Word came from the UK today of the death of Lindsey Hughes, Professor of Russian History at University College, London. She had been ill on and off with cancer with several years, and it finally killed her today.
Lindsey Hughes wrote two superlative books in her specialty, Russia in the era of Peter the Great. One was a lengthy, academic study of Peter the Great, later shortened into a biography for general readers. I don't think I fully understood the transformation of the Russia under Peter before I read this work. She drew a general picture for the reader, then filled it in with all kinds of intriguing details, for example the exacting social and sartorial rules Peter imposed on the "new Russians" he forced to come to St. Petersburg to live in his mosquito-infested "Paradise." Peter so micromanaged their lives that he imposed a fine after a certain period of time for those who still did not learn how to sail, as European people did. Anyone caught using oars would be in big trouble. The other book she wrote that was so great concerned Sophia, Peter the Great's half sister. For many years prior to LIndsey's reappraisal, Sophia was a scheming witch hell-bent on destroying her half brother's life. In Lindsey's view, she was a highly intelligent, well-educated woman who wanted very much to rule herself--she certainly was every bit as capable as Peter--and, well, played hardball, used all the resources at her disposal to help her own cause. Lindsey was always surprising you, and she knew whereof she spoke. She worked in archives no westerner had seen before.
Lindsey was as down-to-earth as she was renowned. She was quick to laugh, told delightful stories of university life in Britain, and absolutely loved Cambridge, her alma mater and my personal favorite-ever university town. She will be missed at each and every conference and gathering in the future. Her books, however, assure that she will live on for years to come.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Godspeed, David Halberstam
I was deeply saddened to learn yesterday of the death of David Halberstam. History 388 students should all read his book "The Best and the Brightest," a cautionary tale about American hubris. He profiled the "bright young men" of the Kennedy administration and led readers to the inescapable conclusion that they believed completely in American omnipotence, the ability of America to impose its will on any people, any situation anywhere in the world. Then they should go on to read his Vietnam reportage, highly critical of Kennedy policy, which so enraged Saint Jack Kennedy that he lobbied to get Halberstam fired. Well, we all know who was right about Vietnam in the long run.
Or you can sample any number of other Halberstam masterpieces, small and large: his portrait of the firehouse near his apartment on 66th street in New York City and the men who had suffered so greviously on September ll, his many works on sports, his masterful portrait of the l950s in America. There were few writers more perceptive or insightful about a wide range of American phenomena.
Halberstam wrote a letter to his daughter a few years ago. I thought the following lines were especially a propos in view of our study of the Vietnam conflict and the growing difficulties in Iraq:
"I do not think I was alone in what I went through in those years. I think I was simply a part of a great national interior debate taking place throughout the country; we were reexamining not just America in Vietnam, but America itself. If we doubted that we were in the right war, or even on the right side, it did not mean that we loved our country any less. If anything, knowing America’s faults and imperfections, perhaps I love it more than your grandfather and great-grandfather, for perhaps I love it more wisely. During all those years, I kept on my desk a small quote from Albert Camus which he had written during France’s war in Algeria: ‘I should like to be able to love my country and love justice.”
I have thought long and hard about Vietnam over the last 20 years, for something like this does not lightly leave you, and I have decided that the true innocents are not those — as Washington would have it — who are afraid to use force and thus do not understand the real world, but in fact those who still think that in this day and age we can impose our values and our will upon peasants by force. And your godfather was right: I wish in fact that someone had shown me a photo of Vietcong bodies and I had cried."
I too believe that you should be able to love your country and love justice. Rest well, David Halberstam. Your immortality is assured in your writings.
Or you can sample any number of other Halberstam masterpieces, small and large: his portrait of the firehouse near his apartment on 66th street in New York City and the men who had suffered so greviously on September ll, his many works on sports, his masterful portrait of the l950s in America. There were few writers more perceptive or insightful about a wide range of American phenomena.
Halberstam wrote a letter to his daughter a few years ago. I thought the following lines were especially a propos in view of our study of the Vietnam conflict and the growing difficulties in Iraq:
"I do not think I was alone in what I went through in those years. I think I was simply a part of a great national interior debate taking place throughout the country; we were reexamining not just America in Vietnam, but America itself. If we doubted that we were in the right war, or even on the right side, it did not mean that we loved our country any less. If anything, knowing America’s faults and imperfections, perhaps I love it more than your grandfather and great-grandfather, for perhaps I love it more wisely. During all those years, I kept on my desk a small quote from Albert Camus which he had written during France’s war in Algeria: ‘I should like to be able to love my country and love justice.”
I have thought long and hard about Vietnam over the last 20 years, for something like this does not lightly leave you, and I have decided that the true innocents are not those — as Washington would have it — who are afraid to use force and thus do not understand the real world, but in fact those who still think that in this day and age we can impose our values and our will upon peasants by force. And your godfather was right: I wish in fact that someone had shown me a photo of Vietcong bodies and I had cried."
I too believe that you should be able to love your country and love justice. Rest well, David Halberstam. Your immortality is assured in your writings.
My Bad--388 final WEDNESDAY
I must have eaten too much New York car exhaust this weekend--I said yesterday that I would see 388 students on MONDAY for the 388 final.
In fact, we are scheduled for WEDNESDAY, May 2, 5:45-7:45. If you have 395 as well, you're scheduled for the same day at l:30.
The evil schedulers simply cannot provide you people with any respite. We shall have to go to war with them. Meantime, please spread the word if you see fellow class members.
In fact, we are scheduled for WEDNESDAY, May 2, 5:45-7:45. If you have 395 as well, you're scheduled for the same day at l:30.
The evil schedulers simply cannot provide you people with any respite. We shall have to go to war with them. Meantime, please spread the word if you see fellow class members.
The Yeltsin post-mortem, installment I
A well-connected and insightful Russia-watching friend had the following to say about Boris Yeltsin vis-a-vis his handpicked successor, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin:
"Whatever he(Yelstin) actually did, in his ham-handed way; and whatever happened by accident on his watch, or even in spite of his actions was more to the benefit of the country than whatever VVP has done deliberately, in the name of "progress" and "democracy". The sad thing (and this is perpetually the problem with Russians and Russia) is that the people have very short attention spans, memories and even patience; and they have always cared very little for the intangibles, like open borders and a free press. What most will remember Yeltsin for is the debacle with privatization (they don't realize that they have Chubais to thank for that) and the resulting inequities in society (the birth of the oligarchs).
I also think that poor, often drunk and sick BN was jerked around by a coterie of arrogant, unscrupulous types (including his daughter) who took advantage of the situation and made matters even worse. Unfortunately, Putin's blanket pardon of BN and his family (why he did that defies reason) has put all of them effectively beyond the pale of punishment. And a bunch of them are still grabbing what they can, and with both hands (Chernomyrdin, Borodin, etc.).
The fact remains, however, that, any thinking individual would always choose the chaos, mess of a Yeltsin era over the order, discipline of the Putin one. The operative word here is "thinking". And we've all been told too many times that Russians prefer "feeling" over "thinking"..."
Amen, amen, amen!
"Whatever he(Yelstin) actually did, in his ham-handed way; and whatever happened by accident on his watch, or even in spite of his actions was more to the benefit of the country than whatever VVP has done deliberately, in the name of "progress" and "democracy". The sad thing (and this is perpetually the problem with Russians and Russia) is that the people have very short attention spans, memories and even patience; and they have always cared very little for the intangibles, like open borders and a free press. What most will remember Yeltsin for is the debacle with privatization (they don't realize that they have Chubais to thank for that) and the resulting inequities in society (the birth of the oligarchs).
I also think that poor, often drunk and sick BN was jerked around by a coterie of arrogant, unscrupulous types (including his daughter) who took advantage of the situation and made matters even worse. Unfortunately, Putin's blanket pardon of BN and his family (why he did that defies reason) has put all of them effectively beyond the pale of punishment. And a bunch of them are still grabbing what they can, and with both hands (Chernomyrdin, Borodin, etc.).
The fact remains, however, that, any thinking individual would always choose the chaos, mess of a Yeltsin era over the order, discipline of the Putin one. The operative word here is "thinking". And we've all been told too many times that Russians prefer "feeling" over "thinking"..."
Amen, amen, amen!
Friday, April 20, 2007
Hangin' with the Hungarians
Tonight the conference reconvened at the Hungarian Consulate on E. 53rd street. The consul-general received every conference attendee graciously, talked to us at some length about his duties and assessed the state of Hungarian-American relations, which he pronounced excellent. I did note that when he introduced a prominent visiting member of the Magyar Democratic Union, he noted that she had been talking to both Republicans and Democrats in the Congress...these people know it pays to cultivate good relations with the opposition as well as the party in power. Afterwards, a fine time was had by all--everyone schmoozed over Hungarian mushrooms, cold cuts, fruit, dessert and Hungarian wine of all kinds. These gatherings always go better with Hungarian wine.
Afterward we viewed a strange documentary film about the Austrian woman who won Miss Universe in l929. Her best friend was a Hungarian, and the film followed both their lives into the tragedy of World War II, from which they did not emerge unscathed. Earlier, we were at the conference site, St. John's University, Manhattan, which is a block from the World Trade Center site. I couldn't help thinking what a drop in the bucket, relatively speaking, September 11 was. Europe had two world wars and millions and millions of dead...we had the one day in September, 3000 killed. It kind of put it all in perspective, which is why you go to these kinds of events.
Now, a total non-sequitir: Borders New York permits non-service dogs in their stores...i came across three today in the downtown Borders. One woman was talking to her Yorkie as if he were her small child(!)...
Afterward we viewed a strange documentary film about the Austrian woman who won Miss Universe in l929. Her best friend was a Hungarian, and the film followed both their lives into the tragedy of World War II, from which they did not emerge unscathed. Earlier, we were at the conference site, St. John's University, Manhattan, which is a block from the World Trade Center site. I couldn't help thinking what a drop in the bucket, relatively speaking, September 11 was. Europe had two world wars and millions and millions of dead...we had the one day in September, 3000 killed. It kind of put it all in perspective, which is why you go to these kinds of events.
Now, a total non-sequitir: Borders New York permits non-service dogs in their stores...i came across three today in the downtown Borders. One woman was talking to her Yorkie as if he were her small child(!)...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
New Amsterdam report
Manhattan stands tall and proud...the visit proceeds briskly. We visited Lincoln Center last night, to see the Puccini opera about east vs. west, Madame Butterfly. This morning, a rehearsal of the New York Philharmonic, which is nearing an important milestone--15,000 concerts since the days when P.I. Tchaikovsky was guest conducting. Then this afternoon, the "New Colossus," the grande dame in the harbor, who accepts at least some of the tired, poor huddled masses who yearn to be free, and the immigrant processing center where my grandparents and many thousands of others got their first glance of the USA. The Hungarians welcome us tomorrow--that is, after we inspect the Brooklyn Bridge. Oh, and there was a glimpse of the place where they used to have a wall to separate whites from the natives...it's a street now, don't you know, with dollar signs on it.
Message to everybody: Manhattan or Bust!!
Message to everybody: Manhattan or Bust!!
What a week
And not in a good way. Today is the 11th anniversary of the Murrow Federal Building in Oklahoma City and tomorrow is the 8th anniversary of Columbine. With the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech, this is not the greatest week in American history.
On the world front, according to the BBC,the British Army was cleared of the Bloody Sunday massacre in Londonderry, Northern Ireland on January 30, 1972. The day started as a peaceful civil rights protest by Londonderry Catholics and ended with 13 people dead, 17 injured and over 60 people arrested.
Ironically, April 20, 1974 claimed the 1,000 victim of "The Troubles." Again, according to the BBC, James Murphy, a gas station owner, was killed and dumped at the side of the road. Hmmmmm, this isn't a good week for Northern Ireland's history either.
My thoughts go out to those who are dealing with their losses at VT and those who are remembering loved ones claimed in Oklahoma City and Littleton.
On the world front, according to the BBC,the British Army was cleared of the Bloody Sunday massacre in Londonderry, Northern Ireland on January 30, 1972. The day started as a peaceful civil rights protest by Londonderry Catholics and ended with 13 people dead, 17 injured and over 60 people arrested.
Ironically, April 20, 1974 claimed the 1,000 victim of "The Troubles." Again, according to the BBC, James Murphy, a gas station owner, was killed and dumped at the side of the road. Hmmmmm, this isn't a good week for Northern Ireland's history either.
My thoughts go out to those who are dealing with their losses at VT and those who are remembering loved ones claimed in Oklahoma City and Littleton.
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