Author describes life -- including the best borscht -- in Eastern Bloc countries after Soviet Union's collapse

"Stories and photos from my journey to unseat communism, clean the environment and find the best borscht in the remains of the Evil Empire."

That's how National Press Club member Ron Hoffer described "From the Bronx to Berlin and Beyond," his new book of photos and short essays, at a Virtual Book Rap Jan. 21 sponsored by the Club's Book & Author Group.

Hoffer, a professional in the field of geology and water resources,  said the book is "about the first of my three decades of working as an international development professional for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the World Bank."

Hoffer's trip to Czechoslovakia in 1986 was followed by many more to Eastern Europe, including Russia, Ukraine, Poland, Hungary and elsewhere. His photos and vignettes captured colleagues and others he encountered during conferences and other visits to help post-communist countries with issues related to the water quality of rivers, reservoirs, and wetlands.

Despite the book's post-Soviet focus, Hoffer said the cover photo "is not a picture of poverty or pollution or smoke or depressing scenes -- it's an uplifting scene" because it was a time of great optimism. One of the threads running through the book is the many women he encountered in positions of authority.

Hoffer said he's considering as a next book "portraits of development" focusing on people he worked with and met in Central America, Africa, and elsewhere.

Heather Forsgren Weaver of the Club’s Book & Author Group introduced Hoffer at the Virtual Book Rap.

The Book & Author Group strives to help Club members who have published books to hold events to promote their works. For more information, please contact Joe Motheral at [email protected].