Tag Archives: literature
5 Russian Books Banned in the Soviet Union—Part I Posted by Maria on Sep 23, 2019
Some of the books that have entered the Russian literary canon were virtually unknown in Russia until the late 80s or the 90s. These books were either outright banned from publication or were only available as bootleg copies—famously as homemade samizdat (самизда́т) copies. Here are five books that are mainstream now but were out of…
Reading Russian Press: Russians’ Fear of Uncomfortable Literature – Part I Posted by Maria on Nov 5, 2015
I thought it might be interesting to look at recently published articles in the Russian press. Rather than having me summarize them, we are going to include quotes from the article and go over the language and message in these quotes. This week, I propose looking at the New Times article titled “Призы́в к смягче́нию…
Storytelling in Russian Posted by Maria on Sep 24, 2015
We often connect with others over discussing our favorite films, plays, and books. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to describe that great Russian movie or novel to your friends? Let us look at some ways of talking about themes and plot. Themes First of all, what is the story about? Some ways of…
Famous Quotes in Russian Translation Posted by Maria on Feb 23, 2015
There are certain quotes (цита́ты) from films, literature, folk sayings, and so on that have entered our everyday lexicon. This is the case with Russian, as well. Listed below are phrases originally said or written in languages other than Russian that are known to the vast majority of Russians. Can you finish these quotes? Hover…
Лгун (“The Liar”) — a VERY short fairy tale! Posted by Rob on Aug 6, 2012
I’ve mentioned before that I’m captivated by сказки (fairytales). So, let’s start out this week with a “short and sweet” example of Armenian origin. I chose this one not only because it’s so short, but also because it features an unexpected twist. The plot involves a poor person outwitting a rich and powerful person, which…
Harry Potter, Our Favorite Wizard Posted by Natalie on Jul 25, 2011
A very bittersweet event took place on July 15, «дорогие друзья» [dear friends]. «Часть вторая» [Part two] of the film «Гарри Поттер и дары смерти» [Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows] came out. This is «последний фильм» [the final film] of the series. And as someone who has ready «каждая книга» [every book] multiple…