July 04, 2019

Trolley Drama and Piano Trauma


Trolley Drama and Piano Trauma
Thankfully, this cormorant is not dead (see #2 below). Pixabay

Throwback Thursday

Russian and American flags
Photo: Pixabay

It’s Independence Day in the U.S. — an excellent time to reflect on Russia-U.S. relations. Although it doesn’t often feel like it, there’s so much more to Russian interactions with the U.S. than the Cold War.

Today’s featured article profiles Sitka, a town in present-day Alaska that is rooted at the intersection of Russian, American, and Native Alaskan history. Its residents celebrate the transfer of Alaska to the United States, commemorate its Russian founders, and reconcile the Russian and American imperialist pasts with Native heritage and experiences. Read more, right here on Russian Life.


Trolleys and Birds Fly Away (But for Very Different Reasons)

1. Goodbye, trolleybus! On Monday, the city of Perm retired trolleybuses from its public transport system. City officials said the trolleys had been underused for years; still, Perm citizens were saddened by the end of a city mainstay and resolved to remember the trolleybus in style. On Sunday, riders crowded onboard the last trolley and threw a farewell party. They decorated the trolley with balloons and signs saying “We’ll miss you!”, riding until the very last stop. It was a bittersweet moment as the trolley drove away into the night. Nevertheless, though the trolleybus has met its end, it lives on in the fond memories of many Perm citizens.

Last trolley in Perm
Goodbye, trolleybus, oh, where I will never be… / 59.ru

2. A foolproof (but not soundproof) idea. Recently, Gazprom Arena in St. Petersburg has had a problem: seagulls and cormorants won’t keep their beaks out of the humans’ business. The stadium’s solution? Scare them away with recordings of dying birds. These recordings, which often play overnight, have made early birds out of some irate residents. Meanwhile, some children worried about whether the birds were okay (bear in mind that we don’t know if birds were harmed in the recording of these sounds).

3. Nightmares come true. Last week, the Moscow Conservatory held the finals of the Tchaikovsky Competition, one of the world’s highest-stake competitions for pianists. Finalist An Tianxu came onstage expecting to play a Tchaikovsky concerto, then a Rachmaninov piece. The conductor lifted his hand… but instead of the slow, majestic Tchaikovsky, he started the rapid-fire Rachmaninov. For non-pianist readers: this is like getting your chair kicked out from under you, while perched above a steaming vat of kasha. Fortunately, An handled it with grace. Though he ultimately placed fourth, the jury awarded him a “special prize for self-confidence and bravery.” And on the internet, he’s probably more famous than the actual winner, which may be the best prize of all.

Shocked pianist
When the sheet music is pulled out from in front of you. / medici.tv

Blog Spotlight

Russia in 300 square meters: If you’re traveling to the Far East, don’t miss the microcosm of Russia that awaits you on Russky Island.

In Odder News

Police corgi
Yet another reason to love corgis. / Transport Management Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Volga Federal District
  • Meet Ryzhy, the only corgi to serve in a Russian K-9 police unit.
  • Need a Soviet-themed way to procrastinate? Try out this game of Tetris that lets you stack Soviet apartment buildings.
  • A roadside robbery in the Russian countryside had an unexpected ending. Whether it’s happy or not is for you to decide.

Quote of the Week

“What’s next — removing the bear from the coat of arms?”

— An indignant Perm resident responding to the retirement of trolleybuses from the public transport system

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.

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Some of Our Books

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.
Fearful Majesty

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.
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. 
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
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.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
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.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

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.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

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