February 21, 2007

What exactly is going in on Russia? [WIGOR?]



Is a new Evil Empire brewing?
Are we on the verge of a New Cold War?
Who is pulling the levers of power in Russia?
What is the Kremlin engineering for a post-Putin Russia?


There are plenty of questions circulating in the media about Russia these days. But often too little of what is published takes a long-term, balanced and critical view.

Time for a reality check.


  1. Russia is not perched on the abyss of Totalitarianism

  2. The US and Russia are not about to start slinging ICBMs at one another

  3. Vladimir Putin is not the Wizard of Oz, pulling levers from behind a Kremlin curtain

  4. Russia does not seek to hold Europe hostage to gas or oil supplies



But none of this is to say that everything is fine and dandy in Rossiya-Matushka. Far from it.

Any country - particularly one the size and age of Russia - is a very complex place. It would be as unfair as it would be ridiculous to say that Russia is red or brown, good or bad, free or enslaved. It would also be cliche and relativistic to say "there are no easy answers," so I won't say that. Instead, I will say that there are no final answers, just some very interesting questions.

I will also say that Russia is not an incomprehensible Churchillian riddle. It is a country with a history, a people, a geography and a way of life. And, just like anything else, if you study it and if you pay attention, you can eventually understand it. Maybe not perfectly, but pretty damn well.

I have been studying and paying attention to Russia for over 25 years. I don't claim a line on the truth, just a general distaste for a lot of the Russia-bashing and Monday Morning Quarterbacking I have been reading over the past few weeks. Therefore, over the next few weeks, I will post a series of short essays about what I feel is going on in and with Russia. With luck, some people will find them interesting and even slightly useful.

I will start at the beginning. [PR]
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

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.

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.

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. 

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.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

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.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

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.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian 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.

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