Quote by Nadezhda Mandelstam: “Poetry is a kind of spiritual exercise, a way of living, not just writing.”

This insight describes poetry as more than merely an artistic form; it is a profound philosophical practice and a mode of existence. It suggests that engaging with poetry deeply influences one's perception of life, fostering a unique way of understanding and experiencing the world.

As the widow of a great poet persecuted by the state, her life was inextricably linked to poetry's survival, both as art and as a personal philosophy against totalitarianism.

Russian memoirist who preserved the poetry of her husband Osip Mandelstam by memorizing it during the Stalinist terror, when written copies were too dangerous to keep. Her memoir Hope Against Hope is one of the most important testimonies of life under Soviet totalitarianism. The Russian title plays on her name, which means 'hope.'