Malvern staff member Fernando is a New York Review Books Classics enthusiast, and he has an excellent recommendation for y’all…

Portraits Without Frames by Lev Ozerov

Born in the Russian Empire in 1914, Ozerov was a poet, critic, and editor who crossed paths with many of the writers, artists, and thinkers who helped shape the art and politics of Russia and the 20th Century. This collection of posthumously published prose poems reveals his intimate encounters with many of these figures in short, often very moving, pieces. Great for anyone interested in Russian artists, especially the more obscure, less translated figures.

Also recommended: The Kindness of Strangers by Salka Viertel. This autobiography tells the story of Viertel’s journey from the darkening years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Hollywood, and all the famous figures she encounters who helped her along the way.