I received the first comment from a reader. My reply was as follows.

Dear X1

Thank you for reading the excerpts, and for interesting observations.

Promoting my book is now a major task. The book is not doing very well so far. But I am not giving up; I know it will find place in many libraries and private homes. With this in mind, I am asking for comments to be placed (anonymously) at my website. Can I have permission to post what you wrote. Here in my translation:

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READER X1 WROTE:

I have read “representative excerpts” from “Hell on Earth .... “ at your website.

1) As a person who lived in the Soviet Union, and then in so-called "New Russia", I cannot be indifferent to what you wrote. I was touched by your motivation and by your sincere attempt to understand what happened to Russia in the 20th century.

2) Yes, position of  Western “intellectuals,” sympathizing with violent rebuilding of society (USSR, China and, to some extent, Cambodia) is well known. This is a big problem for my limited ability to comprehend. Perhaps Cheslav Milosh was right. He wrote that the difference between the Eastern and Western intellects is that, contrary to the former, the latter have never been given a good kick in the ass.

3) And finally, I am troubled by pro-stalinist, imperial and xenophobic attitude of present Russian population. I am afraid that this has something to do with genetic mutations induced by the prolonged Lenin-Stalin epoch.  Let me end by saying that this is big and difficult problem.
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Permission was granted; that is why I am showing this comment. Links to selected future comments, if any, will also be shown at the bottom of excerpts.