March 14, 2019

Wailing for Freedom


Wailing for Freedom
Spring is coming, not winter! (See In Odder News, below.) Svyatoslav Seleznev 

The worst of times to be a small child; the better of times to be a large whale

1. In Ryazan a woman gave birth in a bathroom. And then threw her newborn in the trash. A passerby heard the baby crying in a dumpster, found him in a plastic bag, and called an ambulance and the police. The mother was found drunk and partying in her friends’ apartment nearby. She has been charged with attempted murder by a mother of a newborn. The doctors treating the baby, who is in critical condition, named him Vanechka, a diminutive for Ivan, and hopefully not derived from the word for bathroom in Russian, which is vannaya. We love a good pun, but we’d give that one two thumbs down.

Possibly the worst place for a newborn to spend his first two hours. / Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Ryazanskaya Oblast

2. Some fifth graders outside of St. Petersburg want their women’s day “without women,” according to post-it notes they stuck on their faces on March 8. One schoolgirl’s mother claimed in a Facebook post that some boys took it further and kicked passing girls, including her daughter. The “campaign” was inspired by a meme from the Russian sitcom Happy Together. The director of the school said it was supposed to be a joke. Cue some sitcom canned laughter. Not laughing yet? Doesn’t seem like the incident made everyone happier together. 

We would translate the Russian for you, but the symbol says it all. / Facebook.com

3. Belugas are not “swimming so wild and swimming so free” in Russia’s Far East. Last fall Russia was scandalized by the discovery of about a hundred orcas and belugas in captivity off the shore of Primorsky Krai, where they had been freezing all winter. On March 12, a group of experts sent to deal with the situation decided that they would work toward releasing the animals from the “whale prison” in early summer. Over the next few months they will rehabilitate the health of the captive creatures and try to prepare them to readapt to conditions in the wild. 

You can practically hear them wailing for freedom. / Vitalii Ankov for RIA Novosti
 

In Odder News

  • It’s a Maslenitsa tradition to burn a scarecrow representing winter, and this year for residents of Lipetskaya Oblast that “scarecrow” was the Night King from the popular TV show Game of Thrones, based on the book series with an more on-the-nose title: A Song of Ice and Fire.
  • Russian lawmakers have written dachas out of existence, replacing them with “garden and another-word-for-garden noncommercial partnerships.” Because who likes short laws with words that actual people use?
  • Russian Orthodox priests started Maslenitsa right by curling with brooms and a tea kettle. 
They swept away the competition. / uzlovaya.tularegion.ru

 

Quote of the Week

“In response to one of the most popular questions – is there meat in pelmeni – experts confidently answer: yes! DNA of large horned livestock and DNA of pigs were found in all samples.” 

- Research conducted by quality control authorities on 48 types of frozen pelmeni (Russian dumplings), none of which fully passed inspection.
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Some of our Books

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.

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.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

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.

Fearful Majesty
July 01, 2014

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.

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.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

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.

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