January 31, 2022

Valuing Values


Valuing Values
Shining exemplars of "Russian values." The Russian Life files

You know, we're living in a society.

Russia's Ministry of Culture, acknowledging and lamenting this, is in the midst of creating and implementing a new plan for 2022 with the goal of preserving traditional Russian values.

The project guidelines, entitled "Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values," are set to be officially enshrined in February. These values include patriotism, historical memory, and traditional morality.

The project seeks to strike against the "cult of selfishness" brought about by our brave new world. Namely, "the United States and its allies, transnational corporations, foreign non-profit organizations."

According to the Ministry of Culture, these institutions have adversely affected the ideals of the Russian citizenry, which has caused a sharp decline in beneficial patriotic feeling and good Orthodox morality.

Our hope is that we'll see more patriotic displays that border on the goofy.

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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.

Little Golden Calf
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Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
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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.

 
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