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Russian Life: Jan/Feb 2012
Cover: Anna Martyonova |
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1: The Soviet Faust
A history of Leon Theremin, inventor of electronic music and the instrument which bears his name.
Music
:: Translation by
Jennifer Davis
1: Vysotsky Film and other News Items
Our pages of news in our Note Book and Travel Notes sections cover items as varied as a new film on Vysotsky, the Booker book of the decade, a film on the life of a jailed tycoon, Russian's internet usage, Ronald Reagan, the Bolshoy, museums and much more.
Note Book
4: For the Price of a Hat
A look back at 30 years of wrestling with the Russian bear.
Editorial
7: From Reset to Recess?
Just two weeks prior to Russia's recent parliamentary elections, President Dmitry Medvedev went on television to make a hawkish anti-American speech. Whither the reset?
News
11: Departures: Alliluyeva and Alekseyev
Obituaries of Stalin's estranged daughter, Svetlana Alliluyeva, and the world's onetime strongest man, Vasily Alekseyev.
History
16: Election Fever (Trends)
Is Putin in decline? Were the elections rigged? And what are they tweeting about Vladimir?
Politics
19: Paranoia Trumps True Love
A look back at the law of February 15, 1947, that outlawed Soviets' marriage to foreigners, and a marvelous 1967 play that wonderfully dramatized the sad situation.
Marriage
:: Translation by
Nora Favorov
21: Peter's Table of Ranks
How the introduction of Peter I's merit-based system of ranks changed Russian society after its introduction in 1722.
History
:: Translation by
Nora Favorov
23: Alexander Scriabin
A short consideration of the life and work of Alexander Scriabin, born on Jan. 6, 1872, a composer whose life was cut tragically short, but who nonetheless set the stage for much that was to come.
Music
:: Translation by
Nora Favorov
26: Fending off Demyan
How to handle that common situation in Russian: too much hospitality...
Survival Russian
:: Illustrations/Images by Victor Bogorad
27: The Building of Sochi
Two readings in Russian on Sochi, with some questions for language learners.
Uchites
28: Winter Wonderland
Turning Sochi into an Olympic city in time for the 2014 games is a Herculean task. It does not help that environmentalists, local residents and bookkeepers are all wary. And then there is Georgia, just a few kilometers away.
Sports
:: Illustrations/Images by Mikhail Mordasov
36: Lyubov Orlova
She was the Soviet Union’s first star of the Silver Screen – talented, beautiful, and exuding confidence and optimism. Yet behind this public image was another woman entirely.
Features
:: Translation by
Paul E. Richardson :: Illustrations/Images by Artyom Kostyukevich
38: Heart of the Matter
A look inside the Russian health care ?system, as we accompany a group of American doctors in Russia during their multi-year exchange and training program.
Health
52: Russian Philanthrophy
?Several Russian billionaires are using their sudden wealth to underwrite education, literature, art and science. So why aren’t average Russians following their example?
Business
:: Translation by
Paul E. Richardson :: Illustrations/Images by Artyom Kostyukevich
60: A Soup for Seminarians
A consideration of the hearty Russian mushroom soup, Pokhlyobka, and Vasily Perov's evocative painting, "Receiving the Wanderer."
Cuisine
62: Gulags, Ments, Chekhov and Pushkin
Reviews of Fyodor Mochulsky's "Gulag Boss," William Ryan's "The Darkening Field," and Andrei Gelasimov's "Thirst," with shorter notices on "Memories of Chekhov" (Peter Sekirin) and "Pushkin Threefold" (Walter Arndt, trans.)
Under Review
64: Waiting for Miracles
Exactly why did so many Russians wait on line for hours, sometimes days, to see an ancient relic visiting Christ the Savior Cathedral in November? Maya Kucherskaya has some ideas.
Post Script
:: Translation by
Paul E. Richardson :: Illustrations/Images by Mitya Aleshkovsky