February 14, 2022

Reading Between the Palm Lines


Reading Between the Palm Lines
If you're going to peddle fancy-sounding superstitions, at least do it in an upscale place like St. Petersburg's Dom Knigi. Wikimedia Commons, Pierre André.

Commercialized spirituality is doing what it does best: making money.

While that's hardly news on its own, what is remarkable is the rate at which the Russian literary appetite for books on spiritualism has grown: up 53% from last year, according to a recent study. This is a sharp rise from last year, when the genre only grew 13%.

Books in this category cover subjects and practices as diverse as the use of tarot cards (the most popular subject; sales of tarot cards grew 486% over the last year!), predictions, positive thinking / mindfulness, divination, and karma. Experts speculate that Russians, feeling the squeeze of pandemic restrictions, are looking for a little more agency in their life, and they're looking for it in ooey-gooey spiritualism.

Since these books are undoubtedly written by well-meaning gurus with no stake in whether they make money on their solutions which certainly work (after all, they're spiritual experts with no need for cash), it should come as no surprise that this genre accounted for only 400 million rubles ($5.3 million).

At the same time, books on established religion fell 30%, which is surprising, given Russia's historic ties to conservative Orthodoxy.

What a great time to be a self-help author!

You Might Also Like

Don't Cross the Domovoy
  • February 07, 2021

Don't Cross the Domovoy

The creaks of a home can startle the most grounded adult. What kind of mischief might this mean, what kind of creatures lurk unseen?
Valuing Values
  • January 31, 2022

Valuing Values

In an effort to prevent the "cult of selfishness," Russia's Ministry of Culture is implementing a project to preserve traditional values in 2022.
Holier Hockey
  • September 20, 2021

Holier Hockey

In which a Russian priest becomes a hockey referee and begins to transform the sport. 
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Okudzhava Bilingual

Okudzhava Bilingual

Poems, songs and autobiographical sketches by Bulat Okudzhava, the king of the Russian bards. 
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
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.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.
Survival Russian

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.
Murder and the Muse

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.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.  
The Latchkey Murders

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...

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