“American women are reputed to be the worst possible mates on the face of this planet.” 	
“No matter how much a loser you may be in your own country, you can always find a wife in Russia.” 
	Above are some of the selling myths mail-order bride “guide” books and international match-making agencies use to convince lonely Western men that their best chance of meeting a wife is in Eastern Europe. In the pages that follow I hope to outline the basic contours of the mail order bride industry as well as the attitudes held by many male participants and the kinds of information that are available to them. I also specifically address the myth that these women are a passive part of the industry.