January 24, 2022

Put Those Cute Faces to Work!


Put Those Cute Faces to Work!
Wouldn't you want to say hi? Flickr user David Slater

With the addition of several cuddly bandits, Voronezh businessman Yuri Pavlov's shop on Patriot Avenue has become a place where drivers come for more than just new tires.

By adding a comfortable living space for four friendly raccoons in his tire shop, Yuri's intention was simply to keep himself and his coworkers from feeling lonely. However, the tiny petting zoo has turned his business into a local attraction, with customers coming in just to play with the fluffy mischief-makers. In fact, the raccoons have become the mascots of the shop, even making their appearance on the business's emblem. (Now that's what we call rags to riches!)

Yuri got the first three of his raccoons (Shipon, Tikhon, and Roni) nearly six years ago at a pet shop in Krasnodar. More recently, he adopted the fourth of the bunch, Businka.

The raccoons, though friendly and playful with customers, do get into their fair share of trouble. A small jar hangs on the animals' enclosure for tips to help with their upkeep, and Yuri noticed one day that 2000 rubles (about $25) had been stolen from the jar and made into bedding.

In case you're interested in other famous Russian animals, we have a treat for you!

 

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Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

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.

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.

White Magic
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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.

A Taste of Russia
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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.

Fearful Majesty
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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.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
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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.

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