Scams, Frogs, and Cars

In this week's Odder News: coronavirus scams, Belarusan policy decisions, and frogs.

Careful, Moscow kvartira-dwellers: new scams are on the rise, targeting those sheltering in place from the coronavirus. So, if you see a stranger clad in medical gear looking shifty in your building's lobby, lock your door.
A village in Yaroslavl Oblast has received a street paved with trash. Residents were, understandably, disgusted.
Belarus is having a great time while the rest of the world is in self-isolation: sports games go on, restaurants remain open, and public spaces are as bustling as ever. In Belarusan President Alexander Lukashenko's own words, "It's better to die standing than live on your knees." On an unrelated note, Belarus' coronavirus count currently numbers over 500.
Russian automaker Lada unveiled a new 4x4 model, well-equipped for off-road travel. Your babushka's utilitarian Soviet automobile this is not.
The early frog gets the worm. Or at least, that's what we should tell ourselves as thousands of grass frogs awaken in Moscow from their winter slumber early this year, likely due to climate change.
Maybe you, like [some of] us, have been enjoying the Netflix documentary Tiger King during your time in quarantine. If so, you may be interested in this Russian review of the film, which describes it as a "realistic screen novel in which America recognizes itself."

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Some of Our Books

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.

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.

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

Far & Away ~ Tales from Rural Russia

33 original stories about modern (and not so modern) life in rural Russia.

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.

301 Things Everyone Should Know About Russia

How do you begin to get a handle on the world's largest country? This colorful, illustrated guide will get you started...

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.