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

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.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

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.

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.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Moscow and Muscovites
November 26, 2013

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. 

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.

 
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...

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