Recognized soon after his first publication as a writer of great promise, Gogol went on to prove the critics right, and to create a body of work that has no equal in the Russian pantheon. This April (or March, depending on your calendar) is his bicentenary.
Gogol's writing is intensely sensual - full of rich tastes, smells, sights and sounds. We consider how his fixation on food and digestion influenced his storytelling, how, as Nabokov put it, "the belly is the belle of his stories."
From Gogol's work have arisen some truly great works of music. We look at the composers he influenced and the music they have offered.
Some additional notes on Gogolian influences in Russian life.
Kaliningrad is unlike anywhere else in Russia. Half German, half Russian, it perches on the Baltic coast, uncertain where the winds of history might blow it.
Russia is quietly (and sometimes not so quietly) searching out and bringing home lost treasures. This is the story of one of those quests - to return to Russia a rather amazing and singular collection.
Readers comment and correct.
The murders of lawyer Stanislav Markelov and journalist Anastasia Baburova in the context of the endangered climate for journalism in Russia.
All the news that fits from all across Russia.
The latest from the travel front.
In the spring of 1989, election fever swept through Russia - a country well experienced in elections, just not free and open ones...
If we look closely at Dashkova, one of the most famous women in Russian history, we find that things are not as clear as we imagined. In fact, we get the impression that much of Dashkova's life was filled with heartbreak and sorrow.
It was the fate of Grand Prince Vasily III to be squeezed into history between two more famous men - one great, one terrible, and both named Ivan.
The financial crisis offers a pretext to return to a consideration of "despicable metal" and how it is influencing Russian speech.
Sustainable, organic and green cuisine comes to St. Petersburg. Our recipe: Lentil Soup.
Reviews of Verses and Versions; The King of Vodka; The Last Days of the Romanovs; The Rebellion of Ronald Reagan. Plus brief reviews of some potboiler thrillers, some worthy, some not so much.
Russia needs to prepare now for the post-recession world, by looking at how it supports and invests in Russian industry, particularly in the natural resource sphere.
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