rather fluid environment. I'm also not a Russia expert by any means, but have been there many times and found myself nodding and smiling in appreciation while underlining passage after passage in this book. His comparison of Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Nizhny Novgorod is wonderful, and makes it clear why we must become well acquainted with all three great cities. His use of music and literature to explain cultural (and business) practices is most enlightening, and the essay collection is simply outstanding. This book will be of great help to all who wish to understand Russia and her people better.