During the 1970s about 20,000 Americans visited the Soviet Union each year on highly structured guided tours. Very few chose to travel independently, and almost no U.S. tourists camped for six weeks, or drove 3,800 miles through the country commonly declared "our enemy." But the Gildens did.

If you've forgotten (or never knew) what it was like to live with MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) or if you suddenly find yourself missing the iron curtain, it's time to join the Gilden family as they struggle with the Soviet bureaucracy, come face to face with the KGB, steal toilet paper, smuggle out a diamond, and say "Nyet!" to the border guards.

Camping with the Communists is a page-turning memoir that will amaze and delight you.