January 20, 2021

Like Uber for Booze


Like Uber for Booze
For when you need vodka, now. We've all been there. Viktor Mogilat

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, one thing has continued: alcohol production and sale. And thanks to an initiative recently supported by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Russians may soon be able to buy their alcohol without leaving their homes.

A legal proposal put forth by a St. Petersburg official would allow for the distance purchasing of alcohol, such as via phone or online. The recent endorsement by the Ministry is a step in the right direction for those of us that want beer, but don't really want to get off the couch just yet.

This is likely a change spurred by the pandemic, as everything in life moves online to prevent the spread of COVID-19. While some were hopeful that this change would have been implemented before the New Year holiday, the gears of government move slowly, even when dealing with alcohol. After all, there's a lot that goes into making a black-market activity legal. Oh, well. There's always 2022.

We're just hoping it doesn't force the little guys out of business.

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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.

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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.

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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.

Life Stories
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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.

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