June 02, 2020

Come On In, the Bombshelter's Fine


Come On In, the Bombshelter's Fine
Even non-bomb-shelter pools can be dingy. Christy747, Wikimedia Commons

Don your trunks, grab a towel, but forget the sunscreen: a new St. Petersburg swimming pool is set to be built underground, in a former bomb shelter.

The site, beneath what is now the city's Viktor Tsoi Square (named after the famous Soviet musician), has been transferred from the department for civil defense to the Rainbow Sports School. Construction is set to begin shortly, and is planned to be completed by the end of the year.

When the pool opens, the grounds of the square and the facilities will form a single architectural ensemble.

Sounds like a trip to this pool would be the bomb.

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Tolstoy Bilingual

Tolstoy Bilingual

This compact, yet surprisingly broad look at the life and work of Tolstoy spans from one of his earliest stories to one of his last, looking at works that made him famous and others that made him notorious. 
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.
At the Circus (bilingual)

At the Circus (bilingual)

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.
Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.
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Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

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White Magic

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Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

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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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