February 23, 2017

100 Years Ago, In a Monarchy Far, Far Away...


100 Years Ago, In a Monarchy Far, Far Away...

1917, 2017, 1945

1. The February Revolution bears that name because it began on February 23. At least, in the Julian calendar it did. By the Gregorian calendar – used by much of the world, including Russia after early 1918 – the riots and strikes that led to a new world order began on March 8. Still, in honor of that day in late February, here’s a head start on the people who led the rallies that changed the face of the world, the role of World War I, and how the tsar himself was feeling as he saw his country collapsing around him. 

2. Antsy for a jaunt into space? Soon you’ll be able to book your ticket to the cosmos with S7, Russia’s most successful private airline. After receiving a license for space operations in Russia, S7 Group’s affiliated aerospace company plans to launch a Zenit-M rocket later in 2017 from Baikonur in Kazakhstan. After that, the company will use a floating launch platform called Sea Launch, forecasted to service 70 launches over the next 15 years. It’s T minus soon until the commercial space race blasts off.

3. Forget giving Goofy a hug or riding a rollercoaster: Russia’s Patriot Park is building a miniature Reichstag building for storming practice. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that the scaled-down replica will grant the Russian Youth Army (Yunarmia) the opportunity "to storm a specific location, not something abstract." The new building, along with other military attractions, is meant to bolster young folks’ patriotism by giving them a taste of World War II.

In Dogger News

  • Rumors are flying of a dog trekking around Russia and saving children in buses. Is it really the same dog? Hard to say. Is it a good story? Da, darling.
  • The U.S. has the Renaissance Fair. In Russia, there are at least five festivals that give you a true medieval experience, from jousting to log-throwing to hen football. Yes, hen football.
rbth.com
  • If you want to test your prowess but don’t go for medieval pursuits, try burying yourself in a coffin for 24 hours. That’s what one blogger did, and he’s stronger for it (at least, so he says).

Quote of the Week

“Why are we doing this? Just because it is beautiful.”
—S7 chief Vladislav Filyov on the decision to resurrect the Sea Launch initiative, with the goal of sending commercial flights into space. 

Cover image: A.M. Gerasimov, Skobelev Square during the February Revolution. Source: wikimedia.org

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.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

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.
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.
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. 
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.
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.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

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.
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.
Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

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.  
At the Circus

At the Circus

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.

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