July 18, 2023

Russian Life Flood Update


Russian Life Flood Update
Montpelier's downtown on July 11. Paul Richardson

One week ago, Montpelier, the Vermont state capital, along with a number of other Vermont communities, was inundated by a record-breaking rain deluge followed by a flood of biblical proportions.

The state has been declared a federal disaster area, and in Montpelier almost every single downtown business has been adversely impacted. The streets are stacked high with flood debris and every downtown store has been gutted and is preparing to rebuild. Hundreds of volunteers have poured into the town to help.

Aerial photo of Montpelier flooded on June 10
Montpelier on June 11, 2023.

Russian Life, which has its offices in downtown Montpelier, was largely spared the worst. But our town is decimated, infrastructure is reeling, the post office is shuttered, phone lines are down... you get the idea.

Montpelier – repeatedly voted one of the finest small towns in America – is resilient and resourceful, and will be back stronger than ever.

This post is to inform readers of Russian Life that there will be delays (including with the publication schedule for the summer issue of the magazine), and that we expect difficulties with customer service (our land-line phones have been down all week, for instance – if you have an issue you need help with, please send us an email).

Thank you for your patience and understanding in these difficult times.

If you are inspired to reach out and support Montpelier's rebuilding effort, you can do it very simply and securely here.

Thank you for your understanding.

– Paul Richardson, Publisher

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Some of our Books

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.

Murder and the Muse
December 12, 2016

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Marooned in Moscow
May 01, 2011

Marooned in Moscow

This gripping autobiography plays out against the backdrop of Russia's bloody Civil War, and was one of the first Western eyewitness accounts of life in post-revolutionary Russia. Marooned in Moscow provides a fascinating account of one woman's entry into war-torn Russia in early 1920, first-person impressions of many in the top Soviet leadership, and accounts of the author's increasingly dangerous work as a journalist and spy, to say nothing of her work on behalf of prisoners, her two arrests, and her eventual ten-month-long imprisonment, including in the infamous Lubyanka prison. It is a veritable encyclopedia of life in Russia in the early 1920s.

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.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

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.

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.

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Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955