March 08, 2022

International Women's Day


International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day, which traces its roots to 1917, when Russian women demanded "bread and peace." Four days later, the tsar was forced to abdicate and the provisional government granted women the right to vote.

Of course, it was not a single demonstration that led to the tsar's ouster, yet could we hope for a similar sort of demonstration and eventual effect in Russia today?

There are reports that all across Russia, women are placing flowers on war memorials, calling for an end to the war, for peace.

Meanwhile, read more about the history of the holiday here. And then read some linked articles (below) on the power and resilience of women throughout Russian history.

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Loyal Wives, Virtuous Mothers
  • March 01, 1996

Loyal Wives, Virtuous Mothers

Once embraced by Soviet authorities as a celebration of women's liberation under communism, International Women's Day (March 8) stands stripped of ideology, but not consequence. Our author takes the occasion to ask women about their role in the new Russia.
Common Strength: Eight Russian Women
  • March 01, 2000

Common Strength: Eight Russian Women

In commemoration of International Women's Day, celebrated widely in Russia, we offer portraits of the daily lives of eight remarkable Russian women. Those profiled include: a ballet dancer, a bakery shop assistant, a television anchor, a train conductor, an artist, an athlete, a travel agent, and a cab driver.
Dishes to Wow the Women
  • March 01, 1998

Dishes to Wow the Women

Two dishes that are great for celebrating women's day (with the men cooking!): Beef with prunes and Pork with prune sauce.
Role of Women in Russian Cooking
  • June 13, 2000

Role of Women in Russian Cooking

Today, the wonderful, hearty and traditional recipes and meals of the Russian table can be attributed to the efforts of Russian women to provide sustenance and nurturing to their families.
Women Combat Aviators of the Patriotic War
  • August 08, 2000

Women Combat Aviators of the Patriotic War

Told that the Rodina was not in so bad a shape that she needed girls to protect her, these future heroes were sent home to their mothers.  Soon, they were called back and became a crucial element in the protection of their homeland and victory over Nazi Germany.
Russian Ladies in Space
  • January 17, 2001

Russian Ladies in Space

Soviet cosmonauts Valentina Tereshkova and Svetlana Svitskaya made history when they were the first woman in space and first woman to walk in space, respectfully. Elena V. Kondakova represents the new age of Russian Federation cosmonauts as a member of the US/Russian STS-84 crew.
International Women's Day: A Look Back
  • March 08, 2021

International Women's Day: A Look Back

Tired of having to do Valentine's Day and Mother's Day separately? Try it the Russian way and combine them into International Women's Day! A closer look at this convenient holiday's socialist origins and not-so-socialist present form.
An Army Gift for Women's Day
  • March 08, 2021

An Army Gift for Women's Day

Leningrad Oblast's military commissioner has a solution to those pesky exes: send them to the army.
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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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

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.

White Magic
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White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

The Moscow Eccentric
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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.

Steppe
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Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

The Samovar Murders
November 01, 2019

The Samovar Murders

The murder of a poet is always more than a murder. When a famous writer is brutally stabbed on the campus of Moscow’s Lumumba University, the son of a recently deposed African president confesses, and the case assumes political implications that no one wants any part of.

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