October 20, 2020

Upward Mobility


Upward Mobility
Marina Udgodskaya, newly-elected village official. Youtube, Soroka News

Marina Udgodskaya never set out to become a local official in her townm Povalikhino, Kostroma Oblast. Now, however, her rise to power has led to international fame.

Radio Free Europe reports that Udgodskaya, who made her living cleaning the village's administration building, was enlisted by the Kremlin-approved incumbent as a token challenger during recent elections. She ended up winning with 62% of the vote.

Her story grabbed national headlines, spurring interviews, articles, and even the arrival of a news helicopter, which created a stir in the village.

The 35-year-old mother of two, who lives on a nearby livestock farm, seems to be up to the task, even as she's tried to avoid the press.

"I'm not interested in politics, but if we hadn't found a second candidate, we would have had no election," she said. "I have no idea what people were thinking."

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The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

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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.

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The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

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