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'The Rebel Coat' documents SD couple's Cold War trip to Russia

Poet Janet Johnson
W. Carter Johnson
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Janet Johnson
Poet Janet Johnson

This interview originally aired on "In the Moment" on SDPB Radio.

For six months, Janet Johnson visited a country she never thought she'd see: The Soviet Union.

She and her husband, scientist W. Carter Johnson, were sent to the country together during the height of the Cold War. He collected botanical data, and she crafted poems about their experiences.

Now, decades later, Johnson has published those poems in "The Rebel Coat."

She joins "In the Moment" to share what surprised her about the Soviet Union and to read a poem from her book.

Lori Walsh is the host and senior producer of In the Moment.
Ellen Koester is a producer of In the Moment, SDPB's daily news and culture broadcast.
Ari Jungemann is a producer of In the Moment, SDPB's daily news and culture broadcast.