How Separate Are We ?

Are we more connected then we think we are? Henry Green's quote used in the title of this blog and then posted below came to my mind today as I was reading a book by Russian thinker, historian and specialist in medieval literature Petr Mikhailovich Bitsilli (Петр Михайлович Бицилли). In the Foreword to his book "Elements of Medieval Culture" (Элементы средневековой культуры) he says that "any scientific book is to some extent the result of mutual work of a group of people, though the members of this group might not be aware of their cooperation". This is so true!
As I am getting ready with my article on Eudora Welty and Anton Chekhov I am overwhelmed by the number of people whose work I use... Why are we so surprised when coincidences happen? Are we really that separate?

Petr Mikhailovich Bitsilli was born in 1879 in Russia. He became a professor in 1917 and taught and lectured in Odessa. He could not agree with the changes which took place in Russia after October Revolution of 1917 and in 1920 had to leave Russia. Since that time lived and taught history and literature in Sofia University, Bulgaria. In 25 years of his teaching career he developed 78 lecture courses on different historical issues. He is also an author of one of the most interesting works on Russian writers, Anton Chekhov included. P.M. Bitsilli he passed away in 1953 and is buried in Sofia. His books are gradually returning to Russia, the first one published in St.Petersburg in 1995.