Category Results

A look at portyanki, telnyashki and other mysteries of military garb.

Whenever I read about Constance Garnett, doyenne of Russian-to-English literary translation, sitting in the garden and banging out her work with scarcely a break for reflection (“She would finish a page,” D.H. Lawrence tells us, “and throw it off on a pile on the floor without looking up...”), I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

Readers write back.

Like many frequent travelers to Russia, I have countless train-related memories of Russia, most of them positive.

Orest Kiprensky was one of Russia's finest early nineteenth-century painters. We share a painting he created in 1813.

A look back at the life and contribution of opera singer, actress and dissident Galina Vishnevskaya, who passed away in December.

Reviews of three works of history and one collection of fiction.

Kozuli: these fragrant, decorative cookies have their origin in the Russian North, in Arkhangelsk, to be more specific. And they are perfect for a holiday celebration.

Actor and director Konstantin Stanislavsky, born a century and a half ago this month, probably had more impact on twentieth century theater, movies and acting than any single individual.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the Romanov dynasty in Russia. A Washington museum is using the anniversary to show off some of its unique holdings, including several amazing coronation albums.

For the past 175 years, railways have bound together the sprawling Russian state, enabling industrialization, social mobility and contact with the outside world. Yet they have also been an important cultural and literary touchpoint.