The Family That Tried To Escape History

The Family That Tried To Escape History

In 1978, a team of Soviet geologists working deep in the Siberian taiga came across something they never expected to see: a house. As it turned out, they had stumbled on a family that had lived in complete isolation for decades – they weren’t even aware of World War Two.

Sophie Pinkham, author of the new book “The Oak and the Larch: A Forest History of Russia and Its Empires,” tells us the story of the Lykov family and what drove them into the forest.

Check out Sophie’s book about how Russia’s vast forests have shaped its history and culture: https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324036685
There’s also Sophie’s longread about the Lykovs in The Guardian, adapted from her book: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/22/forty-years-in-the-siberian-wilderness-the-old-believers-who-time-forgot

We always want to hear from you! If you have a question or story for us, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send an email to hello@atlasobscura.com.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(1334)

Old City Hall Station (Classic)

Old City Hall Station (Classic)

A producer takes a detour for a glimpse of what some call New York’s worst kept secret – a train station that’s been shut down and sealed away for nearly a century.  MORE: Visit the New York Transit M...

20 Mar 17min

The Blue That Upended the Art World

The Blue That Upended the Art World

Cultural historian Kassia St. Clair tells the stories of two highly prized colors that are linked to specific places in the world: an exquisite, extremely expensive blue that crossed the globe and upe...

19 Mar 26min

The Hummingbirds of Mexico City

The Hummingbirds of Mexico City

Catia Lattouf has dedicated her life to nursing hummingbirds back to health – from inside her apartment in Mexico City.  Plus: We always want to hear from you! If you have a question or story for us, ...

18 Mar 17min

Thomas Edison’s Last Breath

Thomas Edison’s Last Breath

Over the course of a century, the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan has grown to house over 26 million artifacts of innovative achievements. However, one quiet piece – prized by Ford above all o...

17 Mar 12min

Your Spring Break Travel Stories

Your Spring Break Travel Stories

We asked you to send us stories about your unforgettable spring break trips. From a U2 concert to a tornado in 1974, you delivered.   Plus, we want to hear your stories about the times you’ve accident...

16 Mar 10min

The Red Book (Classic)

The Red Book (Classic)

In the early 1900s, influential psychologist Carl Jung spent more than a decade documenting the strange images that popped up in his unconscious mind and documenting them all in a beautiful illustrate...

13 Mar 15min

AO Mailbag: How Shlubby Is Too Shlubby On an Airplane?

AO Mailbag: How Shlubby Is Too Shlubby On an Airplane?

Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Jerome Campbell and Manolo Morales answer questions about places they could live permanently, how to navigate travel as a Type B person when all your friends are Ty...

11 Mar 11min

Populært innen Samfunn

rss-spartsklubben
giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
rss-nesten-hele-uka-med-lepperod
konspirasjonspodden
alt-fortalt
popradet
rss-henlagt-andy-larsgaard
wolfgang-wee-uncut
grenselos
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
min-barneoppdragelse
synnve-og-vanessa
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
bokmerket-2
fladseth
frokostshowet-pa-p5