February 24, 2014

No More Olympics… What Now?


No More Olympics… What Now?

The Sochi Olympic Games are now officially over. Suffering withdrawals? Here are five ideas for how to fill up all your viewing time.

  1. The Americans. The timing could not be more appropriate. Season two of this Cold War spy thriller series on FX debuts on February 26. Yes, it often feels very improbable, all this sleeper spy in Reagan's America stuff. But it's well-crafted and filled with lots of great suspense. Watch it live on FX, a bit later on Hulu, or pay per view with Amazon.
  2. The Paralympics. If you haven't had enough of all the Chevy commercials and long helicopter shots of the Caucasus, tune back in to NBC (if you are in the US) to watch these amazing athletes go at it in Sochi. NBC is only broadcasting about 50 hours of the Paralympics, which could help you step away from the couch. But you will apparently be able to stream all events live at TeamUSA.org.
  3. Classic Russian Movies. Got two hours to kill, want to veg out but also work on your Russian and/or stoke that nostalgia fire? Head over the Mosfilm where you can stream all sorts of classic films to your computer or TV (if you can connect). Need a recommendation? If you haven't seen Diamond Arm, you must watch it. Now. Or how about a documentary on the Olympics? Or a melodrama about hockey players based on a story by Trifonov.
  4. Watch a Decent Western Film. Pop on over to Netflix to keep your Russophilia alive. Go underwater with a great Cold War submarine flick, like The Hunt for Red October or Phantom; check back in on the Bolsheviks with Reds or The Battleship Potemkin; go all romantic with Doctor Zhivago; enjoy a cheap thrill with Night Watch or Day Watch; be enthralled by one of the greatest Russia-based documentaries of recent years: Happy People
  5. Finally, if you really get desperate, there is always another Russian Dash Cam Video. Just ignore the driver's music choices and be thankful you are safely on your couch...

Got ideas of your own? Use the comments below to share ideas and help other Russophiles through this difficult time.

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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.

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93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

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Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

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