A JOKE ON LENIN (October 29, 2014)

When I went to the hotel lobby for my breakfast, I was surprised by a large portrait of Lenin hanging on a prominent wall. It is facing the street through a large window. He is no less than Majestic’s mascot nowadays. I realized soon afterwards that many of the guests at breakfast tables were Russian. Every now and then, Russian language can be heard. But the guests look it, too. And my new book’s title is a joke on Lenin, of all people. There is nothing to be done about climate change, that is. It is to be survived, and that is all there is to it. Looking at his portrait, I can well imagine how angry he would be with my joke. Neither would his fellow Russians be amused about it. Luckily for me, my fellow guests at my favorite Belgrade hotel will never learn about my book. Besides, it is in English.