tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4031121890854604877.post2263439433477272874..comments2023-11-29T02:37:59.274-08:00Comments on Dining with Dostoevsky: To Russia with LoveKatyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04290135991797809997noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4031121890854604877.post-86897839912636157432014-04-10T13:49:24.477-07:002014-04-10T13:49:24.477-07:00No, not yet! But I will. The problem is I'm ho...No, not yet! But I will. The problem is I'm hopelessly behind...The only thing I've been reading in the New Yorker is the fiction; one of my tutees and I have been discussion short stories lately and the New Yorker always has good ones. I really liked the Karl Ove one; it makes me want to pick up the first few volumes of his autobiographical novels, but then I wonder should I read these when I haven't read Proust...? Oh, the quandaries of a reading woman. :)Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04290135991797809997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4031121890854604877.post-15670027738325112802014-04-10T13:47:23.227-07:002014-04-10T13:47:23.227-07:00First of all, thank you for your enthusiastic and ...First of all, thank you for your enthusiastic and verbose comment; Russia does inspire verbosity! :) I'm also glad that one of my friends from Slavic studies not only responded to this, but can also relate to it; I've always felt that I've had such a complicated relationship with Russia, but maybe one simply can't help but have such a relationship? <br /><br />I like that you told your cousin to make buterbrody; I think I may have gone for syrnyi salat, but only because I love cheese, mayo and garlic--so good! <br /><br />I'm glad to know via instagram that you're now reading "Mastering the Art"--the turnover at your library seems so fast; of course, this is an overdue response. Sorry! Life has gotten busy again! It really is a gem; the chapters about her grandfather and WWII are the best, in my opinion, although the book works well as a whole, too. Enjoy! Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04290135991797809997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4031121890854604877.post-3244881668248223882014-03-31T21:38:34.328-07:002014-03-31T21:38:34.328-07:00PS, did you read the New Yorker article on Svetlan...PS, did you read the New Yorker article on Svetlana Allilueva? I am reading it now! Krugthethinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06216398915236885253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4031121890854604877.post-55750007478321729632014-03-31T21:37:17.386-07:002014-03-31T21:37:17.386-07:00I loved this so much, and I can so relate. After m...I loved this so much, and I can so relate. After my first trip to Russia, I was in love and recreated as many Russian things as I could at home (most notably beet salad and morkovki po-koreiski..mmm). The second time I went, nothing tasted quite as good. But it's the memories I really seek to recreate, I think, rather than the food: the smile of the street vendor who sold me oranges, the sound of the kettle whistling in my host mom's apartment, the treat of her torte with raisins (made for Valentine's Day). I am not sure what really happened that second time, except that maybe I was just alone and the snow melted, exposing all the dirt and trash, but these days I hardly ever think of making anything Russian. I was trying to help my cousin think of something to make for her report on Russia, and everything I could think of was so infernally complicated for a student with only a dorm kitchen. I landed on tea and buterbrody. Can't go wrong with tea! I've been terribly spoiled by California, I think, but I have also mostly lost my taste for heavy things. However, my book club leader made a fantastic borscht a few months ago, and nothing can ever beat griliazh in my book. Or bliny. I have only made them once or twice, but they are always worth the effort! I want so much to read this book! I was on the waitlist for it, but was out of town when my number came up. Putting myself back on the list again today! Sorry for this email-length comment:) Russia inspires verbosity, does it not?Krugthethinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06216398915236885253noreply@blogger.com