Sophie Pinkham
Author and journalist focused on Russia and its environment; author of The Oak and the Larch, which explores Russia's forest history and includes reporting on the Lykov family.
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Mar 12, 2026 • 21min
The Family That Tried To Escape History
Sophie Pinkham, author and journalist who writes about Russia and its environment, tells the story of the Lykov family who lived in total isolation in the Siberian taiga. She recounts their discovery by Soviet geologists, the harsh realities of life inside a one-room cabin, the role of Old Believer faith in driving them into the forest, and the strange modern contrasts around Agafia.
