April 15, 2020

Why So Mean?


Why So Mean?
Photo by Sunyu Kim on Unsplash

“You know, it got to the point that they give such nasty information on [channel] Rossiya 1. Ah, the old man treats his people there with a tractor, vodka, a bath ... You know, I used to joke on the fly. But every joke has a certain degree of a joke... Russians would like to say to those who are ‘dancing’ [chatting]: don’t touch us! We haven’t asked for anything from them. We save ourselves, defend ourselves. Come visit us, see for yourself. But why are you making fools of us in Russia? Why should a Russian person get it into their head that there, in the West, our Belarusans, they’re some kind of crazy?"

- President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on bias in Russian media against Belarusans

Tags: belarus

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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.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

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 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.

 
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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
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Jews in Service to the Tsar

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The Moscow Eccentric
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The Moscow Eccentric

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Driving Down Russia's Spine

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Bears in the Caviar
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Bears in the Caviar

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Little Golden Calf
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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
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Murder and the Muse

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