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Quote by Svetlana Alliluyeva

“Why did Americans smile so often? Was it out of politeness or because of a gay disposition? Whatever it was, I for one had never been spoiled with smiles. I found it very pleasant! ... I was beginning to understand that with Americans smiling was, as with healthy infants, a natural need. And my reaction was to respond in the same way.”

Quote by Svetlana Alliluyeva

Work

Only One Year

This book delves into the emotional and psychological dynamics of individuals facing significant life changes within a year's span. The narrative weaves through various interconnected lives, highlighting the interconnectedness of human experiences and the profound impact of time on personal growth and transformation. more

Author

Svetlana Alliluyeva
Svetlana Alliluyeva

Svetlana Alliluyeva, a Soviet politician and writer, was born on February 28, 1926, and passed away on November 22, 2011. She was the second daughter of Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, and her life and works attracted widespread attention both in the Soviet Union and internationally. more

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“On, those ever-changing moods of Moscow! How swiftly they go from black to white, from one extreme to another, from friendship to accusations, from adoration to hatred, from the permissive 'da' to that annihilating 'nyet.' Those eternal swings from a thaw to a freeze, whims that disregard their own rules, norms, and regulations!”

“We plant a tree that won't be big enough to climb until we're too old to climb trees, we write constitutions to protect the rights of people who won't be born for another hundred years and may not be worth the trouble anyway, and we try to take care of our sick, though we all suffer from a disease for which there is no cure and no hope for one. We will not last and we know we will not - and still we write, carve, build, paint and plant to last. We are, it seems to me, very, very brave.”

“Some of the qualities that go into making a good reporter - aggressiveness, a certain sneakiness, a secretive nature, nosiness, the ability to find out that which someone wants hidden, the inability to take 'no' with any sort of grace, a taste for gossip, rudeness, a fair disdain for what people will think of you and an occasional and calculated disregard for rules - are also qualities that go into making a very antisocial human being.”