I’m raised in post-soviet region, and as a guy who familiar with soviet culture, I know well how books where extremely popular. Even my mother, who was raised in soviet period, very insisted me to eead books because “it will make you wiser”. It’s not surprising since USSR was pretty isolated country, and many works of geek culture hadn’t reached to soviet civilians. For many soviet people books where very accessible entertainment. And it’s the reason why USSR produced many adaptations based on many classical works, including “Three Musketeers” and “Treasure Island”.
by FinalExtent1919