A Chapter Closes

A Chapter Closes

There is nothing, the proverb has it, so constant as change. And there are plenty of interesting changes afoot at Russian Life.

The most significant is that Mikhail Ivanov, our editor for the past seven years, has decided to move on to new challenges and opportunities. He is assuming senior editorial responsibilities at óÚÓ çÓ‚Ó„Ó, the new Russian edition of Popular Science magazine, published by one of the principals of Russian Life’s parent company. So, while he has moved out of the house, so to speak, he is staying “in the family.”

Mikhail and I have worked together more than a decade, have traveled around Russia, Europe and the US together (often feeling like mismatched characters in an Ilf & Petrov novel), and have taught each other much. Russian Life would not look, feel or read the way it does today, were it not for Mikhail Ivanov. And while his immediate presence will be missed, his impact as a person and a professional will be felt in the magazine for some time, and for that we are thankful.

So it is that this issue of Russian Life closes a chapter in the magazine’s 46-year history. And yet, the new chapter has already begun. Our new managing editor, Lina Rozovskaya (who will be introduced in this space in the next issue), has already begun work, and we have many exciting stories planned for the coming year.

We are also proud to announce that Russian Life has inaugurated a new Editorial Advisory Board. This board will consist of noted scholars and experts on Russian history, culture, language and society. Its members will help us set the magazine’s long-term editorial direction and help insure that our coverage is as broad as it is deep. The first six members of the board (more to come!) are listed in the editorial box at right. Please visit our website to read about their qualifications and accomplishments.

Meanwhile, in this issue of Russian Life, our coverage of St. Petersburg continues with a story about how restoration efforts are proceeding in the Northern Capital (our St. Petersburg Wall Calendar is out, by the way, don’t forget to buy one of these for friends and for yourself!). Other features cover Stalingrad, artist Pavel Korin, and an American reporter who served as a nurse’s aide in Siberia, during the Russian Civil War. I hope you enjoy these stories (and our regular departments) as much as we have enjoyed bringing them together.

All the best for the holidays and the New Year!