I'm intrigued by the ideas but I cannot stand the author and the writing his horrible, will read the next one as I want to hear more about the gardening and nature aspect, I am hoping Vladimir isn't as vulgar and Anastasia not as airheaded this time around - for someone so enlightened she chose a horrible mating partner (who is also married to someone else...) ( )

This book is written by a Russian man who wanders into the Siberian wilderness and encounters a woman by the name of Anastasia. It is a non-fiction account of their conversations and interactions. I don't really feel like going into all the details, but Anastasia is big into the communing with nature thing, and shares her insights about everything from childrearing to farming to relationships and so on. I found both she and the narrator to be extremely annoying. (Especially the scene where she giggles and squeals and dances with bears in the woods...and the part about the relationship between flying saucers and kombucha...and her thoughts on farming...I could go on...)

I am a little too skeptical (a lot too skeptical) for this kind of book, and am intrigued by the number of people who find it so life-altering. Just not my cup of tea. ( )

I *definitely* can't get behind everything in this book (e.g. you should only have sex when you want to conceive a child), but most of the discussion in this book was fascinating. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the series. Who knows what's true and what's not for sure? I love exploring seemingly wild concepts. ( )

*Translated from the Russian by John Woodsworth; edited by Leonid Sharashkin. 2nd ed., rev.
1. Spirituality
2. Nature - Religious Aspects
3. Human ecology.

There's a bit of everything in this book. Interesting to read about the wave of eco awareness in Russia. Not so sure about the Magical properties of the girl Anastasia. I checked out The Ringing Cedars, and Cedar pine nuts on google. Seems there's a mountain of marketing of products and books for sale in relation to this book - whether the health properties are real or not I don't know enough about it. Seems expensive and curious that the only Cedars(pine nuts) with magical qualities come from Russia but I'm no expert. Is any of it true? However naive the style of writing of the story I was quite intrigued to find out the ending. Could not put it down & read it almost in one sitting.. But felt somehow duped like you do for claims for miracle snake oil. ( )

I’ve previously read the final volume in this series without being greatly impressed by it, and perhaps would not have read any more of these books, had “Anastasia” not finally arrived for me from the library after I had ordered it about 6 months before.

I can say that “Anastasia” is somewhat better than the previous volume I have read. At last, as far as I was concerned, we were introduced to Anastasia in person, and that made a big difference.

First a couple of negative remarks (I am not one of those millions of readers thrilled to bits and over the moon at this encounter with Anastasia.)

Firstly, I am not particularly enamoured of the translator. Now, I have a slight knowledge of Russian and the translation of one particular word in the book, a word used constantly, has bothered and irritated me throughout the reading of the book. This is the word “chelovek”, which would normally be translated, for instance, by the phrase “human being”. In the book the translator, John Woodsworth, has chosen after much deliberation to translate it throughout as “Man”, and explained his reasons over several pages.

In several contexts this translation “Man” works okay and sounds natural, but in most contexts the translation sounds ridiculous and artificial. As, and this is just one example, when Anastasia stands in the middle of the taiga with arms outstretched (as I imagine her doing) and declaims “I am Man”.

Secondly, I object to the liberal use of absolutely detailed footnotes at the bottom of most pages: These footnotes are filled with superfluous information not necessary to the understanding of the text, and could extremely advantageously have been if not omitted at least delegated to the back of the book, where zealous readers could have consulted them if and when they so desired. As I myself am an obsessive reader, and can’t refrain from reading whatever lies in front of my gaze, I felt obliged to devour the totality of these boring footnotes, but could easily have ignored them otherwise. (I realize of course that it is I myself that have a problem.)

Okay, as regards the story-line.

Firstly, Anastasia leads Vladimir into the forest where she has her home. To his dismay he finds that she has no place of abode, not even a little hut, shack or tent, no running water except perhaps from a nearby stream, no bathroom or toilet, no kitchen where she could cook or store her food, nothing, I thought Siberia was supposed to be a cold area of the world. How does Anastasia survive the winters with no warm place of abode? Okay, don’t tell me, I suppose she creeps into a hole (the one she had Vladimir sleep in) together with her pet bear for warmth, as it warmed Vladimir.

Secondly, A’s parents both died when she was a baby, and she was supposedly nurtured by her animal friends, But how did they change her nappies (diapers) or otherwise take care of her needs in that direction? As regards nourishment, I suppose she suckled some female animal or other. And why was all this necessary, seeing as she had both a healthy and vigorous grandfather and great-grandfather? Why is there is no mention of any grandmother (and she should have had two of them) or great-grandmother?

Perhaps all this is explained in a later book, who knows, but I feel this information should have been provided in the present book.

Vladimir is en entrepreneur who transports and sells goods to those living in the north of Russia. We are introduced to the concept of “ringing cedars”. These trees store energy emanating from “Man”. After 500 years of their life they start to ring and this signals people to cut them down in order to avail themselves of this stored-up energy. These cedars are cut up into small pieces and used as miraculous healing objects to heal all diseases.

A main theme of the book is A’s invisible ray, which she uses to tune into situations, people, whatever. She can see what is happening to any particular person or persons throughout the world.

My comment on this ability of A’s is that we all have this ability, it is a matter of finding out how to use it. This is also what she informs V. It is just that A has practised using her ability to perfection and has never doubted that she had it, Perhaps her brilliant abilities in this regard have to do with learning how to use this “ray” from the very first from her grandfather and great-grandfather. She can create whatever she likes, as we others can, potentially, too. She is a sort of Silva Mind Master or Mistress.

A remembers everything, can imitate other people perfectly, etc etc. In fact she has unlimited powers.

Now, I don’t know if A really exists, perhaps she does. It would be hard to invent somebody like her. But I am in no doubt of the fact that it is possible to possess such powers as she does.

A and V have sexual relations, which is a wonderful experience for V, and presumably also for A, who announces that she will have a son as the fruit of this union.

A believes that everyone should move to the country, or at least become a “dachnik”, some-one who spends his or her days off tending a garden at their dacha (country cottage). This is apparently one of her main hobby-horses or fixations. And it all makes sense when A explains how by carrying out a simple ceremony involving the seeds you wish to sow in your garden you will be able to give the seed information about yourself, and later it “will pick up from the Universe and the Earth the maximum amount of energy needed for a given individual”. The fruit cultivated from such seeds is capable of curing him/her of “all diseases of the flesh whatsoever”” and moreover of retarding the ageing process. It is necessary to treat only a few seeds in the manner indicated.

All this sounds wonderful, idyllic, a panacea for all our personal physical and mental ailments. I had never heard of this seed-programming process before, but have no reason to doubt it.

A informs V that if he writes a book about her, she will see to it that all the words are imbued with special powers that will make millions of people buy the book and all its readers will adore her, feel her love and wish to adopt her way of life. Apparently, she has been able to apply this process to all the various books of his in translation also, since her predictions have come true and people throughout the world have bought the books and begun to worship her.

I myself who do not have strong emotions, even I admit I actually felt a slight, pleasant feeling around the heart chakra, So she got to me too, albeit slightly!

Space does not permit me to mention far less expatiate on the many other significant features of the book.

So I would just conclude, read the book, if you feel called to it, it may or may not change your life. I may or may not be reading subsequent books in the series. ( )