How Much Has Russia’s Literary Culture Changed?

Here’s a scene from a recent literary award ceremony: “The videos featured many extreme close-ups, with no effort to conceal writerly pallor, blemishes or facial tics. … The real writers standing onstage looked very small in comparison. Some shifted from side to side, eyes downcast; others trembled. After each prize was announced, models emerged to give trophies to the winners and iPads to the less fortunate. No one looked very happy about the iPad.”