Invitation to join TF’s Tina reading East West Street by Philippe Sands – UKRAINE

28th February 2022

Invitation to join TF’s Tina reading East West Street by Philippe Sands – UKRAINE / EUROPE

#readalong

I don’t know about you, but I have a deep sense of impotence as Russia invades Ukraine, I am desperate to ‘do’ something that is useful given the awful and unwarranted situation. We can make donations, we can keep the people of Ukraine in our thoughts, we can demonstrate on the streets to show our antipathy and abhorrence at Russia’s actions…

My knowledge of UKRAINE is minimal, it’s lamentable, especially as part of my family hails from Eastern Europe. Therefore one way of understanding might be to learn more about the Urkainian people and their culture and country. Through literature I have started to learn a little more about the the country and by engaging with authors, one can perhaps learn ways of being present in spirit – and perhaps that is all we can do.

I started my reading journey a couple of years back when I read Snegurochka by Judith Heneghan, it was shortlisted when I was on the judging panel for the Edward Stanford Travel Writing Awards 2020 (Fiction, with a Sense of Place). This took me back to visits in Eastern Europe, before the Wall came down in 1989 and got me thinking about how far the Ost Block values had spread and how architecture for the masses had dominated the skyline, so many grey utilitarian tower blocks everywhere. But of course there is more than that, there is history and beautiful architecture that I am determined to visit one day and see for myself.

A timely article by Will Self in The New European, resonated with me and my lack of knowledge. On a visit to Kyiv he said “I was confronted again and again by my ignorance”. Let’s together start our journey. Will you join me? Further on BBC Radio 4 Edward Sturton brings together express in a half hour programme to understand how the history of Urkraine informs what is happening now – How Did We Get Here -, a very good listen indeed!

UPDATED 4th March

Today is the day we start our read along. The news coming out of Ukraine is dire, with attacks on a nuclear power plant. So let’s get stuck in, shall we? If you haven’t already got a copy, just obtain one and join in. It’s going to be super relaxed, no stress and just a way to explore Ukraine’s history country and culture together via a top read. I hope this will prove to be an interesting, unifying and worthwhile exercise and I look forward to meeting everyone! There is no cut off date, everyone reads at a different pace, so just take your time.

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