“Suddenly” is a word used often by the Russians. I remember being told once in a writing workshop never to use the word “suddenly.” Only Dostoevsky can use that word, the teacher said. Writing instructors often say that nothing in fiction happens … [Read more...]
AUTHORITY!
No one said it better than Dostoyevsky. In his masterpiece, The Brothers Karamazov, the master clearly defines the underlying rationale for the mental despotism that has for centuries burdened the Russian people. In the famous chapter, The Grand … [Read more...]
Confessions of a Russophile
From the review for “Walking on Ice. An American Businessman in Russia” from Russia Profile magazine, by its editor, Andrei Zolotov, Jr. Of the legion of Western entrepreneurs who came to Russia in the early 1990s in search of opportunities, many … [Read more...]
St. Petersburg and Moscow ~ Cats and Dogs
These two cities define what most see of Russia, and they are so different, yet in some ways the same. They have forever been in contest with each other, and are today. Moscow is a masculine city. It is an exploding powerhouse of opportunity held … [Read more...]
“Miracle, Mystery, and Authority”
When I first went to Russia, I was told by a Russian advisor that Dostoevsky’s “Brothers Karamazov” was required to understand the Russian. She was right. I particularly discovered in that great book the chapter entitled “The Grand Inquisitor.” It is … [Read more...]