February 02, 2017

Blogging Bears, Ivan the Terrible Rapper, and a Blob


Blogging Bears, Ivan the Terrible Rapper, and a Blob

Things that don't quite belong

1. Many folks dream of traveling the globe. Apparently, so do polar bears. This bear-faced tourist has been from Tonga to Thailand, Ethiopia to Ecuador, but it’s his permanent habitat on Instagram that helped him taste the honey of fame. The man behind the mask is Elnar Mansurov, a Perm resident who has gained attention as a travel expert – and not just for his unconventional facewear, but also for his tips about traveling with bearly any money. If a bear can do it, anything’s pawsible.

the-village.ru

2. A genre of teaching is born: the rap lecture. A history teacher at the Higher School of Economics gave a lecture titled "The external and internal policies of the Moscow State from the reign of Ivan the Great to the Time of Troubles," and he did it in rhyme and on beat. (Well, mostly). On the one hand, don’t make bets with students lightly. On the other, what better way to learn about 15th-century Russia? Find the full 40 minutes here. Jay-Z better watch out.

3. A new creature – part elephant, part seal, part blob from another planet – has made its way into Russian hearts and memes. Christened Zhdun, the creature was originally a sculpture meant to represent people waiting at the doctor’s office. But the little guy (or girl) has since taken off in social media, appearing in classical art, Kremlin press conferences, casinos, and scenes from history. Next thing you know, it’ll be Zhdun for president.

meduza.io

In Odder News

  • Tattoos are old news: a dental patient in Moscow got portraits of Presidents Putin and Trump engraved on his teeth. That’s one way to crown your heroes.
rbth.com
  • If you’ve ever wondered what types of photos an American spy in the Soviet Union would take, now you’ve got an album as an answer.
  • Ligers are real. They’re bigger than both lions and tigers. And there’s a baby one in Russia named Tsar.

Quote of the Week

"I decided to invest in the experiences, because that is the hardest form of currency."   
—Eldar Mansurov, otherwise known as Misha the bear-tourist, on his decision to spend his money on travel. Of his decision to wear a bear head while doing it, there’s no news just yet.

Want more where this comes from? Give your inbox the gift of TWERF, our Thursday newsletter on the quirkiest, obscurest, and Russianest of Russian happenings of the week.

Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

White Magic

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.
The Moscow Eccentric

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.
Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

Steppe / Степь (bilingual)

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
Fish: A History of One Migration

Fish: A History of One Migration

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.
Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Dostoyevsky Bilingual

Bilingual series of short, lesser known, but highly significant works that show the traditional view of Dostoyevsky as a dour, intense, philosophical writer to be unnecessarily one-sided. 
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Chekhov Bilingual

Chekhov Bilingual

Some of Chekhov's most beloved stories, with English and accented Russian on facing pages throughout. 
Fearful Majesty

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.
The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

The Little Humpbacked Horse (bilingual)

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.
Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

Faith & Humor: Notes from Muscovy

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.

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