THE ANGELS AND DEMONS OF ODESSA

The Cosmopolicast returns. Vladislav Davidzon and David Patrikarakos regale the editors with Black Sea gossip and tales of heroic adventures.

Vladislav is the author of From Odessa with Love, Political and Literary Essays from Post-Soviet Ukraine and David is the author of War in 140 Characters: How Social Media Is Reshaping Conflict in the Twenty-First Century.

We talk about port cities and nostalgia, Odessa’s cosmopolitan culture, its Jews, its mobsters, and its sleaze; we talk about the Russian threat to Ukraine and ask, “What does it mean to be Ukrainian?” Then we discuss the role of social media in modern war.

Plus: Why does everything blow up as soon as David gets there?