The Last of the Vostyachs

The Last of the Vostyachs is an enjoyable linguistic-themed story, one that involves the discovery of a language thought to be extinct and the impact of this finding on the reputation of a famous linguistic scholar. The antipathy between Russians and Finns is a recurring and humorous theme, as is the pettiness of academic turf wars. It is also a story of modernity, and how the preservation of cultural traditions and languages are impacted by personal human relationships. Recommended.