February 15, 2021

You Think You Know Russia? Perhaps Russia Knows You...


You Think You Know Russia? Perhaps Russia Knows You...
Who's reading who? The Soviets knew the real powers of the human mind. Ahmad Ossayli on Unsplash

The Soviet government has been known for investigating some strange things, from resuscitated heads and the manufacturing of double-headed dogs to human-ape hybrids and blood transfusions from dead corpses.

On January 25th, the online archive Black Vault published a declassified CIA document describing how Soviet scientists had also “perfected” methods of nontraditional medical treatment that included psychic practices.

These techniques involved the use of mirrors to amplify psychic abilities that could “transmit bioenergy to patients to enable them to control or cure asthma, sinusitis, allergies, chronic bronchitis, pulmonary inflammation, and heart disease.”

The medical specialists conducting the procedures allegedly could not only treat individuals but also “empathically experienc[e] the patient’s discomfort.”

Other experiments in Novosibirsk and Leningrad included attempts to psychically transmit “images of geometric shapes” from one research volunteer to another.

Now if only we could order drinks through our minds...

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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.

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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
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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.

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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.

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