...20th Century Russia: 'At the hour of the hot spring sunset two citizens appeared at the Patriarch's Ponds...'

...19th Century Russia: 'At the beginning of July, during a spell of exceptionally hot weather, ...a certain young man came down from the little room he rented and set off towards Kallinin Bridge...'

...Czech literature: 'The idea of eternal return is a mysterious one...What does this mad myth signify?'

...Totalitarianism: 'It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen...'

...Poverty: 'To the red country and part of the gray country of Oklahoma, the last rains came gently, and they did not cut the scarred Earth.'

...Labour: 'Crossing the open plain, wading through the thick, dark ink of a starless night, a solitary figure followed the highway from Marchiennes to Montsou...'

...Football: 'I fell in love with football as I was later to fall in love with women: suddenly, inexplicably, uncritically, giving no thought to the pain or disruption it would bring with it.'