Letters to the Editor

To the Editors:

It is with great pleasure that I found the return of the Notes from a Russian Village section in the current issue of Russian Life, after a hiatus of several issues. Village Notes has long been one of my favorites, and is usually the first thing I read in the magazine. Laura Williams is the best writer (in English) in your magazine. Not only is she a storyteller, but she writes of the human condition. So did Pushkin, Chekhov, and many others. Having spent a little time in rural Siberia, I feel as if I know many of the people she writes about. What distinguishes Russian Life is that you are willing to devote a couple of pages to the human condition as articulated by the skilled hand of Laura Williams. Please keep her articles in the magazine going.

With many thanks,

Robert S. Cole

Olympia, WA 

To the Editors:

Tamara Eidelman’s touching story about Stalin’s daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva (Mar/Apr 2007), reminded me that when her book, Twenty Letters To A Friend came out in 1967, I was at the American Embassy in Moscow, where we received a telegram from the Voice of America asking us for the reaction to the book by the Russian “man in the street.”

Needless to say, we did not attempt to interview any Russians, on the street or elsewhere, about their reaction to the book.

Yale Richmond

by email

To the Editors:

I’m writing to express my disappointment with the quality of the 2007 Russian Life Calendar.

For several years I have subscribed to Russian Life and also purchased multiple copies of the Russian Life Calendar. I use the calendar to record appointments/meetings etc. In doing this I use a felt tip pen.  This year it seems that the quality of the paper being used is much lower than in the past.  Now, when I attempt to use the calendar to record meetings etc., the ink goes right through the paper and shows up as a blotch on the opposite side.

I really enjoy the magazine and look forward to receiving it.  

I must say that I was very disappointed with the article that appeared describing Kazan on the occasion of the 1000th anniversary [Sep/Oct 2005].  For the past decade I have lived and worked in Kazan for extended periods.  My impression of the article is that it was poorly researched and reflected a breathtaking lack of understanding of the city and its people.  My son, who also lived in Kazan, characterized the article as a “Drive By” article.

Regards,

John Ahern

by email

To the Editors:

Thanks for featuring a piece about the Russian lacquer art exhibit at the Russian Art Museum [Nov/Dec 2006]. I was visiting relatives there recently and took the opportunity to visit the impressive museum...

The lacquer art was exceptional, as was the museum collection of two-dimensional art exhibited on three floors...

The exterior has an interesting Spanish motif... If you visit the Russian Art Museum in Minneapolis, be prepared to be impressed.

Yours truly,

Thomas Drake

Lansing, IL