“Since this book was first published in October 2021, I have had chance to speak to and meet directly with tens of thousands of people to discuss how increasing access to opportunity can unlock the potential of millions from the American Midwest to the North East of England.” These are the opening words of the paperback edition of the book, “There is Nothing For You Here – Finding Opportunity in the 21st Century” by Fiona Hill, an expert on Russia and currently Chancellor of Durham University in the UK.

This captivating book delves into a myriad of themes, seamlessly weaving together autobiography, social commentary, political insight, and a comprehensive study of Russia. The author recounts her remarkable journey from the economically challenged Bishop Auckland in Northeast England, marked by coal mine closures, to the prestigious National Security Council and the White House. A testament to the pivotal role played by her support system—comprising family, friends, acquaintances, and mentors—in navigating the educational landscape.

The narrative unfolds with a vivid portrayal of her upbringing in the UK, highlighting the resilience of her parents, a coal miner-turned-hospital porter and a nurse, in the face of economic adversities. From the University of St. Andrews to internships in Russia and ultimately Harvard University, the author’s educational journey is well detailed.

A significant portion of the book is devoted to addressing pervasive issues of sexism and sexual harassment, both in the workplace and broader societal contexts. The author fearlessly recounts personal encounters, shedding light on the challenges faced by women and the normalization of harassment. This candid exploration extends to her experiences in post-Soviet Russia, revealing the resurgence of misogyny after the collapse of the USSR.

The narrative broadens its scope to encompass pressing social issues in both the UK and the US, including healthcare, housing, gender-based wage discrimination, childcare for single parents, and the indispensable role of education. The author argues passionately for the removal of barriers to quality education, emphasizing its crucial role in addressing national security concerns, combating polarization, and enhancing global competitiveness.

Political landscapes of the 1980s, marked by the leadership of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, are analyzed for their impact on economic policies and societal divisions. The book includes a detailed exploration of the author’s tenure in the Trump administration, offering a firsthand account of her appearance before the U.S. House Intelligence Committee during the first impeachment trial.

The true gem of this book lies in its insightful examination of Russia and Vladimir Putin. The author dissects Putin’s authoritarianism, emphasizing the risks inherent in unchecked political power. Drawing on her intelligence background, she traces the influence of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. election and its far-reaching consequences. The narrative sheds light on Putin’s tactics, drawing parallels with populist leaders like Nigel Farage and Donald Trump. Here are some highlights in this area. 

“Putin’s decision to invade Ukraine underscored the risks inherent in an authoritarian political system with few checks and balances and no effective means of channeling political dissent.” (P. XVI)

“The congressional hearing and the impeachment trial of 2019-2022 marked the culmination of decades of political polarization in the United States and several years of bitter partisan battles triggered by the contentious 2016 presidential race. They also represented a triumph for Russian president Vladimir Putin, who unleashed the Russian security services to intervene in the 2016 election. I came into the government in early 2017 to deal with the national security consequences of this intervention, I anticipated a job behind the scenes at the National Security Council (NSC), mitigating the damage Russian operatives had done and heading off future interference.” (P. 3)

“Under the guise of Putin strengthening the state and restoring its global position, Russia slowly succumbed to authoritarianism.” (P.11)

“The Valdai Discussion Club, I sat next to Vladimir Putin – including when I was the national intelligence officer at the National Intelligence Council. Beginning in September 2004, the Valdai meetings were part of an overt Kremlin effort to influence the opinion of Western academics and commentators about Putin’s Russia”. (P. 132)

“Nigel Farage in the UK and Donald Trump in the U.S. both fit Putin’s populist mold. They were charismatic leaders who dealt in petty slogans that offered promises, not programs. They always present themselves as the champions of “the people”. (P. 172)

“As a former intelligence operative, Vladimir Putin had determined over the years that Russia and the United States were really not so different. The two countries were essentially subject to the same larger economic and social forces, and their populations were equally susceptible to political manipulation.” (P. 182)

“Russia’s intervention came right out of a Cold War “active measures” textbook of the kind I had studied since the 1980s. Russian operatives employed propaganda, disinformation, and deception. As later American government public and independent press reports would reveal, the Russians used a sophisticated combination of new cyber tools, alongside the state-backed media, to hack the email messages of prominent American political figures, disseminate leaked documents, and amplify inflammatory news items. The Russian government set up “private” proxies to spearhead some of the most brazen operations and distance the Kremlin from direct responsibility. One of these proxies, the innocuously named Internet Research Agency (IRA), was headed by the former director of a Kremlin catering company, Yevgeny Prigozhin – who had, in a strange coincidence, been in charge of the Valdai Discussion Club dinner where I sat beside Putin in November 2011.” (182)

“They always blamed bad bureaucrats for anything that went wrong. Ironically, however, Putin was much more cautious than Trump in who he blamed and how he whipped up division. Putin would never blame the “deep state,” for example. He was a product of the real deep state, having walked the back corridors of the Soviet-era KGB to power.” (P. 225)

Regarding Trump’s efforts to highlight America’s divisions, she said, “Vladimir Putin was only too happy to unleash the Russian security services to exploit America’s divisions, playing up the many Americas and playing them against each other, all with the goal of weakening the United States. In this respect, Trump played right into Putin’s hands.” (P. 226)

In conclusion, this book defies expectations by seamlessly blending autobiography with in-depth analyses of social, political, and global issues. For those seeking a comprehensive understanding of Russia and its impact on the geopolitical landscape, this book proves to be an invaluable addition to any Russia study collection.

About the Author: 

Fiona Hill is a British-American foreign affairs specialist and author. She is a former official at the U.S. National Security Council, specializing in Russian and European affairs. She holds a master’s in Russian and modern history from St. Andrews University in Scotland, a master’s in Soviet studies and a doctorate in history both from Harvard University.^1 2

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1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiona_Hill_(presidential_advisor) ↩︎
2. https://www.brookings.edu/people/fiona-hill/ ↩︎

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