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. amp8230 Highly recommended. amp160Library Journalamp160starred reviewThe Pushkin Projectamp160tells 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.Theseamp160amp8220cognitive crosstrainingamp8221amp160strategies 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 Alexanderamp160Pushkin. Through the lens of modern evolutionary thought students adoptamp160not only a new and different language and culture but also a different sort of literary hero one whose African heritage within the majority culture speaks to them directly. This inspiring and compelling story provides fascinating insights into Russias national poet brings the sciences and humanities together and provides new directions in teaching young people from historically disadvantaged backgrounds.