April 02, 2020

TBT: Ivan Susanin Does His Thing


TBT: Ivan Susanin Does His Thing
Ivan Susanin (Konstantin Makovsky, 1914)

Purportedly on this day in 1613 Ivan Susanin, a Russian peasant, when asked by invading Poles to point them toward the hideout of the newly crowned Tsar Mikhail Romanov, led them on a wild-tsar-chase through forest and bog.

When, in the end, the Poles discovered his deceit, they killed him, making him a Russian hero for all time. A couple of centuries later, It also made him the hero of Mikhail Glinka's opera, A Life for the Tsar.

It seems such a fantastic tale, that one might be inclined to deem it apocryphal, but there is actually pretty good evidence on the side of the legend being true. And, well, he even has a web page and a monument. And of course the very name Susanin is a cultural signpost: to call someone a Susanin is to say they are leading you astray, usually unknowingly.

You Might Also Like

The Summer of 1612
  • July 01, 2012

The Summer of 1612

A look back at the re-taking of Moscow from the Poles 300 years ago, by a couple of unlikely heroes.
Crowning Achievements
  • January 01, 2013

Crowning Achievements

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the Romanov dynasty in Russia. A Washington museum is using the anniversary to show off some of its unique holdings, including several amazing coronation albums.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Murder at the Dacha

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.
Driving Down Russia's Spine

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar (bilingual)

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
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.
Russian Rules

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.
How Russia Got That Way

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.
Turgenev Bilingual

Turgenev Bilingual

A sampling of Ivan Turgenev's masterful short stories, plays, novellas and novels. Bilingual, with English and accented Russian texts running side by side on adjoining pages.
Woe From Wit (bilingual)

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.
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.

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