Lyudmila Noble and Her Background

Lyudmila Noble, the author of the book Just Touching the Memory, was born in a family of a well-known doctor in the former Soviet Union. From her very childhood, she was introduced to the notions of humanism and altruism, which were presented to her by her father. Lyudmila Noble's father was her mentor and her role model.

Education and Career

In the former Soviet Union, Lyudmila received her education as a linguist, educator, and military nurse. She majored in English/German. Later, she earned her Master’s Degree in Social Work in New York, USA.

Themes and Purpose of the Book

In her book, she invites her potential readers to think, analyze, and understand the reasons that made Soviet people leave their country. As everyone is aware, nobody leaves a good life. On the surface, her main character had a great career, house, family, children, and husband. But that was only the tip of the iceberg. The underlying reason for her departure from the former Soviet Union was deep down and hidden from the eyes of bystanders.

In her book, she tries to capture the most significant events that led the country to collapse and greatly impacted the destinies of its citizens. As a sensitive author, she wants to convey that My freedom is finishing when your freedom ends. In the former USSR, the notions of will and freedom were not separated. The authorities did everything they wanted, despite hurting the Soviet people’s values and dignity.

Intended Audience and Message

The main purpose of this book is to introduce the relatively newly arrived Russian-speaking community to American society. To break stereotypes about Russians as rigid people from a cold, freezing country, she instead shows the real Russians living in the US.