January 01, 2020

Happy New Year! Enjoy Your Bath!


Happy New Year! Enjoy Your Bath!
The mayor's office response to this penis-shaped ice rink in Novosibirsk: "Real art should excite you!" Govorit Moskva | Telegram

“People discussed whether Nadya and Ippolit had sex.”

– One of the FAQ’s about the beloved Soviet New Year’s film Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!, according to the daughter of the director. 

Unfortunately for Russia, UNESCO refused to accept the iconic film Irony of Fate, along with other Russian New Year’s traditions – like visiting the banya on December 31st (a key component of the film) and Salad Olivye – as items of intangible cultural heritage. Maybe they’ll have better luck next year, if Russia actually ratifies UNESCO’s convention on protecting items of intangible cultural heritage. In the meantime, we hope all Russians still enjoyed their New Year’s baths!

In addition to mayonnaise-based salads, Russians met the New Year with pastry-shaped ornaments and a penis-shaped ice rink. Unlike skating rinks and Irony of Fate, though, New Year’s icons Ded Moroz (Father Frost) and his helper Snegorochka remained solidly PG. Officials in St. Petersburg did not let the two fairy-tale characters get married

Ded Moroz and Snegorochka wedding
They were denied because they were not dressed for the occasion. But she is still wearing a white dress! / Fontanka.ru

Most importantly, Russians met the New Year with their family, the life priority of 90% of Russians. 

We wish you a New Year full of family – and happiness, health, and all the other things to which Russians love to toast.

С новым годом! 

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Some of our Books

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

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.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

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.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

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.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

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...

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
October 01, 2013

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 

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