November 18, 2020

Packed Pillows, Drug Decreases, and Teacher's Top Dollars


Packed Pillows, Drug Decreases, and Teacher's Top Dollars

“A man caught the pillow. As it later turned out, it was the driver of the Tomskoe Pivo [Beer] enterprise, and tried to hastily hide it in his car… The driver was detained.”

– A source in Tomsk region’s law enforcement, on the latest developments in the arrest of the town’s mayor: his wife threw a pillow filled with around R1.3 million (approximately $17,105) out of a window during a search of their house

Runner-Up Quotes

“Largely thanks to the measures taken, over the course of ten years the number of officially registered drug users has decreased by more than a quarter… Over the same period, the level of drug-related crime has decreased by 17 %, and the number of those who committed crimes while under the influence of drugs has decreased by 30%... A fundamentally new legal mechanism for our country has been introduced into the legislation: encouraging drug addicts to undergo treatment and rehabilitation. In the last three years alone, over 85% of students in schools, technical schools, universities – more than 6 million people in total – have passed socio-psychological testing for drug addiction.”

– Russian President Vladimir Putin on improvements in the government’s anti-drug policy

“The minimum salary for a full-time teacher is 78,000 rubles [a month] – no full-time teacher receives less than 78 thousand [rubles], this is the starting point.”

– Alexander Molotkov, head of the Moscow Department of Education and Science, on preserving the average salary for Moscow’s teachers, at a monthly minimum of R78,000 (approximately $1,026).
 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

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.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

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.

 
Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

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.

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. 

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