![]() ![]() At one time I was innocent enough to believe this to be a Soviet face. And, as the rest of this book demonstrates, Russians-and Ukrainians, basically the same thing-have a thousand years of bloody and brutal history, during which time they have learned that adversity is always near at hand, which adversity must be kept at bay with that morose face. The author fails to explain that this mask of moroseness is the default look of any Russian walking any street, in Russia or elsewhere, and whether under immediate attack or not. An expression that denoted an irrational, mortal refusal to capitulate-the pride and bane of the Russian people.” The morose, disdainful expression with which the Russians had greeted their various invaders. A particularly Russian sort of expression, Kotler thought. The clerk “endured the assault with a stiff, mulish expression. A pretty blonde woman working as hotel clerk in Yalta is berated by a young woman from Israel, who insists she be given a room. The Betrayers (Little, Brown & Co, 267 pages) begins with a Russian expression on a young woman’s face. ![]()
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