September 08, 2022

A Rain Check for Respect


A Rain Check for Respect
Gorbachev at his wife Raisa's funeral, 1999. Wikimedia Commons, RIA Novosti

On September 1, a few days after the passing of Mikhail Gorbachev, the Soviet Union's final leader, Putin visited the hospital where Gorbachev lay in an open casket. Putin placed red roses next to the casket, gave a few moments of silence, crossed himself, bowed, and walked away.

Fifteen hours after Gorbachev had passed away, Putin released a statement expressing his condolences. He reminded the world that Gorbachev was a leader who had a "huge impact on the course of world history" and "deeply understood that reforms were necessary" when facing the Soviet Union's many problems. But even with these kind statements, it can not be forgotten that Putin believes the dissolution of the Soviet Union was the single greatest geopolitical disaster to take place in the 20th century, and that Gorbachev was the man that precipitated the USSR's downfall.

Mikhail Gorbachev's funeral was scheduled for September 3, and while many who loved him were in attendance and the state played a part in the proceedings, Russia's president was unable to attend due to scheduling conflicts.

You Might Also Like

Mikhail Gorbachev
  • March 01, 2021

Mikhail Gorbachev

The rises and falls of the esteem in which Russians have held Mikhail Gorbachev over the years have been dizzying.
Gorbachev Dead at 91
  • August 30, 2022

Gorbachev Dead at 91

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev, the Communist Party Leader who unleashed democracy, glasnost, and perestroika, has died.
My God, a Symbol of Separation
  • August 17, 2022

My God, a Symbol of Separation

“There was a certain girl here who was handing out some permission to paint to artists, complete nonsense. I gave her this work, and the first thing she said was that it was a very dangerous job, because if Gorbachev saw it, he would not allow the unification of Germany and that she will send it to the senate of West Berlin, which was a different country, for approval.”                                     –  Dmitry Vrubel, the artist behind the Berlin Wall's "The Fraternal Kiss"
Russia Turns Thirty
  • August 28, 2021

Russia Turns Thirty

Thirty years ago this week, Russia became an independent country... again.
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.
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.
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. 
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Latchkey Murders

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...
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.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
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.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 

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