Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has joined me from the far distance of 7,514 km or 4,669 miles. Yes, I am thrilled to report that once again, we are connecting Finland and Canada via Russian Literature. Elisabeth has […]
via Season 2. Episode 4: Elisabeth on Ivan Turgenev — Tea Toast & Trivia
A Russian Affair 
Elisabeth, that was a wonderful conversation you had with podcast host Rebecca Budd! Heartening to hear that Turgenev’s enlightened views on oppressive Russian serfdom kind of matched Harriet Beecher Stowe’s enlightened views on oppressive American slavery. And those interesting Turgenev/Tolstoy anecdotes… 🙂
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Elisabeth and Dave – your thoughts, ideas, encouragement have been invaluable to me. We live in a busy, ever changing world of drama and dramatics that demands our full participation. Books, writing, creative endeavours allow us to pause, reflect and achieve more clarity and focus. Thank you to you both for your generosity and passion for reading and sharing your insights. 2020 is going to be a year of adventurous living.
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Wonderful conversation, Elizabeth! Truly enjoyed hearing your thoughts and insights. Cheers!
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Thank you very much, Dave!
Both Turgenev’s and Beecher Stowe’s novels had a huge impact on their readers, changing the public opinion about slavery and serfdom. No doubt this sped up the abolition procedures in both countries.
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Thank you so much! I’m happy to hear that 😊😄
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so cool, an interview with Canada.. 🙂 ..you got really a nice voice. 🙂
Elisabeth, all the best for you for 2020!!!
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Thank you, dear Markus! That reminded me that I had not yet watched that video with your latest post. That really is a wonderful achievement!!! Living Souls, love the title of course! So good to see you there and to hear everyone say such wonderful things about you! It’s a fantastic start of 2020 and I wish you a whole year like that 🤗🤗🤗
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Elisabeth — An anecdote about “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which I recall is that Harriet Beecher Stowe met President Lincoln and that Lincoln said to her: “So you’re the woman who started this war.” (The story may be apocryphal.) The book had an enormous impact on anti-slavery sentiment. Stowe’s brother Henry Ward Beecher was minister of a church in Brooklyn Heights, which is not far from where I live now (perhaps five miles distant). Beecher was a major figure in the abolitionist movement and the church, the Plymouth Church, was an important church in the underground railroad. Brooklyn used to be known as the “city of churches” and when I have been walking there, I have noticed a lot of beautiful old ones.
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That’s a beautiful story! Thank you for sharing. Interesting that her brother was a minister of a church in Brooklyn.
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Herzensgrüsse machen sich auf den Weg zu Dir…..
Sarah
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Herzliche Grüße zurück, Sarah!
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