January 01, 2011 Freeing the Serfs 150 years ago, everyone knew the serfs had to be freed, but no one knew how to do it without provoking unrest or revolution. But Alexander II went ahead anyway. Sort of...
January 01, 2011 Ivan v. Migalka It seems like every week there are new, jaw-dropping events related to the infamous "migalka" - those flashing blue lights atop official vehicles that allow their drivers to flaunt all driving rules. We look at the phenomenon, plus consider two new Russian car lines.
January 01, 2011 Russia Plays Ball Russia nabbed the World Cup in 2018. Will it be ready in time? How much will it all cost?
January 01, 2011 Atherton's Russians One hundred years ago, one of America’s most popular novelists was Gertrude Atherton, a widow from San Francisco. And she had an enduring fascination with Russians and Russian America... Literature
January 01, 2011 Trekking Baikal Winter offers unique travel opportunities to Russia, particularly when it comes to Siberia. For instance, how about a trek across the world’s largest freshwater lake? Or ice skating atop crystal clear waters, then enjoying a searing banya...? Travel
January 01, 2011 Pushkin Evenings at the Petrograd House of Writers In the winter of 1921, conditions could hardly have been worse in St. Petersburg, which may be why local intelligentsia turned to Pushkin and literature for consolation. Literature
January 01, 2011 Angels in the Kitchen Our series in the Cuisine section about the interaction of the culinary and visual arts continues with columnist Darra Goldstein's consideration of Pavel Filonov's "Angels by the Stove." And the recipe? Black bread!
January 01, 2011 The End of Russian Animation? If the artists themselves are to be believed, Russian animation is in its death throes. After barely surviving the turmoil of the Soviet breakup, this beloved art form can no longer count on state support, nor can it embrace advertising, making its future uncertain at best. Art
January 01, 2011 Stalin's Highrises Anyone visiting Moscow knows about the city’s famous “Seven Sisters.” But few know that there were supposed to be eight. That is just one little-known aspect of their fascinating architectural history. We asked a noted urban historian to tell us more Architecture
January 01, 2011 Baikal and Irkutsk a Century Ago An excerpt from George Kennan's famous diary of his travels across Siberia, Tent Life in Siberia, in which he finds out he is not so fluent in Russian as he thought he was. History Travel
January 01, 2011 The Problem is Not Censorship The beating of journalist Oleg Kashin in November has led many to once again focus on the state of Russian journalism. Guest columnist Alexey Kovalev considers another side of the issue. Politics
January 01, 2011 Siberia, Emigration, Gorky and Georgia Reviews of: Stalina, by Emily Rubin; Travels in Siberia, by Ian Frazier; Childhood, by Maksim Gorky; Balancing Act, by Natasha Borzilova; and the film Russian Lessons.
