Betheas book conveys the story of an amazingly ambitious attempt to preserve the humanities while also saving the future of disadvantaged high school students in Chicago. ampamp8230 Highly recommended. ampamp160Library Journalampamp160starred reviewThe Pushkin Projectampamp160tells the story of how a Russian studies professor changes course late in his career by reeducating himself in evolutionary thought and founding a summer institute that partners with innercity high schools to implement a new set of learning strategies for underserved youth.Theseampamp160ampamp8220cognitive crosstrainingampamp8221ampamp160strategies involve introducing students from Hispanic and Black neighborhoods in the west and south sides of Chicago to the Russian culture and language with an emphasis on poet playwright and novelist Alexanderampamp160Pushkin.