To compliment yesterday's portrait of the Nabokovs, here's
one of Aleksandr and Natalya Solzhenitsyn outside the general store in Cavendish,
Vermont, in the late '70s. This photo gives the lie to the story that AS never
mingled with the locals; in fact, during his 18 years in Cavendish, he was
frequently seen at the general store or the post office, and took part in at
least one town meeting. But his English was shaky, which restricted his sociability.
Later on, his sons, who grew up as Americans, translated for him.
Rounding off this two-day
Nabokov-Solzhenitsyn memorial, you can read my portfolio of pieces on the two great Russians here and here,
and why they never met but how close they came, here.
