The first episode of the podcast is about “Philosophical letters addressed to a lady” by Pyotr Chaadaev (1794-1856), published in 1830. Russia has always had a love-hate relationship with the West; the debate between the “Westernizers” and the “Slavophiles” in the nineteenth century is a case in point. Pyotr Chaadaev was a “Westernizer” who claimed Russia hadn’t contributed anything to world civilization. He had to pay a high price for his “unpatriotic” views. How could a Russian declare that his fatherland was a complete failure? Chaadaev had the nerve to make such a claim and was severely punished for it.

Sources used in this episode of "Scandal and Controversy in Russian Literature":

- Pipes, Richard. 1969. “Biographical Sketch,” in: The Major Works of Peter Chaadaev. A Translation and Commentary, translated by Raymond T. McNally (Notre Dame:  Notre Dame University Press), pp. 1-11.

List of translations used in this episode of "Scandal and Controversy in Russian Literature":

- Chaadaev, Pyotr. 1969. “Philosophical letters addressed to a lady” and “Apology of a madman.” Translated by Raymond T. McNally. In: The Major Works of Peter Chaadaev. A Translation and Commentary (Notre Dame: Notre Dame University Press).

- Pushkin, Alexander. n.d. “To Chaadaev,” translated by Yuri Menis (https://ruverses.com/alexander-pushkin/to-chaadaev/12366/)

All other translations were done by Otto Boele.

© Otto Boele & Electrical Films 2024