Russia Books

Saint, Satan, or the desire for magic and magical cures. The figure of the charismatic turns up again and again in history. But the marriage of the charismatic and 20th-21st century media is something quite new. Vinogradova has opened a door to an understanding of the hope and despair of those in the Communist Bloc who sought an age-old 'believer' remedy when all else had failed. Kashpirovsky's huge following is worth our attention. Vinogradova has tapped a vein of great interest in the West and let's hope to hear more from her gifted pen whether as research or fiction

I found this well-written account of the remarkable Kashpirovsky absolutely fascinating. The author researched her subject well and presented an unbiased account of Kashpirovsky's often controversial activities. A must read for all persons of present day Russian affairs.

This is one of the most beautiful books I have ever reaad... It must be read to be experienced. (I cried at the end of this book, and I am not a weepy person!) Definitely worth owning a few copies, because you will want to lend it to people -- who will probably not want to give it back.

There is no better book you could read to give you a heart-sense of Orthodox Christian sanctity. And the book is NOT out of print; Amazon's information is outdated. It was reprinted in 1999, so go ahead and order it!

I really didn't know what to expect when I picked up Kathleen Crane's memoirs of her experiences in graduate school at Scripps and her professional life. To many, it might seem that a book on oceanography is a bit too esoteric or "niche" to be of interest to the general public.

But "Sea Legs" is a truly fascinating, deeply (no pun intended) interesting book. For the scientifically inclined, the detailed descriptions of Crane's work will be of great interest. But the general reader benefits the most from this book, as the reader accompanies Crane and her colleagues on numerous voyages of discovery to fascinating destinations. "Sea Legs" is well worth your time, and beleive me, it is a real page turner.

Sea Legs: Tales Of A Woman Oceanographer is the personal and inspiring story of Kathleen Crane, one of the first female oceanographers to earn her credentials at the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California. From research on undersea volcanoes, to meeting and befriending Soviet Union scientists during the height of the cold war, Sea Legs is a memorable and informative autobiographical journey filled with a love of science, a respect for the sea, and the sheer joy of reaching out to embrace the world.

This book is visually stunning, and should be owned by anyone who treasures real insight into the lives of the Rom. The photo quality is award-winning, and the candor in the faces of the subjects gives one a glimpse behind the usual self-protective personas is one is used to seeing. Several of the photographs of the children, in particular, stopped my heart. Friends who have picked up the book to glance through it have expressed the same feeling. There is a texture to the photographs that makes your fingers twitch to reach in and examine further. I treasure this book.

A poetic journey deep into the lives of the Roma people living in the former republics of the Soviet Union. Should be on your bookshelf next to Koudelka's Gypsies.

Lysakowski, the author, grew up in Luck (Lutsk), Wolyn (Volhynia), then eastern Poland. He elaborates on his childhood, and then describes the situation just before the war. Polish-speaking Germans hindered the mobilization of Polish troops (p. 23), and later engaged in fifth-column activities.

After Poland was conquered by the Germans and Soviets, he was rousted out of bed at 2:30 AM, one March 1940 day, by the NKVD. Their interrogation methods were brutal. He spent time in Soviet prisons, using a prison-made Morse code for communication with other prisoners (p. 66). In that prison, tensions between Poles and Ukrainian separatists were also evident.

Deep in the USSR, he contended with severe winters. He had to labor in minus-20 to minus-40 degree weather daily in January, February, and March. To battle scurvy, he had to drink Khwoya--a concoction made of cedar needles.

After Germany attacked its erstwhile Soviet ally, many of the Poles were freed. Lysakowski recounts Christmas Eve 1941 as being especially joyful in this regard. He went to Samarkand, and enjoyed the hospitality of the Uzbeks. Then it was on to Iran, Iraq, and England--where he served in the RAF. After the war, he immigrated to the USA.

This book is gripping. After the first couple of chapters I could not put it down until I finished it. It is a great true story about surviving the Russian Death Camps in Siberia.

I love this book as I'm directly descendant to them through my great-grandmother on my mom's side in Germany. I love this book alot nice to have something from people your related to.

Osherenko and Golonev have created a work that satisfies scientific researchers, sociologists and casual readers alike. The story of the Nenet people is a fine blend of history, folklore, and sharp realism. The assessments come from professionals who have had real experience; understand political dynamics of both the FSU and the world community; and who can apply their findings to view, to some extent, the future of the Yamal. The authors deeply care about the people of the Yamal and their Arctic environment from both personal and scientific perspectives. They supply the reader with an in-depth view of a society that may represent other societies around the Arctic regions. The Nenets' story is unique in one respect but also applies to Arctic regions in general. Read this book to understand a key issue in world politics and international trade. Read this book to understand use of "The Commons". Read this book to understand indigenous peoples and their struggles. Read this book.

This book & CD combo provides an easy to follow format that lends itself well to memorization of key phrases that will be of great use when meeting your waiting child. How comforting to him/her to hear familiar words and phrases from his new family. I also listen to the CD in the car and get strange looks from others. Once home I try my newly learned phrases out on my dog, Otis. At first he would turn and walk away, but now he understands several of the phrases especially related to food, water, and toys. This is the best and most practical book & CD that I have come across and I strongly recommend it to anyone traveling to Russia for an adoption. Best of luck to all!

I love the book and CD. It has phrases which are specifically usefully with children. It is easy to use and easy to find phrases you are looking for. I have been playing the CD in the car and chuckle as I mangle repeating the Russian phrases and I think I'm scaring the other drivers, but it's easy to follow along which is what I need. If you are looking for a few phrases to get you by during the adoption process, this product is great.

This book is a sweet story about an old couple that is sad because they cannot have a child, so they make one for themselves out of snow. She comes to life, and is a perfect child to them, and they love her. But when summer comes and the weather gets warmer, the snow child is forced to flee to colder weather. The old couple becomes sadder than ever without their little snow child. But when the first snow comes, guess who comes back with it.

The illustrations are pretty and colorful. They are not completely realistic, but rather they capture the feeling of the story. They are slightly whimsical and they are playful. While pictures of the snow child tend to feature blues and white, the illustrations are also bright and bold when required.

The story is told well in a simple manner that flows well. It is not choppy, and easy to read out loud. It is a very charming story, with cute pictures.

Loggie-log-log-log

This is such a wonderful story of a childless couple who finally realize their dream . It is a story of hope...... the couple is rewarded for their patience and belief in miracles. I've enjoyed reading it to my children as much as they enjoy hearing it.

This book is a throughly history of the art of painting in Russia and the USSR from the point of view of the Realist school of painting that began to exist in the 2nd. half of the XIXth. century and, after the October 1917 Revolution, vied for supremacy with the Futurist school about the right to represent the socialist political project in form and content. The book examines the supramacy of Socialist Realism in the field of visual arts since Stalin's rise to absolute power until the demise of the USSR.

The book is encyclopaedic in both narrative and visual terms, since it combines an exahaustive historical account with an astounding array of 1st rate reproductions, taken from all corners of the former Soviet Union.The main shortcoming of the book would be only that, since it dwells not only in the history of Socialist Realist painting as such, but also of its ideological politic foundations (superbly examined) the books requires a prospective reader that has not only a general interest in the relationship between Art and Politics, but also an specific interest in both Soviet and Marxist studies. It's, nonethless, this interdisciplinary aspect that makes for much of the work's charm.

Excellent reproductions, fascinating paintings, excellent scholarship by Mr. Bown. I also highly recommend all his other books on Russian / Soviet art.

I had to order this book for a Russian History class. My prof is the author of this medium sized factual book and it has been a wonderful read. Full of little histories and facts that make reading easy and pleasant, it is an incredibly insightful look at how Russia has grown into the state it is now. The spiritual facts are introduced with a touch of mysticism, which is paralleled in Russia's orthodox history. A wonderful addition to any Russian history lovers' collection, and a small sample that easily fills for those not familiar.

Roy Robson's Solovki is a wonderful book. Robson had the inspired idea to write the history of Russia as reflected in the extraordinary past of the White Sea Solovetskii Island. There more than five hundred years ago two saints established a monastery that became legendary for its beauty, wealth and sanctity. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries the monastery became a religious battleground between the state-approved Russian Orthodox and the so-called Old Believers, who considered themselves the true bearers of Orthodox piety and ritual in Russia. In the nineteenth century the monastery was a site of war (it was attacked by British warships during the Crimean war) and of pilgrimage (thousands of simple Russians visited it every year). In the twentieth century, from the early 1920s to 1939, it was the location of an infamous prison camp, described by Solzhenitsyn in the Gulag Archipelago. Today the Orthodox Church has re-established the monastic presence on Solovki and the place has been recognized by the United Nations as an international cultural treasure. Robson's history deftly analyzes each stage in the complex history of Solovki in prose that is a clear as the water of the White Sea on a calm day. The book is a deft portrait by a master craftsman. Splendid!