April 29, 2020

The Throat-Singing American


The Throat-Singing American
Photo by Sunyu Kim on Unsplash

“People here usually say to me: you are different than we thought and from the way American people are shown on TV. And I am happy. One of the most popular stereotypes about American is that they are tall, fat, and don’t care about anybody else. Of course, every stereotype is based on something. But actually, people everywhere are just people and they want the same things in the whole world. We all want just to live in peace.” 

– Sean Quirk, an American who has been living in Tuva, Siberia for almost 20 years, and knowns the Tuvan language better than Russian

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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.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

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The Little Golden Calf

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Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

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Fish: A History of One Migration

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Bears in the Caviar

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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.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

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