THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING, THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING -- to Bolivar-Harpers Ferry Public Library! I was just walking up to the counter to check out and renew some books, when I heard a couple, about my age, arguing and bantering in a guttural language that included the sound SCHTO. Being ever so curious, I asked, By any chance, are you two speaking Russian? Fluently, says the man with Brezhnev-sized salt-and-pepper eyebrows. We two are the only Russian speakers in all of Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. That is a GREAT answer, I laughed. So, I want to ask you two a question. They looked at me, mildly alarmed. This book at which point I take DR ZHIVAGO out of my book bag is considered a classic of world literature. But I have never had a chance to ask real Russians if Russians think Pasternak is a great writer and if this is a great book, or just one that got to be famous in the West? The woman answers, in fluent English: This novel is not considered a good book. It is considered the GREATEST BOOK written in Russian in the 20th century! Think Shakespeare in English -- that is this book!! Or say, Cervantes in Spanish -- the top of the mountain, I am thinking. The man was incredulous. YOU have read THIS book? he asks. I have, and I am working my way through it for the 2nd time. Why twice, if I may ask, he asks. Because I read it first in my 20s, and now I am in my 60s, and different things are important to me as I read in this chapter of my life. We then talked some about the movies and TV miniseries made from DR ZHIVAGO. They didnt think much of the one made by Americans. This era was very difficult in Russia -- like your Depression. How could a Russian made a good movie about America in Depression? Good point. They hadnt seen the more than 10 hour Russian miniseries of more recent years. It bugged them that Lara meets Zhivago in prison camp while chopping firewood, and her hair was poofy, perfect! Not very Russian!! They left. He muttered under his breath: What a day. I meet man in Harpers Ferry who has read Dr. Zhivago two times. Who knew?
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 22:09:26 +0000
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