Pushkin's children

"These twenty pieces address the politics, culture, and literature of Russia with erudition and flair. Passionate, opinionated, and wickedly clever, these essays use ample material from daily life to underline Tolstaya's ideas and observations across a variety of subjects. They move in one unique voice from Soviet women, classical Russian cooking, and the bliss of snow to the effect of Pushkin and freedom on Russia's writers; from the death of the tsar and the Great Terror to the changes brought by the leaders of the last decade: Gorbachev, Yeltsin, and Putin. Throughout this volume, the Russian temperament comes into high relief. Whether addressing literature or reporting on politics, Tolstaya conveys a deep knowledge of her country and countrymen. Pushkin's Children, translated by Jamey Gambrell, is a book for anyone interested in the Russian soul."--BOOK JACKET.