June 24, 2015

What a Difference a Decade Makes


What a Difference a Decade Makes

Just a little under a decade ago, in 2006, the US and Russia were staunch allies in the global war on terror, George Bush had looked into Vladimir Putin’s soul and found it good, and 73 percent of Americans viewed Russia as friendly or an ally. This was a marked change from early 2000, when US public opinion was virtually tied over whether Russia was friend or foe (after the more or less friendly 1990s).

But over the last eight years, with the US and Russia clashing over the ABM Treaty, Edward Snowden, human rights, Crimea, and Ukraine, US opinions about Russia have fundamentally changed. This past February, 68 percent of Americans viewed Russia as unfriendly or an enemy.

Not surprisingly, the situation is much the same in Russia, only more so. A recent Levada Center poll found that 81 percent of Russians have a negative view of America, the highest negative – by far – since Levada began conducting this poll in 1990.

Notably, on both sides of the divide, these are citizens’ views of the other country as a political actor, not their views of the people in the other country. I have yet to see any poll that asks what Americans think about Russians, or visa-versa, yet if the past is any guide, both Russians and Americans are rather good about being able to distinguish between the other’s government and its people.

Certainly we have always sought to make that distinction a hallmark of this magazine and we feel it is something that our readers, by definition, just get.

Yet the stark reality of the New Cold War remains, so I have thought long and hard about ways that Russian Life might better contribute to building bridges between the peoples of our two countries, irrespective of the fluctuations of politics or current events.

Since what we do best at Russian Life is tell stories, stories with captivating images, we propose to do that on a scale we have never before attempted.

We will send two photojournalists – one American, one Russian – on a month-long road trip down “The Spine of Russia,” to gather the story of modern Russia, to talk to Russians about what they think about America and Americans. It will be like a four-week, time-lapse snapshot, and we (and by we, I include myself, as I will be one of those two journalists) will gather the stories and images into a beautiful book.

But here’s the kicker: we are only going to do this if the market (you) wants it, if you share our feeling that there is a need for this sort of dialog through journalism, as a way to bridge the East-West divide.

This is a crowdfunding project. If it gets funded before July 31, the Russian-American road trip will happen this fall. If it does not, the trip is off.

We feel that these difficult times demand a new approach. Let us know if you agree.

Visit spineofrussia.org for more information and to partner with us in this exciting project.

[Published in the July/August 2015 issue of Russian Life.]

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Some of our Books

93 Untranslatable Russian Words
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93 Untranslatable Russian Words

Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This book looks at nearly 100 such Russian words and offers paths to their understanding and translation by way of examples from literature and everyday life. Difficult to translate words and concepts are introduced with dictionary definitions, then elucidated with citations from literature, speech and prose, helping the student of Russian comprehend the word/concept in context.

A Taste of Russia
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A Taste of Russia

The definitive modern cookbook on Russian cuisine has been totally updated and redesigned in a 30th Anniversary Edition. Layering superbly researched recipes with informative essays on the dishes' rich historical and cultural context, A Taste of Russia includes over 200 recipes on everything from borshch to blini, from Salmon Coulibiac to Beef Stew with Rum, from Marinated Mushrooms to Walnut-honey Filled Pies. A Taste of Russia shows off the best that Russian cooking has to offer. Full of great quotes from Russian literature about Russian food and designed in a convenient wide format that stays open during use.

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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.

The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas
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The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas

This exciting new trilogy by a Russian author – who has been compared to Orhan Pamuk and Umberto Eco – vividly recreates a lost world, yet its passions and characters are entirely relevant to the present day. Full of mystery, memorable characters, and non-stop adventure, The Pet Hawk of the House of Abbas is a must read for lovers of historical fiction and international thrillers.

 
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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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The Latchkey Murders
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Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

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