Translated anthology of 'London Letters' written by Russian foreign
correspondents which makes available for the first time in English the
Russian perspective on early twentieth-century London life.
This anthology provides a unique window onto Britain's capital city as
it existed more than a century ago in the minds of the Russian reading
public. Russian foreign correspondents produced a substantial body of
writing documenting London life in all its infinite variety, but their
articles, published in Russian journals and newspapers, have not been
accessible to English speakers until today. These articles, instrumental
in forging Russian perceptions of London before the First World War,
have now acquired a new interest as monuments of a vanished era and as
records of the city's history in their own right.
The selections in this anthology from Isaak Shklovsky, Korney Chukovsky,
Samuil Marshak and Semyon Rapoport give just a taste of the riches that
still lie hidden in the pages of old periodicals. The anthology is
divided into four sections: 'Foreigners in London', focusing on the
plight of immigrants in the city; 'London Labour and the London Poor',
documenting the experiences of working-class Londoners; 'London at Home
and at Leisure', depicting the domestic life and amusements of Londoners
of all classes and ages; and 'London Streets and Public Life', covering
elections, religious meetings, famous trials, jingoist celebrations and
the funeral of Queen Victoria. The articles are accompanied by an
in-depth introduction, illustrations and extensive annotations.
This anthology will appeal to anyone interested in London history or in
Anglo-Russian relations, as well as to scholars of Russian literature.
Chukovsky and Marshak both became famous writers later in life, and many
of Shklovsky's sketches have a distinct literary as well as historical
value.
