Charlotte at the MAC

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The impression of enthusiasm, combined with a strong sense of commitment, was overwhelming. Yes, apart from organiser Sybil Ruth and the author, yours truly, representing BRS, appeared first on the premises!

We were a small, but congenial group of about 22, at the Parkside Room (quite near the bar!).The event was literary: Charlotte Hobson, presently residing in Cornwall, honoured us with readings from her first - certainly not last! - book, 'Black Earth City'. Charlotte has eminent academic ancestry, with historic links to Russia. During the time of glasnost/perestroika, the Soviet system was crumbling, with everything around changing. Charlotte, then a student, spent a year in Voronezh, a rather mundane, unremarkable town, in the middle of nowhere, yet typical of the transformation of the U.S.S.R. The first word in her book's Glossary is "anglichanka" - English girl, which she very much is, despite some Norwegian mix. With strong feelings for Russia, might it be the land of her dreams, where all things are possible?

Afterwards, having enjoyed selected readings from our charming author, I retrieved my impressive-looking reporter's note-book. To my chagrin, it displayed merely this little allegory: "If you're a mushroom, you must jump into the basket!" Well, this "fun guy"(fungi) jumped onto his bus, having very much enjoyed a successful, combined, MAC/BRS event.

Now, over to you, Heather, for an element of culture (at least, you've read 'Black Earth City'!)! Bert Gedin

I found the descriptions of Russian life as seen through the eyes of a resident student fascinating. Charlotte had opportunities to live and mix with ordinary Russians which I could only dream of when I was a student of Russian in the 1970s (though the students' rooms hadn't changed). I enjoyed her descriptions of everyday life in the overcrowded hostel, the people she met, their acceptance and hospitality. I felt she was very honest in her descriptions, leaving the rose-coloured spectacles at home, but describing people and events fairly and including the good points. I liked the way she managed to give examples of Russian grammar through English "Come in and taste the having-been-smelt-in-the-hallway coffee", "Let's sing a dear little song. A tiny song in the chordlet of Fah" I would highly recommend "Black EarthCity" as a readable, entertaining view of Russian life at a difficult time. Heather Haslett

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