January 19, 2022

The Russian Granny Made of Steel


The Russian Granny Made of Steel

"I have enough safety margin for a lot more. Nothing is impossible, even at such a venerable age. Take care of yourself, dear friends, and never be afraid of anything."

– Maria Koltakova, The "Steel Granny" of Belgorod

Self-proclaimed "Steel Granny" and veteran of World War II Maria Koltakova set a new record in the city of Belgorod this week: Koltakova stood on nails for 100 seconds in celebration of her 100th birthday.

This is not Koltakova's first rodeo in the record-making world, as she has set more than ten records in Russia, including those in parachuting, scuba diving, and even riding along with a biker club that goes by the name of "Night Wolves."

While Koltakova's records are encouraging to us all, it is really her heroic acts during World War II that truly show her indestructible, and steel-like ambition for life. Koltakova fought in the Battle of Kursk, was part of the liberation of over a dozen cities, and carried many wounded out of the battlefield. because of her heroic deeds she was awarded several medals and has been venerated for her courage and military merit.

 

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Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
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Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

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. 

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.

Russian Rules
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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.

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93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

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