The Rebel Coat Feedback from the former Ambassador to Russia

Hi Janet - hope you’re well. Just following up to say thank you for sending The Rebel Coat and Carter’s trip report.  I enjoyed your poems very much - deeply evocative of life in the USSR at that time. We shared many experiences. 

Carter’s report I found frankly astounding.  The timing of your travel was fortuitous, coming at the height of détente and affording you what was certainly unprecedented access to some little-visited parts of the country.  

I have no doubt the US Academy found the report amazing and fascinating; I only hope they found a way to share it with the USG analytical community, which was absolutely starved for such up-close, first-hand information from the Soviet provinces.  

Bravo to you both for making the most of a truly singular experience. 

Best regards -

John