Breaking the ice - SRF

Scotland Russia No. 34 Spring 2016

Breaking
the ice

The Tsar's conifer
Best Russian children's books
Another day in court
Russia's cuisine

L A DY K N OW E M O F FAT D U M F R I E S S H I R E D G 1 0 9 E P

SHOPPING FOR ALL

RESTAURANT

Tea for Two only£12Choice of sandwiches, two *

cupcakes, two freshly baked scones Outstanding Value
and a pot of tea or coffee for two
* upgrade to our premium coffee for just £1

Tel: 01683 220134

JUST OFF THE M74, JUNCTION 15

TOURIST www.simplythebestdestinations.co.uk
SHOP

Moffat Mill is aTrading name ofThe EdinburghWoollen Mill, Registered office:Waverley Mills, Langholm, Dumfriesshire DG13 0EB.A company registered in Scotland, No SC024081

Contents Editorial

Chairman's notes ‘Breaking the ice’, our inspiring cover story drafted in to invent
by Colin Souness, celebrates the beauty of a suitable welcome
Jenny Carr, SRF Chairperson 4 the Arctic and the achievements of Russian to Edinburgh, with
seamanship, engineering and shipbuilding music and pageantry.
Features in our inter-connected world. Elsewhere, Europe was breath-
Ruth Tittensor allows us a preview of her ing a sigh of relief
Unveiling of Lermontov statue 4 major new book on the ‘Tsar’s Conifer’, following a quarter of a century of war with
Another day in court 5 the Sitka spruce, a species discovered in Napoleon, the background against which the
Breaking the ice 6 the temperate rainforest on the Pacific west novel ‘War and Peace’ by Leo Tolstoy is set.
The Tsar's conifer 8 coast of north America, which now clothes What kind of Scotland did young Nicholas
Best Russian children's books 11 the formerly barren uplands of Scotland. discover outwith the capital? Cutting-edge
My Russia 15 Masha Bond, a Russian now living in the armaments manufacture at the Carron Iron
south of Scotland with her young family, Works, once run by Charles Gascoigne, an
Book Reviews identifies her favourite Russian children's English entrepreneur who had been awarded
books new and old. Ian Mitchell describes lands confiscated in the ’45, and later sought
The Penguin Book of Russian Poetry 12 a contemporary court scene out of Dos- employment in Russia; poverty in Glasgow,
toievsky by Gogol'. Janet Wheatcroft is the which the young Grand Duke alleviated
The Invention of Russia: 13 lucky reviewer of a door-stopping volume with a generous gift of cash; New Lanark,
The Journey from Gorbachev’s of contemporary Russian cuisine. This is the site of an extraordinary social and industrial
Freedom to Putin’s War year we celebrate the 200th anniversary of experiment by Welshman Robert Owen,
the ‘educational journey’ 16-29 December and such a hospitable welcome at Moffat’s
Russia’s Cuisine: 14 1816 of that same Tsar-to-be: the then 20- ‘The King’s Arms’ hotel – still going strong
Tradition and Modernity year old Grand Duke Nicholas (later Tsar under a different name – that Nicholas gave
Nicholas I) of Russia to Scotland. He was the innkeeper a tip equivalent to the bill.
Scotland’s first royal visitor for generations,
and Walter Scott (then still plain ‘Mr’) was Elizabeth Roberts
[email protected]

Scotland Russia Review Help a deaf child
to speak
is published on behalf of the Scotland-
Russia Forum. Registered charity no. Through St Gregory’s Foundation you
SC038728 Edinburgh. All opinions can support a child with impaired
expressed are those of the contributors, hearing to learn to speak.
and don’t necessarily coincide with those
of the committee or the editors. Dasha came from a family where both parents
have impaired hearing. Just a year ago this
Editorial Editor Russian girl Dasha could not say a word. After a
Reviews Editor few therapy and play sessions at the Deaf Club
Elizabeth Roberts in St. Petersburg, she began to pronounce her
Lewis White first words. If the problem is addressed early
the more chance a deaf child has to speak.
Advertising
£22 will pay for a music therapy session
[email protected]

Scotland-Russia Forum

Registered charity no. SC038728

Website: scotlandrussiaforum.org
E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
scotlandrussiaforum

Twitter: @ScotRussiaForum

www.stgregorysfoundation.org.uk

142 Richmond Road Crewe CW1 4AX

Tel. 0203 372 4992

Charity no 1002469

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 3

Chair’s notes

Jenny Carr - SRF Chairperson

Russian isolation is once again a problem. open in Edinburgh rather than London as and Glasgow, from the Russkaya Capella
The Russian ambassador complains originally planned. choir, from Ruslan Ltd, from some of the
that “political dialogue between Russia supplementary schools and several individ-
and Britain has gone” (Times 26 Oct), Against this backdrop it is especially good ual teachers and students. We MIGHT even
Khodorkovsky recently opened his “Open news that 2016 is to be a UK-Russian Year get some Russian sponsorship – and that of
Russia Club” in London to promote an open of Language and Literature. There doesn’t course will be the real proof of the pudding
democratic Russia as an alternative to the seem to be much of a programme of events of a Year of Russian Language and Literature.
isolationist model of the country (https:// in the UK yet (the organisers are the Rus- With or without support our small stand will
openrussia.org/post/view/10733/), and sian Foreign Ministry / Kompass) but an be bursting with ideas and suggestions on
Sergei Guriev has just written about the officially endorsed initiative in this field is how and where visitors to the Show could
economic cost of this isolation in a key still very welcome. There is a lot to catch learn Russian and enticements to do so.
article “Deglobalizing Russia” (Carnegie up on - Russian government support for
Moscow Center). its language in the UK has been extremely Put 11-12 March in your diary and visit us
limited compared to that of its peers, and in Glasgow!
The SRF exists to combat this isolation, is mainly directed at the dwindling number
whether self-imposed or not, by promoting of Russkiy Mir Centres and at some of the Jenny Carr
events and information on a wide spectrum supplementary schools for the diaspora. [email protected]
of Russian culture and current affairs. But Maybe the Year will change that (a bit)?
without the presence of Russian in the school
curriculum, a vital form of public recognition By happy coincidence 2016 is also the year
of the country’s relevance, this is an uphill that the Language Show, held annually at
task. And without interest and understanding Olympia, comes to Scotland for the first time.
on both sides dialogue is impossible. It will be held at the Glasgow SECC March
11-12 and entrance will be free. We think it
Dialogue may be in short supply but activity essential that the Russian language is rep-
is not. Leaving aside alarming developments resented amid the mass of stalls promoting
overseas, in Scotland official Russian en- French, German, Spanish, Mandarin, Gaelic
ergies seem to be directed mainly towards and other more widely taught languages and
celebration of the Arctic Convoys. There is have paid for a small stand. We warmly invite
also the, officially unconfirmed but if true you to visit us and to encourage your friends
surprising, expansion of the RT empire into to come along too. As plans develop you will
Scotland. It seems that a large office for be hearing more – we have been promised
RT’s Sputnik News subsidiary will shortly help from the universities of St Andrews

Unveiling of Lermontov statue

By Elena Reid

On Saturday 3rd October 2015, at poet and prophet from Earlston, known as Federation Andrey
Earlston in the Scottish Borders, a year Thomas the Rhymer. Also present at the Pritsepov, Gerald
after the 200th anniversary of Lermontov’s unveiling were the Consul General of the Maitland-Carew,
birth and arrival of the bust to Earlston, the Russian Federation Andrey Pritsepov and Lord Lieutenant of
official unveiling ceremony of the Mikhail Vice-Consul Timofey Kunitskiy along with Roxburgh, Ettrick
Lermontov sculpture took place. Gwen John Paton-Day, the chairman of Earlston and Lauderdale,
Hardie represented the Thomas the Rhymer community council and many guests from and by Professor
/ Lermonth side and Mairi Koroleva from across Scotland. We travelled from the North Ronald Black who gave a very interesting
Moscow represented the Lermontov Family. of Scotland representing the Highland- lecture regarding the history of Thomas the
The bust was gifted to Scotland in 2014 in Russia connection Charity based in Nairn Rhymer. The speeches were then followed
acknowledgement of the link between the with our Russian-Scottish programme by entertainment portraying Scottish and
Thomas the Rhymer, the Learmonth and consisting of Russian and Highland dancing, Russian culture. The whole event was
Lermontov families. Mikhail Lermontov, bagpipes, Russian songs, music and poems. a fitting tribute to Mikhail Yuryevich
who died in a duel in 1841 at age 26, never There were also performances from The Lermontov, a direct descendant of George
got to see Scotland, but he was a descendant Glasgow Russian Orthodox School choir, Learmonth and one of Scotland’s sons, who
of a Scottish soldier of fortune, George the Brian Forest Scottish Dance Band, The has finally come home. A historical moment
Learmonth, who settled in Russia in the Small Time Splitters ukulele band and Alex and a great day. Thanks to Mairi Koroleva,
early 17th century and adapted his name MacAllister on the bagpipes. Speeches at Gwen Hardie and the Thomas the Rhymer
to Lermontov. His standing in Russia was the Earlston gathering were given by Gwen group for their perseverance in making this
almost akin to that of Robert Burns. One Hardie, chairperson of the local Friends project succeed and for helping to bring
of Lermontov’s first well known ancestors of Thomas the Rhymer group, by Mairi Scottish and Russian culture together.
was a mysterious 13th century Scottish Koroleva, the Consul General of the Russian

4 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

Another day in court against them. When he refused, his passport
By Ian Mitchell was confiscated and soon afterwards he was
accused of hacking himself. The rest, I am
On a bleak and sleety November than the bank’s loss. And then there is court given to understand, follows from that, and
afternoon, I’m sitting in a stiflingly time. The case started in the summer and is about as tenuous. I have no idea whether
hot court-room in central Moscow listening the lawyers think it will run into the New this is true or not, but I see nothing which
to the city’s senior prosecutor gabbling Year, at the leisurely pace of one afternoon encourages me to think it might not be.
at tobacco-auctioneer speed through the of hearings per week. Meanwhile, the caged
reading of evidence against seven men who accused accumulate compensation awards At about 4, the judge rises and retires to
sit disconsolately nearby. Three are in a that they have a 1% chance of winning at her chambers. Everyone mills around as
metal cage guarded by two armed policemen the rate of 14p per day. the three caged accused are led back down
and four are perched on a bench against to the cells. One of the tagged ones offers
the back wall. They are at liberty because The judge is a thin-faced but not unattractive to help the prosecutor carry some of the
they have already spent a year in pre-trial lady in a black gown, who looks utterly fat volumes of evidence away. I see them
detention—the legal maximum—while bored by the proceedings. She takes notes chatting amicably together, and ask him later
their case was being investigated. If they and “manages” the time-tabling, but other- what she was saying. She told him she has
are found innocent—and in about 1% of wise plays little apparent part. The prosecu- decided not to ask for sentences 5 years in
criminal cases in Russia that does happen— tor is the only active person. She reads her jail, but 7 to 10 years instead.
they will have given up a year of their lives evidence as if it is a mere formality.
for nothing more than the convenience of One of the lawyers ventures the opinion
the investigating authorities. There is no cross-examination—I am told that the real purpose of the trial is to recruit
that will come later. But since no transcript cut-prince IT talent for the FSB. Each of the
I mentioned this after lunch (bulochka and of the proceedings is being taken, it will be convicted men will be offered a deal—af-
a bottle of water) to one of the accused and hard to refer to any specific fact or allegation ter a suitable time for reflection in prison.
he told me that a judge in another court and get any precision in the questioning. And Russian prisons, I have been told by
was recently asked to award compensation There used to be recordings made of court other lawyers, aim to break the spirit of
to people improperly detained in this way. proceedings, but the authorities put a stop the inmates. One of the accused offers me
He thought that fair and came up with the to that a few years ago, for reasons which photographs of life inside. I say I thought
figure of 5,000 roubles, which is £50, for one can only guess at. that was illegal. He rubs his thumb and fore-
the year. That works out at about 14p per finger together as if to say, “With a little
day. He arrived at this figure after taking Each of the accused has a lawyer sitting cash, everything is possible, even in jail.”
average earnings and deducting the costs of listening to all this, rarely saying much.
rent, food, power and heating, all of which One is reading a book. I am the only occu- It is dark and snowy when I arrive home.
had been provided by the state to the inmates pant of what passes for the public gallery. Firing up the internet, I see an article on the
free of charge for the whole period. None of the accused even has a member of Kommersant website (25 November 2015)
their family there, as is usual in the British reporting the fact that the Chairman of the
In this court all the non-caged accused are criminal courts. Constitutional Court, Professor Valery Zork-
tagged. One is ill as a result of a year’s prison in, has said that due to the threat of terrorism,
food, and all seven look pale, exhausted, After the reading of today’s evidence a few he proposes to raise the level of court proceed-
dispirited and resigned to a horrible fate. witnesses take the stand. No objections to ings to “military severity” [в направленнии
They have been told by their lawyers that the proceedings are raised when they say военной суровости]. His argument is that
they can expect conviction, followed by that they cannot identify any of the accused. this will help protect human rights because,
five years in jail. All they are able to do is to record some he argues, the fundamental right on which
detail of the computer system the bank uses all other human rights are based is the right
The indictment concerns the first substantial to transfer money which, it transpires, is to personal security, and only a militarised
theft of money from a Russian bank com- also used for general emailing and internet court system can provide that.
mitted by means of computer hacking—or at research. All sorts of people could have had
least this is the first such case that has come access to it. In the circumstances, I see no What he means by that, I imagine, is that the
to court. The alleged crimes were committed possibility of proving beyond reasonable rights of the accused in criminal cases are
about three years ago, and the evidence the doubt any specific link to any of the accused. too generous to the accused as they stand
procurators have assembled since then is But then I haven’t heard ALL the evidence, now. No wonder that the Duma decided
contained in 150 bound volumes of about and I have long learned never to jump to last week that Russia should abrogate the
300 pages each. That is nearly half a million conclusions. However, I have a nagging authority of the European Court of Human
pages; perhaps a hundred million words— feeling that ALL the evidence will not be Rights. The body which will in future adju-
more than the average citizen will read in brought into court. Dark rumours of agents dicate on the validity or otherwise of ECHR
his or her lifetime. Yet I am told by one of provocateurs are circulating. decisions when the Russian state (and court
the lawyers that none of this ties any of the system) is a party will be Professor Zorkin’s
accused directly to the theft. Most of the accused do not know each other, Constitutional Court.
yet they are charged with being part of a
The total sum missing is $700,000, which conspiracy. One came back from New York Ian Mitchell is researching a book
represents $1.60 (£1.00) for every page of where he had been working as a computer about the history of constitutional
evidence. The investigation, plus typing, expert for some years, intending to have a law in Russia, to be called Russia
secretarial services and pre-trial incarcera- short family holiday in Moscow. The rumour and the Rule of Law. His book about
tion costs (including rent, food, power and is that he was asked by the FSB to help in- the judges in Scotland, The Justice
heating) must have cost massively more filtrate hacking gangs and gather evidence Factory, was published in 2013 and
is available at www.amazon.co.uk

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 5

Breaking the ice

By Colin Souness

Edinburgh man Colin Souness shares some of his experiences of working aboard
a Russian nuclear icebreaker: Atomflot’s ‘50 Years of Victory’/‘50 лет Победы’.

Some say that arriving at destinations is landscape as I think you’re ever likely to find protects an area totaling some 14,260 km2 of
less important than the manner in which without travelling into space and settling Russia’s western Arctic region; a beautiful
we get there. In my experience I’ve found upon another world. and surprisingly varied place.
that reality is typically a little too textured Franz Josef Land alone boasts unique land-
to frame in so few words, but certainly The 50 Years of Victory sails from the high scapes of staggering glacial vistas, towering
I feel that it’s often the experience of security ‘Atomflot’ facility in Murmansk, basaltic cliffs and ever-changing sea ice
travelling somewhere that leaves the deepest where she shares her berthing arrangements as well as important historical sites which
impression on me, not always the objective with some big names of Russian and Sovi- whisper of the early days of polar explo-
itself. In this vein, I can think of no other et-era Arctic seafaring history: ships like the ration. It also hosts abundant wildlife in-
undertaking in my life that holds to this ‘Yamal’, the ‘Sovietsky Soyuz’, the ‘Rossi- cluding the iconic polar bear, walrus, Arctic
more resoundingly than the experience of ya’ and the ‘Arktika’, a nuclear-powered
attaining the geographic North Pole – ninety ice breaker, launched in foxes, northern bowhead whales (which
degrees north – the modern Russian way: 1975. In 1977 ‘Arktika’ despite their worldwide scarcity are not
by nuclear icebreaker. became the first surface an uncommon sight in Franz Josef Land),
vessel ever to reach the beluga, narwhal and numerous species of
I’ve worked as a guide in the Polar Re- geographic North Pole, a Arctic seal, upon which of course the polar
gions for almost four years now, sailing tradition maintained by bears primarily depend for food. It’s stun-
aboard expeditionary vessels to remote areas subsequent ships of her ning, and in summer – under the perpetual
throughout the Arctic and the Antarctic. type. This ‘Arktika class’ balm of the 24-hour daylight – it can seem
As a glaciologist, sailor and general polar includes the 50 Years of almost tame. But it isn’t.
fanatic I get a huge kick out of virtually Victory, which is the The Arctic is a fierce (if sensitive) place,
everywhere we go. However, as a lifelong youngest breaker to in- and without our comfortable icebreaker we
Russophile, Russian language student and herit this mantle. And so, wouldn’t last long. The wilderness, and in-
lover of all places that are hard to reach, as you slip lines and are deed the wildlife, can be unforgiving, and
there has only ever been one ‘holy grail’ in pulled, by tugboat, away it’s important that tourism be conducted
my eyes and that is the wild, austere vastness from Atomflot at the out- responsibly. To help make sure that this
of the Russian Arctic. set of a North Pole trip – happens every passenger voyage into the
slowly beginning the journey northward out Russian Arctic National Park is accompa-
Over the course of the last two years I’ve of the Kola Inlet – you do so in the somewhat nied by anywhere between three and five
crewed five separate voyages to the North rusted but enduringly impressive presence park Rangers who come (armed) from
Pole, each of them aboard the nuclear ice- of Murmansk’s finest. Arkhangelsk to make sure that both people
breaker ‘50 Years of Victory’: 160m of and polar bears come away from every en-
uranium-powered, ice-breaking muscle I enjoy the extremes of this voyage… To counter unharmed.
punching 75,000 horsepower and boast- begin in Murmansk, flanked by warships,
ing a 50 cm thick, cast steel prow. This attack submarines and some of the Northern
ship, with the ability to comfortably cruise Fleet’s most prestigious vessels – vessels
through more than 2.5 m of solid sea ice – like her flagship the Piotr Veliky – and to find
at speeds greater than those at which many yourself within only two or three three days
ships tackle open water – is quite literally amidst the virtually untouched, ice-beset
the most powerful icebreaker (Ледокол) in wildness of the Franz Josef Land archipel-
the world. Working aboard her has been, and ago… Very cool.
continues to be, one of the most surreal but
inspiring chapters of my life. Compared to The 191 islands of Franz Josef Land, along
daily reality throughout the rest of the year with parts of the Novaya Zemlya Arctic
virtually everything about life aboard The island group, make up a sizeable chunk of
Victory (whilst en route to the North Pole) what is now designated as the Russian Arc-
seems touched by an air of the bizarre: In tic National Park, or Национальный парк
every direction floes of white, glistening ice «Русская Арктика». This park, the head
stretch from the hull to the horizon, broken offices of which are situated in Arkhangelsk,
in places and crumpled in others, but oth- was established in June 2009, making it one
erwise virtually undisrupted. It’s as alien a of Russia’s youngest national parks. It now

6 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

The Russian rangers bring a very important I’d love to say that icebreaker life is like maneuvering thrusters, beset on all sides
dimension to the experience of working ‘up sitting in a vibrating massage chair, but then by thick, sprawling sheets of ice! We se-
north’, functioning not only as our protec- massage chairs don’t toss your dinner onto cure the vessel and, when it’s deemed safe,
tors out amongst the ice floes, but also as the floor or spill your drink with a sudden disembark to walk upon the frozen crust
something of a cultural bridge. All too often surprise jolt as soon as your back’s turned. of the ocean, floating above 4 km depth of
I feel like passengers forget that we are You can also turn massage chairs off when water. It’s a unique, if un-nerving sensation.
guests, not only on a very sensitive Russian you’re bored of them. This doesn’t work What a privilege to be here: The top of the
government vessel, but also in the Russian with icebreakers. Typing, writing, sleeping, planet! Here, the world literally revolves
nation as a whole. High-end tourism of this walking, looking through binoculars… Even around YOU.
kind can attract a certain air of entitlement, talking; all of these things become difficult
and I feel that perhaps some forget all too when your world shakes constantly. Yes, Many aspects of life aboard a Russian
readily how unique an experience passage although I love every minute I spend aboard icebreaker have left a mark upon me. My
by icebreaker is, and how lucky we are to the Victory, she’s certainly taught me to Russian language skills have certainly im-
be able to travel in such a way. The Russian appreciate surfaces that don’t move. proved, and I can now claim to be something
Arctic park rangers engage with passengers, of a connoisseur of samagon (самого́н),
sharing their culture, knowledge and pas- Eventually we find ourselves at the North or home-distilled spirits (Honestly, I don’t
sion with visitors from around the world. Pole, and I mean the EXACT North Pole; even want to know how they make that
It’s not always easy for them, as language quite a feat of navigation for a ship without stuff aboard a nuclear vessel!). I’ve also
is a barrier, but they create a friendly and been lucky enough to live alongside the
international atmosphere which I think is officers and crew of the Victory, to most of
supremely important. I feel proud to call whom you’d attribute the title ‘polyarnik’:
several of these park officers my friends. a veteran of the polar regions. These men
spend their lives amidst the ice, steering
We all move along as something of an ec- their hulking atomic charge through the
lectic family as the vast, white desert of the frigid Northern Sea-route and keeping their
Arctic Ocean rumbles past under the glare nation’s vital shipping arteries open year-
of a sun that never sets; relentlessly raining round. I say ‘men’, but would you believe
light down upon us like static noise from that the individual who has made the most
an antiquated television. Light permeates number of visits to the North pole is neither
every aspect of your life: No blind will keep an explorer nor a captain, but a waitress:
it out of your cabin after you’ve turned in The 50 Years of Victory’s head waitress
for the ‘night’; no clock can ever convince Irina Mikhaylova (of Murmansk) has staffed
you that it really is 2am, and that you should icebreakers during almost seventy voyages
probably stop drinking… It’s always there, to the top of the world!
just as the vibrations are always there, for
icebreakers don’t slide along like sledges, Regardless of gender or role aboard ship, the
they rumble, smash, churn and crash their crews of these vessels see places that most
way through the pack, overcoming the fro- people – even other Russians – never will.
zen ocean through sheer weight of steel,
momentum and hard-wrought engineering.

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 7

The Tsar’s conifer

By Ruth Tittensor

At home rainfall of 2378 mm and Vancouver Island Scotland’s native woodlands continued to
rainfall of 3016 mm annually. decrease. By the eighteenth century, Euro-
The tree we call Sitka spruce grows natu- pean trees such as Larch, Silver fir, Norway
rally in a narrow corridor along the Pacific Scottish woodland spruce and Sycamore had been introduced
coast of North America. For 3,600 km from to Britain to assess their potential.
Alaska to California it colonises strands, After the ice sheets melted, Scots pine
coastal mountains and flood plains of rivers and deciduous trees eventually migrated Landowners found that they grew satisfac-
meandering towards the Pacific Ocean. It is across Scotland, to cover about 60% of the torily on the fertile soils of lowland Britain,
common upwards to about 500 m altitude low-altitude landscape. After prehistoric but in the north and west they would suc-
and is particularly abundant on Haida Gwaii hunter-gathering gave way to farming after ceed in only some places. The reason is that
and the west of Vancouver Island. about 6000 BP, the landscape was gradually they are ‘continental’ species: native to cold
changed into a humanised mosaic. winters, hot summers and low rainfall. The
This magnificent tree is the tallest spruce on ‘oceanic’ climate of upland Britain – with
earth and third tallest of all conifers. On the Woodlands frequently waned from human cool summers, warm winters, mist, high
Olympic Peninsula it grows to 80 m high, use, climate and soil changes. By the four- rainfall and wind from the Atlantic Ocean
while the Carmanagh Giant on Vancouver teenth century considerable amounts of tim- – did not suit them.
Island is 96 m, but in sub-arctic Alaska it ber were imported from the Baltic and Nor-
grows slowly and rarely so tall. It often way because very few big trees remained in There are few native or European trees
reaches 300 to 500 years old with 700 to Scottish woodlands. By 1500 AD woodland well-suited to the oceanic climate, degrad-
800 years a good old-age. covered only 3% of the Lowlands and 8% ed soils and almost tree-less uplands of
of the Highlands. People had to intensively Scotland.
Sitka spruce is characteristic of the rich, manage the surviving woodlands even for
conifer-dominated Temperate Rainforest of basic needs, but for fuel sought alternatives Exploration of
the Pacific coast. Lichens, mosses and ferns such as peat. Northeast America
form thick, soft ecosystems on its branches,
so many animals live their whole lives in Early tree planting The Enlightenment prompted exploration
the canopy. for useful goods, knowledge and scientific
Timber was needed in Scotland for ships, understanding. Plants and animals were
Sitka spruce and its rainforest home flour- mansions, bridges, castles and harbours. sought which might increase food produc-
ish in an oceanic climate of cool summers, Tools, utensils and vehicles were made tion, provide fibres, dyes and timber.
warm winters, high rainfall and prolonged from smaller wood grown on a short-term
mist, preferably with over 200 days annually rotation. Woodland management was reg- The French, British and Scandinavians had
frost-free. Optimum annual rainfall is over ulated to ensure optimum productivity. But explored Northeast America for several cen-
1000 mm so it thrives in British Columbia

8 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

turies for fish – and plants. Naval ships with Bering’s crew had killed sea otters and taken seek and enumerate new plant species, to
naturalists and surgeon-botanists on board their pelts taken back to Russia. Sea otter bring home seeds and living plants and to
were sent to survey, map and study new pelts are extremely thick and warm: their write a diary. When the ship’s surgeon was
lands. Botanic Gardens such as the Jardin du high quality stimulated Russian explora- sick, he was to attend to men’s health too!
Roi, Edinburgh and Uppsala had been set up tion, large-scale fur hunting and far-flung
and hoped to receive new seeds and plants settlement of Alaska. By the time Vancouver’s ships reached
found by their compatriots. Once more, trees the North Pacific coast in 1792, the sailors
introduced from Northeast America, such as By 1799, the hub of Russian life in Alaska showed signs of scurvy for lack of fresh
the Tulip tree and Red spruce, grew poorly was a settlement called New Archangel on fruits and greens. So the hunt was on for
in the north and west of Britain. an island in Southeast Alaska, later named spruce trees: Joseph Banks had given the
Baranov Island after the governor of the recipe for spruce beer to both Vancouver
Russian exploration Russian-American Company who had wrest and Menzies!
in northwest it from its Tlingit residents.
America While the surveyors were working from
Meanwhile, Spanish and British ships had their small boats, Menzies and his helpers
Vitus Bering, a Danish captain in the Rus- been surveying the Pacific coast from Mexi- went ashore to search for spruce trees and
sian navy, had been commissioned by Tsar co northwards. In 1778 Captain James Cook other plants. They found [Sitka spruce]
Peter the Great to lead a land expedition sailed north to Norton Sound (64° N) on and [Western hemlock] trees and made an
across Siberia followed by a voyage to dis- the Bering Sea. He landed frequently to anti-scurvy infusion from foliage of one
cover land to the east. He was unsuccessful map the coastline and seek needle-leaved or other. These trees were just two of 400
in the latter, but in 1741 another attempt set ‘spruce’ trees with foliage reminiscent of unknown species he took back to Britain
of from Kamchatka, with navigator Aleksei Black spruce – with which a colleague, bot- in 1795 as seeds, dried specimens or plants
Chirikov in command of a second ship. They anist Joseph Banks, had made an anti-scurvy – along with tales of rich forests along the
were separated during a storm; Chirikov drink in Nova Scotia. As [Sitka spruce] was Pacific shore. However, Menzies made no
sailed along the coast of Southeast Alas- the only shoreline spruce at some of his written description of [Sitka spruce] and did
ka. He sent two longboats to explore what stops, Cook certainly used it for this purpose. not name it. That was left to others.
appeared to be suitable shores but when
neither came back he returned to Russia The Scottish It was not for 35 years that another British
without landing. Context botanist arrived on the Pacific coast. David
Douglas was a gardener at Glasgow Bo-
But Bering’s ship carried a German biol- Scotland was the country from which the tanic Garden chosen to travel to Northwest
ogist, Georg Steller, who persuaded him most prolific plant hunters set out during America and continue Archibald Menzies’
to sail northeast. Eventually Steller went the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. work. After checking Menzies’ specimens in
ashore on [Kayak Island] and made the first Scottish Presbyterian society promoted a London, he set off on a Hudson Bay Com-
European study of Alaskan plants and ani- strong work ethic. Young gardeners were pany’s ship and reached the mouth of the
mals, particularly inshore mammals. On the educated to primary level so could read Columbia River in April 1825.
return voyage, Bering and half the crew died and write; they were also trained in rural
of scurvy, having ignored Steller’s offer of crafts. Work was hard to come by and often His serious explorations started at Fort
prophylactic leaves and berries. They were required travelling. Vancouver on horseback, foot and canoe,
wrecked and spent the winter on [Bering accompanied by Hudson Bay Company em-
Island] where Steller carried out more nat- Archibald Menzies, an estate gardener, was ployees. They slept rough and caught much
ural history studies. In spring 1742 they, taken on by the Royal Botanic Garden, Edin- of their food; Douglas collected specimens
amazingly, built a boat from the wreck and burgh. Following science lessons in his spare and wrote his observations. Plants were
returned to Kamchatka. time he studied to become a surgeon; after dried over an open fire at supper-time and
naval and merchant service he took passage pressed in blotting paper. They were labelled
as official naturalist on Captain Vancouver’s and put in an oilskin to keep out water: they
global voyage in 1791. He had orders to had to survive the rough horseback journey
back to Fort Vancouver and the long sea

A gift from the Tsar

Bejewelled silver Fabergé 'kovsh' (quaich) present-
ed by the Russian Imperial Ministry of Agriculture
to the Royal Scottish Forestry Society to mark
their Diamond Jubilee in 1914, now on display
at the National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 9

passage to Europe. David Douglas recog- The Tsar’s Conifer Children's books (opposite)
nised First Nations’ huge knowledge of their
native plants and animals and appreciated Although Tsar Peter the Great initiated the 1. Kotik-Kotok (Kitty-Cat) cut-out book
their help. Bering and Chirikov expedition to Siberia for babies and toddlers republished by
and Alaska it was Tsar Ivan VI by the time Labyrint (2015). Illustrations by Alisa
While in London preparing for his trip, he it left in 1741. Poret with folk rhymes by famous Rus-
had seen a specimen of an unknown conifer sian writers such as Kornei Chukovsky
collected by Menzies from Puget Sound – Russian naval expeditions carried scientists
the inlet mapped meticulously by George so during a voyage from 1826 to 1829, Tsar 2. New boxed set of Pushkin fairytales
Vancouver and Peter Puget. One day in au- Nicholas I’s survey ship ‘Senyavin’ had an - five thin books each with one fairytale
tumn 1825, he recognised the tree growing ornithologist, mineralogist and German bot- with illustrated in Russian traditional
by the mouth of the Columbia River and anist Karl Mertens on board. They discov- style by Nikolai Bartram. Published by
collected specimens there. In his written de- ered thousands of unknown (to Europeans) Klever-Media Group 2013
scription of this conifer, he gave it the Latin species of plants and animals. Karl Mertens
name of Pinus menziesii to honour his pre- sent plant specimens to his compatriot Au- 3. Two Crows Chatting – a collection of
decessor. He was effusive, ‘It possesses one gust von Bongard who was botanist to the favourite nursery Rhymes and fairytales
great advantage by growing to a very large Tsar in St. Petersburg. for the very young illustrated by Yury
size … in apparently poor, thin, damp soils Vasetsov published by DETGIZ 2015
… This unquestionably has great claims In his ‘Observations sur la Végétation de
on our consideration as it would thrive in L’Ile du Sitcha’ (published in 1833), Bon- 4. The Black Hen or Dwellers in the
such places in Britain where P. sylvestris* gard described 222 species from that island, Underworld by Antony Pogorelsky. A
finds no shelter. It would become a useful of which 35 were new to science. He de- boy is suddenly able to know everything
and large tree … This if introduced would scribed and named [Sitka spruce] as Pinus through the agency of a hen whose life
profitably clothe the bleak barren hilly parts sitchensis or ‘the pine from Sitcha’. Alas for he has saved – but the knowledge ruins
of Scotland … besides improving the beauty David Douglas, his name of Pinus menziesii his life. Published by Ripol-Classic 2012
of the country.’ was never accepted because Bongard got
into print first. 5. At Home with Clover - nature poems
David Douglas realised that this new co- by Aleksei Shevchenko, illustrated by
nifer would suit Scottish conditions. His Names Anna Sudakova (DETGIZ 2014)
knowledge of weather, soils and plants back
home and his acute observations of the tree’s In 1855 botanists decided it was a spruce and 6. Parade of the Buttons – a history of
habitat on another continent coalesced into agreed internationally on Picea sitchensis buttons, their styles and uses by Ekate-
an understanding of its potential for his alias ‘the spruce from Sitcha’. rina Kalikinskaya, illustrated by Darya
home country. Gerasimova . Published by Foma (2015)
In their own language, Russians call it ЕлЬ
To obtain its seeds he laboriously picked up ситхиская ‘the spruce from Sitka’. 7. The Magic Zoo by Ekaterina Zvere-
cones from the forest floor, shot cones from va illustrated by Galina Zinko. A story
the canopy or climbed the tall trees to pluck Nowadays, this tree has a variety of English about zoo animals shrunk to fit inside
them. They were dried over the evening fire names such as: Tideland spruce, Airplane a matchbox belonging to a little girl
so that the seeds could be shaken out. He spruce, Coast spruce, Menzies spruce, Sitka called Nika when the zoo director has
collected foliage and bark also, to ensure spruce, Silver spruce, Western spruce – which to go away. Published by Foma (2014)
good specimens for botanists back home. describe its use, distribution or discoverers.
8. See No 13
In 1830 he was in North America again and Scots and Russians discovered and named
sent back more of its seeds from rainforests the world’s most successful spruce along 9. The Sacred Year: a year in the Ortho-
around Puget Sound: we can imagine great the Pacific coast of North America. Russian dox church calendar described by Ivan
excitement in Britain with news that parcels churchmen were the first to plant it outside Shmelyov, illustrated by N. Isaicheva.
of seeds had arrived! Perhaps there was even its natural range on Amaknak Island in the Published in a silk cover edition by Pan
more excitement when tiny packets were Aleutians in 1805. Press (2012)
received and opened inside mansions and
nurseries and a few unfamiliar seeds were Between 1960 and 2000, Scottish woods- 10. Dog, cat, kitty, hen: a book for learn-
found inside. men planted it in hundreds of millions on ing the names of familiar animals. By
the tree-less uplands of their country and Published by Melik-Pashaev
Keillour Estate in Perthshire, Scotland, was increased the tree cover of their oceanic
first to plant the seeds, in 1834. Murthly Es- landscape from 6% to 17%. 11. The Christmas Tree. A collection
tate planted its first seeds in 1846, Drummuir of stories by Russian classical writers
on Speyside and Drumlanrig Arboretum We should remember that First Nations of such as Nikolai Leskov, Afanasy Fet,
in 1850. Northwest America lived with and used Alexander Kuprin. Christmas tree deco-
Sitka spruce for several millennia before rations made together by the fire, cakes
During the later nineteenth century, more Russians and Scots discovered it and took baked in traditional Russian furnace
explorers travelled to the Pacific coast to it around the world. filling wooden houses with irresistible
collect large numbers of seeds from many aromas, songs sung, games played, fa-
trees. From these, Scottish landowners tested Ruth Tittensor's book 'Shades of Green: mous Svyatki fortune telling and many
germination and growth. By the early twen- An Environmental and Cultural Histo- more fascinating and magical stories
tieth century their foresters knew that Sitka ry of Sitka Spruce' will be published about Russian traditions. Illustrated by
spruce was the best new species to afforest by Windgather Press (Oxbow Books, N. Isaichova. Published by Dom Mes-
tree-less upland Scotland. Oxford) in May 2016. ISBN number cheryakova (2015)
9781909686779. Price £29.95.Available
* Scots pine from all good bookshops or direct from 12. Rainbow by Kornei Chukovsky
Oxbow Books www.oxbowbooks.com published by Melik-Pashaev

13. Boxed set of Pushkin fairytales (see
also pic no 8). Published by Klever –
Media Group, 2013 Illustrated in tradi-
tional Russian style by Nikolai Bartram

10 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

Best Russian children’s books

By Masha Bond
A good children’s book in my view is not only about
its content, it is also about being beautifully made. I
have tried to pick a representative sample of Russian
books, both old and new, which are attractive and
interesting both to read and to look at.

1. 2.
3.

4. 5. 6.

9. 10.

7. 8.

13.
11. 12.

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 11

Books

The Penguin Book of Russian Poetry

Edited by Robert Chandler, Boris Dralyuk, and Irina Mashinski.
Harmondsworth: Penguin, 2015 Paperback, 592pp £12.99.

In his 2014 interview with Times Education 50 twentieth-century poets. While some of nineteenth-century
Supplement, Dmitry Livanov, the Russian them (such as Akhmatova, Tsvetaeva, Pas- and contemporary
minister of education and science, suggested ternak and Mandelshtam, to name just a few) poets are altogeth-
that all nations, including Britain, should are well known to the anglophone reader, er excluded from
follow Russia’s example by compelling more familiar to a Russian reader would be the anthology. The
students to study their own literary canon. the Russian absurdist poets of the OBERIU omission of such
Livanov said that all students in Russia group (Kharms, Oleinikov, and Vvedensky), significant poets
were expected to acquire “a golden font Russian émigré poets (Georgii Ivanov, Anna as Anna Bunina, Karolina Pavlova, Mirra
of cultural values” by the time they left Prismanova, Joseph Brodsky) and Soviet bard Lokhvitskaya, Semien Nadson, Natalia Gor-
school. He went on to say: “You can’t leave a poets (Okudzhava, Vysotsky and Galich). banevskaya, Georgii Adamovich, Elizaveta
Russian school without having read poetry by Their inclusion into Chandler’s anthology Kuzmina-Karavaeva, Elena Guro, Valerii
Pushkin, novels by Tolstoy and Dostoevsky highlights the co-existence of various canons Pereleshin, Konstantin Bal’mont, Igor’Sever-
or short stories by Chekhov”. (Quoted in: in post-Soviet Russia that incorporate official ianin, Nikolai Kliuev, Irina Odoevstseva,
Richard Vaughan. The Times Educational and unofficial literature, popular and high cul- Nikolai Otsup, Aleksei Parshchikov, Timur
Supplement, 5079 (January 24, 2014), p.8). ture, and the influx of Russian émigré works Kibirov, Aleksandr Kushner, Viktor Sosnora
As Livanov’s list of authors indicates, the into the literary landscape of the 1990s-2000s. and Viktor Krivulin is not rationalised.
national literary canon that he would like to Despite the present anthology’s length of
preserve in Russia is still very much oriented over 550 pages, some editorial choices of The volume contains notes that provide bi-
towards nineteenth-century literature written inclusion and exclusion appear problematic. ographical and contextual information that
in Russian and widely translated outside It is not clear, for example, why one poem would be helpful to many anglophone read-
Russia. Robert Chandler’s anthology is a penned by Teffi and twenty of Shalamov’s ers. Unfortunately, some notes are misleading
welcome contribution to the construction of poems are featured in the anthology, since and idiosyncratic. The note on Tsvetaeva,
a new pedagogical canon of Russian poetry both of them are better known as prose writ- for example, wrongly states the date of the
since it includes many poets who were either ers. It would have been more appropriate to arrest of her husband and her daughter: they
not published during the Soviet period or include some of Vladimir Nabokov’s poems were arrested in 1939, not in 1941. Tsvetae-
who were only known to a small group of because his poetry was popular among émigré va’s knowledge of languages comes from
readers who had access to samizdat or émigré readers and continues to be popular among her mother, her governess and her studies in
publications. It certainly differs significantly post-Soviet readers. It is a pity that Nabokov’s Germany and further schooling in Moscow,
from the 1962 edition of the first Penguin exquisite translations of Tiutchev’s poetry rather than from trips to Europe with her
Book of Russian Verse compiled and edited are omitted. Robert Chandler’s translations parents as mentioned on pp. 301-2. While
by Prince Dmitry Obolensky, a distinguished of Tuitchev’s “Last Love” and “Silentium!” the note on Pushkin mentions Khodasevich’s
Professor of Balkan and Russian History at downplay many of the nuances embedded in speech on Pushkin delivered at the House
the University of Oxford. Nabokov’s translations of these poems. Here of Writers in 1921, it fails to provide any
Unlike Obolensky, Robert Chandler is not is an example of Chandler’s wordy translation references to Blok’s speech delivered during
an academic. He secured an international of one stanza from “Silentium!” (p.105): the same gathering in which Blok warns
reputation for his translations of Russian What heart can ever speak its mind? about the growing encroachment of Soviet
fiction, including such highly important twen- How can some other understand the hidden censorship on the poet’s creativity and calls
tieth-century authors as Andrey Platonov pole that turns your life? upon his fellow writers to embrace the notion
and Vassily Grossman. Irina Mashinski and A thought, once spoken, is a lie. of inner freedom. The note on Georgii Ivanov
Boris Dralyuk, Chandler’s co-editors, are Don’t cloud the water in your well; wrongly states that “the Russian émigrés
well-known Russian American poets and drink from the wellspring – and be still. were as cut off from French culture as from
translators. It seems that their expertise in In contrast, Nabokov renders Tiutchev’s the Soviet Union” (p.331). The statement
Russian contemporary poetry had a con- concise and elegant style in a much more saying that Yevgeny Evtushenko was born
siderable impact on the inclusion of new thoughtful manner: to “a family of mixed Russian, Ukranian and
names into this version of the Penguin an- How can a heart expression find? Tartar ancestry” (p.486) is also misleading
thology. In contrast to Obolensky’s version, How should another know your mind? because his German family name Gangnus
it contains only translations into English, Will he discern what quickens you? was changed during the Second World War:
omitting Russian originals altogether. The A thought, once uttered, is untrue. he adopted one of his grandmother’s names
opportunity to read the titles of originals and Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred: because it was unsafe to have a German sur-
translations side by side is provided by the drink at the source and speak no word. name at that time.
website (https://pbrp.wordpress.com). It is also a pity that Nabokov’s contribution to
The anthology includes the works of 62 poets the translation of Russian poetry into English All the criticism notwithstanding, the anthol-
and spans from Derzhavin to Soviet unoffi- was not discussed in the Introduction. His ogy provides a wonderful opportunity to the
cial poets of the 1970s-80s such as Elena name is not included in the list of admirers anglophone reader to appreciate many new
Shvarts and Dmitry Prigov. Varlam Shalam- of Tiutchev’s poetry either (p.104). Certainly, additions to the Russian poetic canon and to
ov – who is usually known for his Gulag the inclusion of Nabokov’s translations of discover many effective translations of Rus-
stories The Kolyma Tales – is presented in Tiutchev’s and Lermontov’s poetry into the sian poetry. It will be of interest to students,
the anthology as a poet rather than a prose Penguin anthology would have enriched the scholars and general readers interested in
writer. The striking feature of the new edition stylistic repertoire of the collection. Russian literature. It is affordable and widely
of Penguin anthology is its strong interest in Sadly, many important Russian émigré poets, available both as a paper edition and as a
Russian twentieth-century poetry: it includes Kindle version.

Reviewed by Dr Alexandra Smith (Reader in
Russian Studies, University of Edinburgh).

12 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

Books Selected spring
reading list from
The Invention of Russia: John Sandoe:
The Journey from Gorbachev’s [email protected]
Freedom to Putin’s War www.johnsandoe.com

By Arkady Ostrovsky Party Animals: My Family
London: Atlantic Books, 2015. £20.00. and other Communists
David Aaronovitch
The invention (or, as one of the blurbs In addition, Ostro- A memoir of his early life and subsequent
suggests, the reinvention) of Russia as a vsky reminds his unearthings, observed with wit and hu-
great world power over the last thirty years readers of numer- mour: “One of the peculiarities of party
led first to the concept of a benign Soviet ous media personalities who have played an life was that the most hardline, pro-Soviet,
Union putting universal human values above important and constructive role by inform- and ‘proletarian internationalist’ members
class warfare by cooperating with the West, ing and stimulating the minds of Soviet, of the party were to be found in places like
notably the USA (the Gorbachev period), post-Soviet, neo-Soviet and postmodernist Oxford, Hampshire and Surrey.” £17.99
and later to a reversal of that policy, leading Russians: Yegor and Vladimir Yakovlev,
to the present malignant and dangerous Alexander Bovin, Otto Latsis, Alexander The Romanovs: 1613-1918
atmosphere of tension between the Russian Nevzorov, Maxim Sokolov, Igor Malashen- Simon Sebag Montefiore
Federation and the economically developed ko, Sergei Dorenko and others. Attention is A history of the dynasty. £25
world (the Putin period). Was this almost rightly drawn to the role of the periodical
inevitable, given the traditional power of Zhurnalist in the 1960s and of Moskovskiye The Noise of Time
Russian messianism, and to what extent, novosti (Moscow News) in the 1980s. But Julian Barnes
if at all, is the West responsible for this perhaps the real hero of the book is the old The pleasures and pains of irony, used here
turn of events? And is the ‘war’ that Putin Communist Party functionary Alexander as the last bastion of the self in the face of
is alleged by some to be conducting, both Yakovlev, who probably did more than any- oppression, are picked apart in this clever,
inside his country and abroad, not only a one else to bring down the USSR (probably, ruminative biographical novel about Shos-
New Cold War, but likely to set off a horrific like Gorbachev, without wanting to do so). takovich. An elegantly suspended narrative
Hot War? (The title of another new book A thorough English-language biography of has him observing the "vast catalogue of
from the same publisher, Garry Kasparov’s this particular Yakovlev is badly needed. little farces adding up to an immense trage-
Winter is Coming: Why Vladimir Putin and dy" that was the Soviet experience. £14.99
the Enemies of the Free World Must Be Who, in 1991, thought or hoped that ten
Stopped, suggests that a continuing Cold years later the President of Russia would Exposure
War is the best we can hope for, the so-called be a middle-ranking KGB officer who had Helen Dunmore
‘lesser evil’.) really wanted to join that evil organisa- Novel set in Cold War London; a file goes
tion? This is not a rhetorical question, and missing, a man arrested… betrayal, secrets,
Arkady Ostrovsky’s very readable mon- it is hardly touched on by Ostrovsky, for loyalties. £16.99
ograph helps us to see Gorbachev, Putin very understandable reasons. There were
and also Yeltsin in perspective and then three groups in power in the Soviet Union Kandinsky: The Elements Of Art
decide whether ‘someone like Putin’ was in 1991: the supporters of Gorbachev, the Philippe Sers £60
or was not as inevitable as Stalin was, or siloviki (state security personnel) who or-
may have been, several years after Lenin’s ganised the temporarily failed coup, and the Vigee Le Brun: Woman Artist
death. Ostrovsky quite rightly begins his budding oligarchs who staged the tempo- in Revolutionary France
account in the 1950s and also quite rightly rarily successful counter-coup. It took the Katharine Baetjer And an adored painter
attributes great importance to the degree of second group nearly a decade to get back – and wearer - of hats. Catalogue for the
freedom of, and the extent of restrictions on, into power, sharing it with those oligarchs, forthcoming exhibition at the Met. £30
the media. After the Bolshevik coup in 1917, but only those oligarchs, who decided to
it was a matter of only a few days before support them. The combination of money Russian Lacquer: The Museum
Lenin introduced the ‘temporary’ Decree on and power has by now consolidated the of Lacquer Art Collection
the Press which remained in force, in effect, kleptocratic Putinist regime, and the key Monika Kopplin & Franz Hemmerle
until 1986. The most important steps Putin mystery is well posed by the title of chapter The Museum of Lacquer Art in Münster is
took in 2000 were to start to close down the 2 of this excellent book: ‘New Beginning the largest of its kind outside the Russian
‘real’ NTV (the independent TV channel or Dead End’. Ostrovsky wisely doesn’t Federation. £45
set up by oligarch Gusinsky) and to attack add a question mark or answer his own
the main ‘state’ TV channel run by oligarch implied question. Readers have to decide The Invention of Nature: The
Berezovsky. (Ostrovsky, understandably, for themselves. Adventures of Alexander Von
makes no ad hominem remarks about Putin Humboldt, the Lost Hero of Science
and never even hints that the Russian Pres- Martin Dewhirst Andrea Wulf
ident himself just might be an oligarch, if This superb biography was one of our
of a different type.) bestselling books before Christmas. A
contemporary of Goethe, von Humboldt's
explorations in South America made him
a household name across the world. This
fascinating book relates not only von Hum-
boldt's astonishing exploits but also his
immense, and continuing, importance. He
was the first person to articulate the effects
of human activity on climate, and is held
to be the godfather of ecology and even of
Art Nouveau. Tsar Nicolas I commissioned
him (successfully) to look for diamonds in
the Urals. £25

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 13

Books

Russia’s Cuisine: Tradition and Modernity

Published by Chernov and Co, Moscow www.chernovic.ru.
Hardback in case £79 plus p&p. Leather bound in case £110 plus p&p

There are cookery books that make Visually the book is a delight. The pho- which I imagine is a unit of volume similar
you long to chop and stir and knead, tography is particularly enticing, no mean to the American cup, or, indeed, Elizabeth
and cookery books that make you want to feat when you consider that a great deal of David’s famous Egyptian Players 50 cigarette
travel, and taste and eat. Occasionally there northern food is beigy-brown, the despair of tin. A section on Russian kitchen equipment
is one that impels you to do both, as this food stylists. But they’ve pulled it off trium- and techniques would have been both interest-
marvellously sumptuous journey through phantly, a feast in every sense of the word. ing and useful. I greatly enjoyed cooking from
Russian cuisine so very nearly succeeds Incidentally, I was thrilled to encounter the the old Time-Life classic on Russian food,
in doing. picture of Nyanya, a sheep’s stomach stuffed now more than 40 years old, and I would love
with buckwheat, mutton and offal that is a new definitive Russian cookbook. A second
Although it does not set out to be encyclo- surely the separated-at-birth twin of haggis. edition could put all these things right, and
paedic, it delivers a pretty comprehensive I hope the publisher considers it, because in
canter through eleven regions of Russia, So why does the book not quite pull it off? every other way this book is pure gold.
with their extraordinary range of raw ma- Quite simply, the translation: the tone is col-
terials, and food traditions, as well as brief loquial American, grating and sometimes Janet Wheatcroft
nods in the direction of new Russian cuisine banal. There is also
and a few Jewish dishes. The result is a no indication that the
huge (rather too unwieldy for practical use) translator knows his
and glorious book that promises hours of way round a kitch-
greedy browsing for lovers of both food en, so some of the
and of Russia. instructions barely
make sense, or are
Recent buzz words among the culinary perfunctory. Others
Haut Ton have included ‘Scandinavian’ I would not attempt,
and ‘foraging’. This suggests that the food not least because
of Russia is well placed to be the Next Big there is no consist-
Thing, inspiring new riffs on tradition drawn ency in the meas-
from the age-old harvest from forest, river ures used. Some use
and steppe, and the integrity of fresh and grams, others glasses,
robust flavours.

Of course, you could compile a thick vol-
ume simply about Russia’s sublime bread,
and despite the heftiness of this book, it
contains only a hundred actual recipes, so
there is much missing here. But there are
wonderful sections on the old orchard fruits
of Russia, the mushrooms to be foraged
from damp meadow and woodland, the wild
herbs, game and fish, that have been hunted
cooked and preserved with ingenuity over
centuries, and remain a much-loved part
of Russia’s connection with the land itself.
There are even hints on how to cook bear,
should you happen to find yourself with one
on your hands.

at The Port Royal Hotel
Port Bannatyne, Isle of Bute

01700 505073

www.butehotel.com

14 REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016

My Russia
By Major (Ret’d) Catriona Caie

It is hard to say what stands out about 'Katy' Caie posing in true Bond style outside the British Embassy in Moscow
my time in Russia, as I have many good
memories. When I was told in 2010 that I view of Novodevichy Convent. Summer or Christmas shopping, and I have many hand
had been selected for the appointment of winter it is stunningly beautiful, especially carved and painted Russian figurines for my
Assistant Military Attache to Moscow, I had on a Saturday when all the newly weds come Christmas Tree.
absolutely no idea what adventure lay ahead. to get their Wedding photographs taken in
It felt daunting, but it was exciting to think the grounds. I left Moscow in August 2014 and drove
that I would get to live in the country that home to Scotland with my dog. My Russian
had been “behind the Iron Curtain” for so Ismailovo Market was another favourite posting was very memorable and my last,
much of my life. Initially challenging was place, for its hustle and bustle and the smell so I wanted to leave it in a memorable way.
the 2 years of head hurting Russian grammar of lamb shashliks on
and the fun of Attaché training. This was the BBQ grills. It
followed by the frustration of waiting for was full of artisans,
my Diplomatic Visa and as a result I arrived sellers of tourist tat,
later than planned on 1 June 2012. Soviet antiques, furs
galore and more. I
My job as an Army Officer Attache was to went regularly and
learn as much as possible about the Rus- spent hours simply
sian Army, its reforms, attitudes, morale wandering about
and status. In doing this, I, with the other looking. It showed a
International Attaches, was invited to many more down to earth
parades, celebrations and visits to various side of Moscow, far
Army units. Through my job I got to travel more friendly than
as far as north as Murmansk, east to Lake the elitist designer
Baikal, where I ran the International Ice malls. It was the
Marathon, south to Rostov on Don and west focus for all of my
to St Petersburg. You only realise how big,
diverse and beautiful Russia is when you
start to travel within her borders.

One thing that struck me, was how well
respected the Great Patriotic War veterans
were. For every major battle won during
the War, there is a celebration to mark the
day, which sucessfully keeps the veterans
in the public’s mind. Britain simply has
Remembrance Day.

I took my old dog Sally with me to Mos-
cow, which resulted in us walking in many
parks. Novodevichy Park was the closest
and it soon became the counter balance to
my hectic Attache life. Parks are very ac-
tively used by flat dwelling Moscovites in
all seasons and I never became tired of the

A veteran sniper (left) from the Battle of Stalingrad with the author

REVIEW l No. 34 l Spring 2016 15

Forestry Purposes LLP

Green Energy - Timber - Residential, Holiday & Commercial
Lettings - Residential, Commercial and Industrial Developments
www.forestrypurposes.com
To contact Forestry Purposes LLP call Jim Hurren on
07523 119097 or email [email protected]

Image courtesy of Lizzie Rose