James Bond Not In Russian Schoolboy’s Reading

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 16

James Bond Not In Russian Schoolboy’s Reading

“There is no James Bond in Russia,” a 16-year-old Soviet schoolboy claimed in Christchurch yesterday. Viacheslav Dorofeev, who is spending his summer holiday in New Zealand, said he had never heard of lan Fleming’s best-selling thriller, “From Russia With Love,” so was unable to give any views on it However, Viascheslav had seen the latest Bond film, “Thunderball,” but did not like it.

Viacheslav is the son of Mr B. Dorofeev, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary with the Soviet Legation in Wellington. He has been in New Zealand for about one month and before returning to Moscow, will tour most of the South Island.

In Christchurch yesterday, Viacheslav accompanied the First Secretary of Ute legation, Mr H. E. Shliapnikov, on a tour of the city which in-

eluded visits to Linwood and Papanui high schools. Although Viacheslav has been studying English for less than three years, he speaks English fluently. At the school he attends in Moscow, all lessons are given in English.

“It is one of the few special schools of its kind in Russia,” he said. “Similar schools teach lessons in Spanish, French and German and there has been much pressure on the Government to open more.” Viacheslav studies mathematics, physics, geography and history all in English. He has read much English literature from Chaucer to many classical and modern poets, playwrights and novelists. He is particularly fond of Shakespeare, Dickens and Byron.

Viaschaslev will leave for Dunedin today and return to Wellington on July 18.