I wrote this essay on the renunciation of the political world in 2019. It is even more true today as well all face our world we cannot control and choices about how to husband and not derange our minds and the gardens of our culture. I was editing it for my next collection of essays, Thirteen… Continue reading On the Renunciation of the Political World – a choice for us all
My latest podcast takes a look at the influence of the Mongol Empire on Russian history, and indeed on world history.
In this 8th podcast episode in the 'Black Legend of Russian History' the myths about Ivan the Terrible are outlined, and then the stranger stories of his life are told.
Victoria, like many post-democratic societies of the so-called West, is not a victim of Stockholm Syndrome. It is trapped in a Stanford Prison Experiment.
I have published From the Burning Archive: essays and fragments 2015-2022. You can buy it as print or e-book here at Amazon and also at other online retailers. Here is an excerpt of the introductory essay of that collection. It tells how a dream image became a poem became a blog became a podcast and then an author platform.
In the early 1600s Russia suffered a traumatic civil war, political instability and social chaos - the Time of Troubles. Find out more on my latest podcast.
As part of the continuing series of telling Russian History backwards and debunking the 'Black Legend of Russian History, Jeff Rich tells the tale of Russia's 18th century when there was one great Emperor and four remarkable Empresses.
I have released two new episodes of The Burning Archive podcast. Episode 65 The Black Legend of Russian History We cannot hope to find peace with Russia unless we seek to understand Russian history in all its complexity, its highs and lows, its tragedies and its farces, its inspirations and its horrors. To understand that… Continue reading Podcast series of Russian History begins with 65. Black Legend and 66. Gorbachev
Episode 63 The Lessons of History - The Burning Archive podcast explores how the past is not dead, the past is not even past. But if that is so, what are the uses and lessons of history? How can history be used for guidance in our lives, and to advise governments on the big decisions that shape… Continue reading Two new podcasts on the uses of history in government and decision-making
I have released two new podcasts on the crises in America and the challenges of a multipolar world for Australia.
Tonight I released my latest podcast, Please Don't Cancel Russia, episode 60. When in early 2022 Russia decided to invade Ukraine, the Western world especially the Anglo-American World went mad kind of mad - with anger, fury and some justified rage. But it also made a strange attempt not just to restore International Peace, but… Continue reading Two New Podcasts on Russia and Ukraine
I have just released episode 55 of the Burning Archive podcast. This episode is about the concept of civilization, in both the legendary game Civ I-VI and in the traditions of history-writing. Civilization, the game, is soon to be released in its 7th edition. In this episode of The Burning Archive I respond to a… Continue reading The making of my podcast marathon on Civilizations
Does the history of the mafia have more to do with Italian Risorgimento politics, prisons and the disruptions of the nineteenth century than medieval brotherhoods?
Yesenin's poetic celebration of rural life was itself far removed from Yesenin's real life.
A new Russian writer I discovered this morning is Nikolai Nekrasov (1821-78)...
In 2016 I wrote a couple of posts on lists of writers whose work survives or is best known in fragments, who could even be imagined as the precursors of bloggers.
Over the last few weeks I have collected a fair swag of Russian world history and literature.
The Russians of today show no sign of pulling down the great statue of Peter the Great that overlooks the Neva. Nor do they show any signs of cancelling Pushkin.
From this traumatised, divided old Russian Soviet poet, we learn about our own strange freedom.
Shvarts has become for me an important poet.
