In his unfinished book The Last Tycoon, F. Scott Fitzgerald made the acerbic remark that there are no second acts in American life.  The remark was falsified by his own career, particularly after the success of The Great Gatsby.  Now the pertinence of the remark can be assessed in relation to the phenomenon happening in both the United States and Russia: the destruction or maintenance of images of controversial or discredited figures in the history of the two countries.  The fate of the images is an indication of real or potential changes in the political climate – second acts in the political theater of the nations. In the U.S. in recent months, the removal or destruction of monuments and statues symbolizing controversial figures of the Confederacy has divided the country.  In contrast, authorities in Russia are considering restoring the symbols of disliked figures with notorious records in the Soviet Union.  Both countries are considering...(Read Full Article)