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Heroes and Inflation
December 30, 2020

Heroes and Inflation

“A person who would personify the hero of 2020, according to Russians, is honest, decent, and fair (13%). Of the options proposed, Russians most often referred to the heroes of the year as doctors and medical workers (55%), as well as EMERCON employees who save people in emergency situations (31%).”

-Results from a poll by the All-Russian Center for the Study of Public Opinion (VTsIOM)on who Russians consider to be the heroes of 2020
What Went Wrong
December 23, 2020

What Went Wrong

“Maximum conspiracy – this is of utmost importance. No one must be seen.”

– Konstantin Kudryavtsev, suspected as one of the FSB agents responsible for the poisoning of opposition figure Alexei Navalny in August, in a phone call with Navalny
December 16, 2020

"Map of Resistance" in St. Petersburg

“Not working at all is death… The authorities chose a blow worse than a lockdown. Any sane person understands that the coronavirus is terrible. But this does not mean that the coronavirus should kill an industry to the point that it cannot be restored in any way.”

- Alexander Konovalov, organizer of the “Map of Resistance,” a group of bars and restaurants in St. Petersburg that plan to defy new coronavirus restrictions calling to close all bars and restaurants from December 30 through January 3
Don't Try This at Home
December 09, 2020

Don't Try This at Home

“If questions arise as to whether demons should be driven out of this or that person, first of all, you need to turn to the priests. Any [personal] initiative in this is completely unacceptable.”

– Metropolitan Hilarion, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church’s Department of External Relations, in response to a video showing parents attempting an exorcism on their son
No Cash, It's Cold
December 02, 2020

No Cash, It's Cold

“The share of completely non-cash customers who use a bank card but do not withdraw cash from an ATM for a month is steadily growing. Now it is 39%, which is 5 percentage points higher than before the pandemic.”

– Alexander Vedyakhin, First Deputy Chairman of the Board of Sberbank, on the growing number of clients who are not using cash at all

Slander and Golden Schemes
November 25, 2020

Slander and Golden Schemes

"I will transfer the amounts collected from the slanderers to an orphanage, I will publish a copy of the payment here."

– Head of Roscosmos Dmitry Rogozin, writing on his Facebook page that he would donate any proceeds from his suit against three news portals for slander
Expiring Diplomas
November 11, 2020

Expiring Diplomas

"Today, this absurdity is the rule. Who told you that [a graduate] has not forgotten 95 percent of what he actually studied there?"

– Dmitry Peskov, suggesting the idea of instituting an expiration date for university diplomas
Pink Weather and QR-Codes
November 04, 2020

Pink Weather and QR-Codes

“In general, yes, winter is expected not to be cold. Winter is predicted in this color - I'm even afraid to pronounce the word – pink."

– Roman Vilfand, scientific director of Russia’s Hydrometeorological Center, on the colors that will appear this winter on meteorological maps (pink means temperatures higher than norms)
Hopes for iPhones and Restrictions
October 28, 2020

Hopes for iPhones and Restrictions

“Almost the entire first batch of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro was bought up over the weekend. A number of models with the most popular blue colors have already sold out. The highest demand was for the Pro version, with 70% of customers choosing it. New consignments of goods are expected in the near future.”

– Report by MTS, on the popularity of new iPhones in Russia, which sold out at MTS stores within three days
Dancing Less and School Issues
October 21, 2020

Dancing Less and School Issues

“Let's dance and hug a little less, and give less work to our healthcare system.”

– Yevgeny Yelin, vice-governor of St. Petersburg, on a recent proposal to close restaurants in the city at 11 PM.

Savings and Plateaus
October 14, 2020

Savings and Plateaus

“Compared to the crisis period, the share of people adhering to a savings policy in economic behavior has decreased: 68% of Russians believe that it is better to spend as little as possible, saving as much as possible for the future.”

– Results of a poll conducted by the Russian Public Opinion Center, on how Russians are saving and spending money

 

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EVENTS FOR RUSSOPHILES

Spirituality in Eastern Christianity
September 22, 2023 to January 21, 2024

Spirituality in Eastern Christianity

Museum of Russian Icons | Clinton, MA

An exhibition of photographs by Alain de Lotbinière. The 26 images were taken during the course of several trips to Northern Macedonia, Serbia, and Russia, as well as during visits to sites in Turkey and Egypt. 

Komar and Melamid in America
September 13, 2023 to February 04, 2024

Komar and Melamid in America

Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University | New Brunswick, NJ

The joint work of the well-known Moscow-born American artists Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid, who worked together from 1972 to 2003.

Russian-Language Gallery Tour
February 22, 2022 to February 22, 2032

Russian-Language Gallery Tour

Brooklyn Museum | Brooklyn, NY

Russian-language tour exploring our collection in depth, second Sunday of each month at 1 pm. Free, reservations required

HANUKKAH - FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
December 10, 2023 to December 10, 2023

HANUKKAH - FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS

Plummer Park - Fiesta Hall | West Hollywood, CA

Kol Sephardic Choir (ROSE) & Pasión Flamenca De Los Angeles cordially invite you to a wonderful musical event, "HANUKKAH-Festival of Lights"

A Few of Our Books

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Russia Rules

Russia Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.
Moscow and Muscovites

Moscow and Muscovites

Vladimir Gilyarovsky's classic portrait of the Russian capital is one of Russians’ most beloved books. Yet it has never before been translated into English. Until now! It is a spectactular verbal pastiche: conversation, from gutter gibberish to the drawing room; oratory, from illiterates to aristocrats; prose, from boilerplate to Tolstoy; poetry, from earthy humor to Pushkin. 
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
A Taste of Russia

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.
The Little Golden Calf

The Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.
At the Circus

At the Circus

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.
Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Popular Articles

Using Laughter to Cope
September 07, 2021

Using Laughter to Cope

These eight outstanding Soviet comedies show ​​some of what has made Russians laugh over the past century. Most are still watched today. (First in our new series on learning about Russia through its films.)

Peace, Land, Bread
April 23, 2014

Peace, Land, Bread

Peace! Land! Bread! This was the battle cry of the 1917 October Revolution (old calendar) that changed the history of Russia and indeed the entire world. Since the time of Ivan the Terrible, the tsars concentrated on centralization of their power and control. The most common way of doing this was to take power away from the nobility, appeasing them by giving them dominion over their land and workers. This soon developed into the oppressive, slave-style condition known as serfdom.

Russian Life Takes a Pause
March 07, 2022

Russian Life Takes a Pause

As the world reels from the horrific, criminal events being perpetrated in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin, the Russian state, and the Russian military, all of us who nurture a love for Russian people, their culture and history, have been heartbroken. It is not easy to remain a Russophile when suddenly, all across the globe, the adjective “Russian” has become toxic.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

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