pg. 142— Dobrolyubov
Poet and literary critic Nikolay Aleksandrovich Dobrolyubov (1836- 1861), noted for his rejection of Romantic literature and influence on Lenin. He is famous for his essay "What is Oblomovism?" in which he critiques Oblomovism, a societal condition attributed to the old Russian system of serfdom, based upon the titular character in Ivan Goncharov's novel Oblomov.  

pg. 145— Pulkovo Observatory
Upon its founding in 1839 under Emperor Nicholas I, this observatory contained the largest refracting telescope in the world. It was destroyed during World War II but rebuilt in 1954. 

pg. 145— Bolsheviks

pg. 148— klaxons
An old word for a vehicle's horn.

pg. 154— Kazan
The capital city of the semi-autonomous region Tatarstan in western Russia.

pg. 154— entomologist
A person who studies and classifies insects.

pg. 154— perestroika
Meaning "restructuring," perestroika was an attempt by then President Mikhail Gorbachev to reform the economic and political system to improve the sinking Soviet economy of the 1980s. Reforms included lessened government control over industries, more relaxed trade restrictions, the introduction of foreign investment, as well as government approval of a select few private businesses and companies. 

pg. 161— droshky
A type of low carriage.

pg. 163— Duma
The elected Russian legislative body of the government.

pg. 164— Andersen’s story
A reference to Danish author Hans Christian Andersen (1805- 1875), famous for writing children's fairytale stories such as "The Little Mermaid." Here, the story referred to is "The Tinder Box."