Time and Space

The measure of time and space encompassed by this issue is rather unusual.

We go back in time to look at spring rites dating to well before the Christian era (page 44), with stops along the way (in our Calendar section) in 1921, 1901 and 1811. We travel out into space with Gagarin on the fiftieth anniversary of his historic flight (page 28). We dive to the bottom of the Black Sea to dredge up sunken ships and mysterious legends (page 38). And of course we traverse the breadth of Russia with a couple of intrepid American cyclists (page 32).

Now I don’t mention all this to brag (ok, maybe just a little), but simply because this is the peculiarity I noticed about this issue as it was coming together. You see, each issue of Russian Life has its own character, its own unique mix of subjects and personalities. Some of this is shaped by design, with stories planned a year or more in advance to coincide with a significant anniversary of an historical event. And some of this is brought about by happenstance: an article arrives unexpectedly and we can’t wait to run it; events sidetrack a planned story; photos don’t pan out and we must delay. You get the picture.