Katia Kapovich's new poetry collection, Cossacks and Bandits, addresses a coherent range of cultural, aesthetic, psychological, philosophical, social and political issues relevant to the complexities of modern life. How does one survive war, terror, loss, injustice, trauma, displacement, marginalization and other hurtful experiences without embracing cynicism or indifference? What resources of strength must we rely on in a society that is ideologically and economically fluid and at times cynical and indifferent, where mass culture, institutional religion and national belonging have only weak and doubtful remedies to offer? The book focuses on the personal histories of men and women who are survivors of sociopolitical and economic distress. To Kapovich such individuals are the true modern hero and heroine. They show that at the limits of experience, survival and dignity depend on creative thinking, on a leap of imagination, as in the Russian children's game of Cossacks and bandits. Set in the US, Eastern Europe and the Middle East--regions that the poet knows intimately, having spent a considerable part of her life in each--this volume is a poetic survival guide to cultural and geographical displacement, alienation and marginality. With feeling and mastery, with sadness and humor, Kapovich fuses a diverse polyphony of voices and themes into original, full-blooded, lyric American verse of great general and literary interest.

    Every language has concepts, ideas, words and idioms that are nearly impossible to translate into another language. This new 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. A key to understanding another language, another culture, is figuring out what cannot be "known," but only "felt." In this compact and useful volume, 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. Added bonus: Includes an extensive chart of Old Russian Measurements you may meet in literature -- from the common arshin, to the less known charka -- with modern conversions. An invaluable reference tool. - Publisher.

    Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.

    Yet the events of his day--from his unruly French class to the evening he spends with his girlfriend and her parents--seriously challenge his resolve to avoid lying. From his wry, ironic reflections about himself and his world, the reader gains insight into the human condition and the specific challenges of living in the Soviet Union in the 1960s.Viktoria Tokareva (b. 1937, Leningrad) launched her writing career with the publication of the story "Den' bez vran'ia" in the journal "Molodaia gvardiia" in 1964. Since that time she has written countless stories and novellas about the fate of men and women trying to get by in contemporary Russia. Widely read in Russia and Europe, her works combine humor and psychological insight into everyday characters and situations.

    As Turgenev's first major piece of writing they brought him instant recognition.Based on his own observations riding around his family's estate the stories explore the difficult lives of the peasants and the Russian system of serfdom. This system came into effect during the 11th century and required the dependency of the peasants on the state. Peasants' mobility was severely restricted and it was made illegal for them to run away from the estates where they worked - they belonged, in essence, to the landowners who could move them to another estate under another landowner while retaining the serf's personal property and family.While there were many rebellions against serfdom it was only in 1861 that it was finally abolished and all serfs were freed by the Tsar, Alexander II. Turgenev's A Sportsman's Sketches influenced the Tsar's decision to abolish the system of serfdom in Russia.Volume Two includes:Tatyana Borisovna and her NephewDeathThe SingersPyotr Petrovich KarataevThe TrystThe Hamlet of the Shchigrovsky DistrictChertopkhanov and NedopyuskinThe End of ChertopkhanovLiving RelicThe Rattling of WheelsThe Forest and the Steppe