We’ve all been enjoying “A Day in the Soviet Union” by Smolan and Cohen, recently obtained from the thrift-store.
The book is full of little notes about the pictures– for example, next to a picture of two Georgian youths, each carrying two large bouquets of lilac, it says that “Georgian men are the Don Juans of the Soviet Union– romantic and passionate, or downright lewd, depending on which version of the stereotype you hear” and that officials in Moscow were “genuinely worried” when they heard that a female photographer was assigned there; but that the photographer–who had been on numerous assignments to Latin America– “handled this one with her customary aplomb.”
All the pictures were taken on May 15th, 1987, by professionals and amateurs alike. Here are a few of my favourites:
note: I looked up the publisher (“Collins Publishers Inc.”) and it seems to no longer exist. As such, I am unsure how to obtain written permission as requested on the flyleaf.
Cherry Tea 