January 31, 2015

An Amazing Ride!


An Amazing Ride!

At nine p.m. this evening – an arbitrary time we set a month and a half ago – our Kickstarter project to support publication of Red Star Tales came to an end.

It has been an amazing ride! 

We sought to raise $16,000 – just enough to cover the costs of translation, rights, editing and initial production of this 450+ page book. We projected we might need 250-300 backers to reach our goal. In the end, we "overfulfilled the plan" by 33% – raising $21,444 from 424 backers! 

The results have left me speechless. Almost...

It was great to share with the world a project we have been working on, shaping, developing for months. We were not sure that a volume of never-before-published Russian science fiction would resonate. But it did! As the support slowly built and then started to pour in over the course of the project, we felt as if we had tapped into something really significant.

Yes, there are people out there who want quality fiction in translation.

Yes, there are people out there interested in Russian science fiction.

Yes, there are people who still read books!!!

A huge thank you to all the backers and boosters. Your special gifts will be in the mail shortly, just as soon as we can get everyone to supply their mailing address.

In case you missed it, here's the video describing the project.

Filmmaker Victoria Savchenko did a superb job, and we just love the cover that Taisiya Kulygina designed. We can't wait to see it on thousands of copies of the book.

Again, thank you to everyone.

 

Paul Richardson
Publisher

 

p.s. You may be asking what we plan to do with all the "extra" raised on this project? Well it will go fast. The two stretch goals (both met and exceeded) have us sending about 400 wall calendars to all corners of the Earth. And we'll be printing an extra 400 copies of the book and mailing them to over 200 universities and schools that teach Russian. And we are even thinking of trying to put these books in bookstores (not normally a profitable venture for a niche publisher). But then, people don't go to bookstores any more, do they?

 

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Some of our Books

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

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.

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

Faith & Humor
December 01, 2011

Faith & Humor

A book that dares to explore the humanity of priests and pilgrims, saints and sinners, Faith & Humor has been both a runaway bestseller in Russia and the focus of heated controversy – as often happens when a thoughtful writer takes on sacred cows. The stories, aphorisms, anecdotes, dialogues and adventures in this volume comprise an encyclopedia of modern Russian Orthodoxy, and thereby of Russian life.

A Taste of Russia
November 01, 2012

A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

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.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

Fearful Majesty

This acclaimed biography of one of Russia’s most important and tyrannical rulers is not only a rich, readable biography, it is also surprisingly timely, revealing how many of the issues Russia faces today have their roots in Ivan’s reign.

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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.

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