August 12, 2009

The Bogeyman


Yeah, baby, Russia's still got it...

When it comes to bogeymen, China, Cuba, even North Korea can't hold a candle to old Mother Russia.

This week, as tempers flared and theatrical protests abounded around health care, a woman offered this irrational take on proposed reforms at a town hall meeting led by Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter:

"This is about the dismantling of this country," Katy Abram, 35, shouted at Mr. Specter, drawing one of the most prolonged rounds of applause. "We don't want this country to turn into Russia."

Meanwhile, back in Moscow, the Russian military has announced plans to upgrade its ABM capabilities by 2020, to ward off impending US attacks from space.

It is just me, or has it suddenly gotten colder in here...?

Note to Obama: Flip the protesters' argument. Health care reform is about making Americans safe from its enemies, about preserving the American way of life, about avoiding a freefall into the abyss of "just-like-Russian-ness"...

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Some of our Books

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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.

 
Life Stories
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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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The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

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