06 - Russia in 1919 by Arthur Ransome

PUBLISHERS NOTE On August 27, 1914, while in London, I jotted down a thought in my memorandum book Met Arthur Ransome at_____s; we discussed a potential book exploring the Russians relationship to the war through the lens of their psychological and folkloric backgrounds. Although that book never materialized, the ideas sparked during that conversation resonate throughout Ransomes insights on Russian matters. A versatile figure, Ransome is not only a respected biographer of Poe and Wilde but also a translator and commentator on Remy de Gourmont, and a devoted folklorist committed to uncovering the truth. The document he hastily smuggled out of Russia during the early days of the Soviet government—first published in the New Republic and later circulated as a pamphlet—was a groundbreaking plea from a non-Russian voice to the American audience for fairness during a crisis that was, and still is, poorly understood. According to the British Whos Who—an esteemed directory of influential individuals—Ransomes hobbies include walking, smoking, and fairy stories. It is perhaps his deep familiarity with the latter that allows him to navigate the realms of myth and fact, making his observations and recordings invaluable in a time marked by confusion and betrayal. - Summary by B. W. Huebsch