February 02, 2022

Copperfield? I Hardly Know Her!


Copperfield? I Hardly Know Her!

“Usually, to put money on a card, you need an ATM; with magicians, everything is much simpler: just rub a coin and it becomes invisible.”

– Eugene, at Nevyansk prison in the Urals.

While it may not be often that we breathe the words "magic" and "prison" in the same sentence, Eugene has certainly found a way to put the magic in prison.

Even though Eugene is currently serving a stint for an unspecified violation, he has found comfort in magic that he learned back in his student days. The works of Harry Houdini and David Copperfield are his greatest inspirations. It isn't a real mystery as to why: Houdini was a master of escape and Copperfield was famous for his knack for flying onstage

Magic is currently just a hobby for Eugene, but once he is free he plans to fully indulge in his work and become a master illusionist, just like his heroes.

You Might Also Like

From the Urals to San Francisco
  • January 17, 2021

From the Urals to San Francisco

Olga was born one year after the collapse of the USSR, but she witnessed both scarcity and communal living. Optimism and creativity have served her well.    
We're in Your Camp! Just Kidding
  • December 15, 2021

We're in Your Camp! Just Kidding

A deputy from Russia’s Rostov Region, who lives in a home with décor that rivals a tsar’s, is suspected of making some of his money stealing from poor kids. Oh my.
Crime Pays
  • March 16, 2020

Crime Pays

A Russian woman makes 2 million euros through illicit means.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

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.

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.

Bears in the Caviar
May 01, 2015

Bears in the Caviar

Bears in the Caviar is a hilarious and insightful memoir by a diplomat who was “present at the creation” of US-Soviet relations. Charles Thayer headed off to Russia in 1933, calculating that if he could just learn Russian and be on the spot when the US and USSR established relations, he could make himself indispensable and start a career in the foreign service. Remarkably, he pulled it of.

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.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

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.

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.

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