An Interesting Fact:
In the summer of 1999, a Russian edition of "My Sergei" was published. Here are the photos that didn't end up in the Russian edition.
Russian edition of the book also had a preface that didn't appear in the English edition:
Dear readers!
I am very excited to introduce to your attention this book. Unfortunately, first offer to write a book about Sergei or our life came from an American agency that offered an American writer. I was very surprised, first of all by the offer to write a book, second of all, I was not sure if I could communicate with the writer well in English. But after a few meetings with Edward Swift, I understood that the book will be written for an American reader, who needs a sentimental, tragic and romantic story.
The person who asked the questions was born and raised in the USA. So before we even met he already had an opinion about Russia and Russian people. Therefore, questions had a certain angle of praising the West and underlining imperfections of Russia.
Many things that were natural or insignificant to me, had a big impression on him. Definitely, the language barrier was a problem and in many places of the book it had not been overcome. And because Russian soul is very difficult to understand, I'm not sure that he captured it as I wanted it to be. Therefore, I hope that you will read the book with an understanding that it was my first attempt of being a coauthor. Hopefully, maybe someday I'll have a chance to write a book specifically for the Russian reader about a great Russian man and figure skater - Sergei Grinkov.
Rarities
Photos form various years
Special thanks to Irina Bulgakova, Ekaterina Tekucheva, Janna, Elena (evi), Yulia and Natalia Oz for these photos.
© Gerard Vandystadt photos can be bought at his site