August 11, 2016

Olympians, Titans, and cats dressed up as sailors


Olympians, Titans, and cats dressed up as sailors

Olympian Update
A special section during the Rio Olympics

tass.ru

The Games are on! Russians in Rio have already snagged 15 medals (and counting), including in judofencingarchery, and shooting. A violent set of sports, perhaps, but there’s also cycling and gymnastics, with silver for both the men’s andwomen’s teams.

Unfortunately, Russia’s entire paralympic team has been banned on doping allegations. Is Russia at fault for putting “medals over morals,” or is excluding Russia a “grave human rights abuse” – and a sign of Russophobia? 

Phobias and their friends

1. Russophobia is a problem, and it’s going to take at least 2 million rubles to fix it. Russia’s Ministry of Culture is investing in research on de-Russification and Russophobia – in other words, prejudice against Russia in the West and elsewhere. This flawed perception of Russia, say those researching it, stems from Russia’s resurgence on the global stage. But whether the country is summed up as a threat or a haven for bears and vodka, there’s much more to Russia than that.

2. Russia and Turkey are back to being best buds. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made a visit to “his dear friend Vladimir” with an eye to mending bonds between their countries. After a shot-down Russian plane on Turkish soil spurred tensions (and tourism dips) between the countries, and in the aftermath of the attempted coup in Turkey and heightened conflict in Syria, it’s a good time to look for a friend. Still, the internet responded stingingly.

3. Lake Baikal not only looks beautiful: now it will sound inspiring, too, with Leonardo diCaprio and President Putin potentially teaming up to be the voices behind the lake. Putin has yet to confirm whether he’ll pledge his vocal cords to the 3D documentary, to be titled Lake Baikal: The Heart of the World, but DiCaprio has already climbed aboard. Will the Titanic fare better voyaging across the world’s largest lake?

Contested Quotes of the Week

“I understand the people who didn’t congratulate me because the media was full of fake stories about me. […] All athletes should be above politics, but they just watch TV and believe everything they read. I always thought the cold war was long in the past. Why start it again, by using sport?”

—Russian silver-medalist swimmer Yulia Efimova on other athletes’ reactions to her participation in the Olympics, after previously being banned for doping – allegations many Russians see as a Russiaphobic conspiracy.

vs.

“You’re shaking your finger ‘No. 1’ and you’ve been caught for drug cheating. I’m not a fan.”

—American gold-medalist swimmer Lilly King on her perception of Efimova.

In Catter News

These cats are part of the crew on a Russian cruise ship. That’s all.

rbth.com

What better way to celebrateInternational Cat Day than an opera medley dedicated to meowsical – er, musical – kitties?

meduza.io

This cat has been a loyal member of this Russian family for 23 years. Except that’s not a cat: it’s a bear. (Or possibly a hoax.)

boredpanda.com

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
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.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

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.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
How Russia Got That Way

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

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.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955