My Three Topics

The first topic that caught my attention was Doctor Zhivago (Lang/Lit), and the Political Context of the Novel. What was going on in Russia during the time that motivated Boris Pasternak to write this book? And what are the gritty details surrounding the controversy of its publication? What was the general public and government response after its release? These are questions I'd like to explore!

Also, Imperial Russia (Social Science) sounds fascinating, particularly Catherine the Great because she's the only female listed. I don't know too much about the tsars and would like to learn how to keep their names straight, as with any royal family. What was their social background? How did they rule their country?

What I am most interested in, however, is The Space Race (Science) between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. I've had this vague interest in outer space, and maybe some background of previous achievements in history would serve me well. I'm curious about all these projects mentioned in the outline. What's "Project Ranger?" And  "Project Gemini?" "Project Apollo?"