Tell us about yourself and how many books you have written.
I have been a lifelong student of the Russian language and of Russian and Soviet culture, history, and politics. It all began for me when I attended an 18-month Russian Course at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) in Monterey, California where we studied only Russian 6 hours a day, five days a week. After graduating with honors from that program, I served in signals intelligence with the old Army Security Agency at a border listening post in West Germany where we monitored Soviet military radio communications.
After leaving military service, I attended Kent State University and, in 1972, completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a major in Russian and German. I then joined a United States Information Agency (USIA) cultural exchange exhibit and traveled throughout the Soviet Union from July through December of 1972. This experience not only polished my Russian language abilities, but also gave me a solid understanding of Soviet Communism and its lasting impact on the lives of Soviet citizens.
In 1973, I was hired to teach Russian to American military personnel at DLI — the same educational facility where I had been trained in Russian some years before, and worked in a number of duty assignments there until my retirement in 2002. While in California, I served six years as a Warrant Officer in a U.S. Army Reserve Psychological Operations (PSYOP) battalion writing leaflets and broadcast materials targeted at Soviet forces in East Germany until 1991, at which time the Soviet Union dissolved. During this period, I received a Master of Arts Degree in Teaching Foreign Languages at the Monterey Institute of International Studies (now the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey).
My over 50 years of study and work with Russian culminated with my current and, to date, only book, “In Russian Wonderland,” which focuses on my experiences serving as a Russian-speaking “guide” on the 1972 USIA exhibit “Research and Development in the USA.” In this book, I describe in detail the things I saw and learned in the USSR and attempt to link them to features of the current Russian Federation. Given the current interest in Russia and her political operations, I hope that my observations are timely and that readers will get a useful backdrop against which to interpret Russian actions about which we read in the news media these days. I believe that to properly understand Russia, one must examine the Soviet Union — the country which spawned today’s Russian society and which left an indelible imprint on life and policies in the Russian Federation.
What is the name of your latest book and what inspired it?
My book is entitled “In Russian Wonderland: An American’s Odyssey in Soviet Russia.” I was inspired to write it upon seeing large numbers of Americans apparently considering whether to give Socialism a try as indicated by the rather significant support Bernie Sanders received in the Democratic Party primary in 2016. I wanted to give my fellow Americans an “up close and personal” view of life in the society which was the embodiment of that ideology — the Soviet Union. I have long regretted that more people of my generation were not able to see what I saw and experience what I did in the USSR. Also, current offerings on the Russian international news network RT lead me to believe that, indeed, Vladimir Putin and his colleagues in the Russian government are still under the influence of their Soviet upbringing and I wish to share knowledge about the society which produced them in the hope that more people will better understand Russia’s actions and intentions on the world stage.
Do you have any unusual writing habits?
I am a stickler for attention to detail in my writing. I was recently told by one of the reviewers of my book that he had never seen a self-published book completely error free as he found mine to be.
What authors, or books have influenced you?
The research and writing of Professor Paul Kengor of Grove City College have influenced my approach to writing about subjects of mutual interest to him and me. Also, being an avid reader of history — especially Soviet and Russian history — I have been very impressed with some old books which describe in detail American policy toward the Soviet government during the Second World War. Among these are: “Roosevelt’s Road to Russia” by George N. Crocker and “The Strange Alliance” by John R. Deane, Sr.
What are you working on now?
I am doing research on another book which I plan to write within the next 12-18 months. It deals with tracing the ideological lineage of the modern left from the days of the Jacobins during the French Revolution, through the period of proletarian rebellions in Europe in the 19th Century, to the rise, rule and ultimate fall of the Soviet Union and its client states in Europe.
What is your best method or website when it comes to promoting your books?
My book’s website http://www.inrussianwonderland.com and also my book’s Amazon page at https://www.amazon.com/Russian-Wonderland-Americans-Odyssey-Soviet/dp/0999603205/
Do you have any advice for new authors?
Enjoy the activity of writing, but be ready for a rough ride into getting the word out as to your work and prepare to spend an inordinate amount of time promoting your book after you complete and publish it.
What is the best advice you have ever heard?
To learn from history. British philosopher George Santyana put it best: “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Columnist Thomas Sowell updates that thought for us today: “This generation’s ignorance of history leaves them free to be frivolous — until the next catastrophe strikes, and catches them completely by surprise.”
What are you reading now?
Various books on the history of Europe from the French Revolution forward.
What’s next for you as a writer?
To complete my research on European history and to compile it in a succinct form for people unfamiliar with it to study and learn from.
If you were going to be stranded on a desert island and allowed to take 3 or 4 books with you what books would you bring?
In such a scenario, I would only hope to have one book with me: “Escaping desert islands for dummies.”
Author Websites and Profiles
Charles Cole Website
Charles Cole Amazon Profile