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Articles by Michele A. Berdy
the word's worth
When It's Time to Call the Junk Man
Russian has a very rich vocabulary for old stuff and people they wish weren't around anymore.
6 Min read
the word's worth
Hello, Goodbye and Other Expressions De Jour
Language has changed so quickly that old stand-by phrases of greeting and parting are out of date.
4 Min read
the word's worth
'Judge Righteously; Show Mercy to One Another'
The language of funerals in Russia.
4 Min read
the word's worth
Thank the Persians for the Bazaar
Some words borrowed by Russian from Persian might surprise you.
3 Min read
the word's worth
The Kopek, the Poker and the Candle
To express yourself fully in Russian, you need some candles.
5 Min read
the word's worth
Burst a Pipe and Bust a Gut
Pipes burst, as do dreams, schemes and balloons.
4 Min read
the word's worth
How Can You Tell if a Russian Judge is a Man?
You have to check the verb endings, because the job title is feminine.
5 Min read
Diaspora culture
What's On in London: Ukrainian and Russian Arts and Culture
This weekend in London there is plenty to see for anyone interested in Russian and Ukrainian arts.
3 Min read
the word's worth
'Twas the Night Before Christmas 2023
With apologies to the real author, once again I come up with my own version of a Christmas dream.
2 Min read
the word's worth
Vladimir Putin's Rhetorical Tricks
Vladimir Putin's "Conversation" was a good example of the art of persuasion - but we don't know if it works.
5 Min read
the word's worth
Words of the Year 2023
In 2023 the words of the year are mostly grim, but there are a few surprises.
4 Min read
the word's worth
The Myth of the Untranslatable
Nothing makes me crankier than those lists of so-called "untranslatable" words.
4 Min read
the word's worth
How to Be Obnoxious in One Easy Word
Лезть should be taught in Russian 101. It's essential for suriving in the world.
5 Min read
the word's worth
Are You Liberated or Independent?
Ever wonder about the difference between освобождение and независимость? I did.
4 Min read
the word's worth
A Short Guide to Russian Spokesperson-Speak
They announce, promise, react and refute. But what do they really mean?
5 Min read
the word's worth
Secretly, Silently and Sneakily Yours
What's the difference between silently and secretly in Russian? In a lot of cases - not much.
4 Min read
the word's worth
A Curly Healthy Biting Hello
Slang for "that's great" in Russian is not so great to understand right away.
4 Min read
the word's worth
Hate Speech Part Two: Russian Leaders Speak
What ever happened to decent public discourse?
5 Min read
the word's worth
Let Me Introduce You to New Creatures in the World
It's interesting that almost all the Russian words for "people who leave the country" are politically loaded.
6 Min read
the word's worth
Hate Speech, Part One
Here is part of a grim and offensive collection of Russian hate speech.
4 Min read
the word's worth
The Unsinkable, Unbending, Long-Lasting Rules of Translation
How to make people burst out laughing without even trying.
5 Min read
the word's worth
Let It Be and Let It Go
Keep пусть in your pocket. It will come in handy.
4 Min read
long read
In 'Memory Makers' Author Jade McGlynn Investigates the Politics of the Russian Past
A new book examines how the past is used, misused and recreated in Russia to forge a new future.
9 Min read
long read
Artists Komar and Melamid Give Lessons in History
Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid talk about history, war, art and shoes that are not Russian.
9 Min read
Pushkin House Long Read
Tricia Starks Takes On 'Cigarettes and Soviets: Smoking in the U.S.S.R.'
"Cigarettes and Soviets: Smoking in the U.S.S.R." has been shortlisted for the 2023 Pushkin House Book Prize.
12 Min read
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
A Family History of Not Looking Back
Reflecting on the year since I left Russia — and a century since my grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire.
7 Min read
F@ck This Job
In Latvia, Putin’s War on Russian Media Plays Out on the Big Screen
Viewers in Latvia’s capital of Riga came out last week to see a screening of "F@ck This Job," a documentary about independent Russian broadcaster...
long read
'Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate'
Who is responsible for the present crisis in East-West relations? There is plenty of blame to go around.
long read
Lucy Ward Investigates 'The Empress and the English Doctor'
A fascinating part of the story of how smallpox would eventually be eliminated from earth.
Feature
‘The Dots Were All There. We Just Couldn’t Connect Them.’
One of the last American journalists in Moscow recounts how she — and her dog — escaped Russia as Putin’s new iron curtain fell.
winter festival
Sochi Winter Arts Festival Kicks Off with Mozart, Shō and a Nyckelharpa
The gala concert that opened the international festival was a mix of traditional and untraditional.
curtain raiser
'Don't Leave Your Planet' Launches Sochi Winter Arts Festival
The fantasy based on "The Little Prince" was performed by one man in 25 roles - some at the same time.
hit exhibition
In Moscow Xenia Hausner Tells 'True Lies'
Visitors to the show found something familiar in the story-telling, but not the stories told.
long read
Nadia Ragozhina Brings Together Her Family in 'Worlds Apart'
The captivating story of a Jewish family divided and then united by the events of 20th century Europe.
art for the ages
The First Anatoly Zverev Art Prizes Awarded in Moscow
Moscow's AZ Museum honored artist Anatoly Zverev with shows, prizes, and celebrations.
art for the masses
Moscow's GES-2 House of Culture Opens a New Era in Art
The mission of the new House of Culture is to liquidate today's "cultural illiteracy."
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
The Short History of a Nasty Word
Everyone hates a жлоб. But what is he? And where did he come from?
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
When a Russian Stretch is Not an English Stretch
Oh, the pitfalls of borrowed words! Just because they sound alike doesn't mean that they are alike.
Long read
Victoria Lomasko is 'The Last Soviet Artist'
A short film about change, society, families, violence, love and the work of artist Victoria Lomasko.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
Three Holidays and a Fall Primer
A walk down memory lane on this holiday Friday.
must read
Archie Brown Is Awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize
"The Human Factor: Gorbachev, Reagan and Thatcher and the End of the Cold War" receives the prestigious prize.
long read
Andrei Zorin's Biography 'Leo Tolstoy' is Essential Reading
"Leo Tolstoy" is one of six books nominated for the Pushkin House Book Prize.
urals mystery
What Happened on Dyatlov Pass? 'Dead Mountain' Reveals All
This award-winning feature series is being released with English subtitles this week.
everyone's a critic
Muscovites Square Off Over City's New Shapeless Statue
Urs Fischer's massive sculpture will welcome a center of contemporary art in an old power plant.
faces from the past
Discover the Art of Portraiture at Moscow's AZ Museum
Masks, icons, faces, mugs - all ways that artists have portrayed their fellow humans.
Long read
Photographer Victoria Ivleva Exhibits Her African Diaries
From the inside of a Chernobyl reactor to wars in Africa, Ivleva is there with her camera and a hand.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
Russian Bravery and Bravado
What's the difference between true courage and reckless swagger? Lots! Read on.
long read
'Memories of Moscow' Brings the Late Soviet Era to Life
Lipman's memoir of the Soviet Union in the 1980s is an invaluable and fascinating resource.
long awaited home
Mandelshtam Street Opens at the Moscow Literature Museum
The speakers joked, darkly, that this was the best apartment the Mandelshtams had ever had.
long read
Olga Grushin's 'The Charmed Wife' Breaks Literary Conventions
Do you wish you had a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand? Think again.
long read
Sergei Lebedev Spins a Dark Thriller in 'Untraceable'
Lebedev's novel is both a gripping thriller and an unflinching examination of Russia's past.
2021 look ahead
Moscow Arts Scene in 2021: A Spectacular Year Ahead
Cultural life came to a standstill last year, but this year arts lovers may get a double dose of culture.
long read
'Of Politics and Pandemics: Songs of a Russian Immigrant'
A poetic reflection that is comical, lyrical, satirical and heart-breaking.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
What the Pundits Say: Following the U.S. Elections in Russian Media
Coverage is a strange mix of hard facts, informed commentary and biased reporting.
book award
Sergei Medvedev's "The Return of the Russian Leviathan" Wins 2020 Pushkin House Book Prize
Sergei Medvedev is the first author based in Russia to win the prestigious award.
long read
Viсtoria Lomasko Reports on Belarus and Russian Vote
Victoria Lomasko shares her art and her response to events in Russia and Belarus.
saving russian art
'Costakis' Choice' at Moscow's AZ Museum
The AZ Museum is celebrating the life and work of the man who saved Russian 20th century art.
Russia against ALS
Russia Takes on ALS With a Marathon
Russia's only group to help patients with ALS is getting a jump on the ice bucket challenge.
quarantine culture
Night in the (Online) Museum and (Online) Movie Night
Celebrate night in the museum 2020 at home, and be sure to watch a remarkable film free online.
reading list
Pushkin House Announces 2020 Book Prize Short List
The Pushkin House short list is made of some of the very best books about Russia published in English.
quarantine culture
Watch a Prophetic Film
A disease from China ravages a country headed by a nationalist, militaristic leader...
obituary
Remembering Writer Eduard Limonov
Russians argue about the man, the writer, and the political activist Eduard Limonov.
garage art
'Sekretiki' at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art
A show of underground art secrets and a talk with the senior curator on what unites four exhibitions.
garage art week
Monika Sosnowska Shares 'Exercises in Construction, Bending'
This week we highlight four extraordinary new exhibitions at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.
opinion
Michele A. Berdy
I'm All For It!
What do you say to a bit of grammar? A preposition, say? Вы - за?
long read
From Wales to Dzerzhinsk 'In the Footsteps of Ghosts'
A hauntingly beautiful short film about the past of a country, an industry, a family and the scars left behind.
long read
'The Experiment: Georgia's Forgotten Revolution 1918-1921'
Eric Lee's fascinating book in English about Georgian history is avidly read in Tbilisi and Moscow.
holiday shopping
Miniature Miracles: Russian Painted Lacquer Boxes
Everything you need to know about those iconic — literally! — lacquer boxes.
remembering 2019
Notable Deaths in Russia in 2019
We mark the passing of many beloved public figures.
art news
Austrian Embassy Unveils Vadim Kosmatschof Sculpture
This renowned Russian-Austrian artist sees his first outdoor work unveiled in Moscow.
long read
'The Compatriots' by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan
This highly compelling and deeply disturbing book is a must-read.
at the movies
'The Frenchman' Premieres in Moscow
Brilliant acting, pitch-perfect casting, and visual authenticity make "The Frenchman" a must-see film.
stage sensation
'The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman' Dance Off Their Pedestal
Pavel Kaplevich's funny, nutty, snarky opera buffa played the Zaryadye Concert hall Saturday night.
peak culture
Moscow On Stage in October and November
We've already got our tickets.
contemporary arts
When the 'Forest' Came to the Fringe
Can Russian physical theater based on Aristotle and Bibikhin be appreciated by Western audiences?
restored classic
Dziga Vertov’s ‘Anniversary of a Revolution’ Has its Second Moscow Premiere
100 years after it was made and lost, a restored version of the documentary was shown at the Oktyabr Theater.
long read
Dmitri Shostakovich, Football Fanatic
Inside this composer with an orderly mind beat the heart of a football fanatic.
art sensation
Markus Martinovich and the Art of Play
A solo exhibition of works by an award-winning artist who is still in grade school.
Stage and Screen
That Russian Bad Guy? He's English
He is the quintessential Russian hit-man. Except that he's really a middle-class English dad.
Art and literature
'Dead Souls': Gogol, Chagall, Zverev and Kosmatschof
If you love Russian literature, run, don't walk, to see interpretations of "Dead Souls" by three brilliant artists.
culture shorts
The City That Doesn't Slow Down for Summer
Ballet premieres and art openings - what you could have seen over the weekend in Moscow.
long read
'Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy' Wins Pushkin House Prize
Serghi Plokhy was awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize this week, the only author to be honored twice.
long read
The Tale of 'The Spy and the Traitor'
This in-depth Cold War history that reads like a thriller is nominated for the Pushkin House Book Prize.
long read
'To See Paris and Die: The Soviet Lives of Western Culture'
This Pushkin House Book Prize nomination is a radically different view of the Thaw period.
Art night
Discover Nikolai Meshcherin
What you could you see if you were in Moscow this weekend.
obituary
Sergei Dorenko Dead at 59
Victory Day in Moscow ended with news of a prominent Russian journalist's death.
on the town
Moscow's Russian Romani Theater
If you want to see something you'll never see anywhere else, head "out of town" to see "Grushenka" at the Romen Theater.
must reads
Pushkin House Book Prize Short List
Pushkin House has announced their short list of the best non-fiction about Russia published last year.
Moscow music
Rock Opera to the Rescue
When Moscow's historic Anglican church is at risk, Russian rock musicians come to help save it.
obituary
Director Marlen Khutsiev Has Died
One of the country's most beloved film directors passed away in Moscow.
Big Screen
'DAU': A Preview
Russia's most genre-breaking, revolutionary film project may never be shown in Russia.
Heist of Century
A Daring Theft in a Moscow Museum
A man walked into the Tretyakov Gallery and walked out with a million-dollar painting.
Father of Futurism
David Burliuk Comes Back to Moscow
If you haven't seen this amazing show of avant-garde Russian art, poetry and culture, run and see it before it closes on Sunday.
news
Pushkin House Book Prize: Let the Reading Begin
If you want to read the very best new books about Russia, keep your eye on this space.
Contemporary art
Hopes and Fears in the Arts
Before last year ended, we asked a variety of people in Russian culture and the arts about the year ahead. Are they nervous or excited? Or both?
news
The Women's Century: Five Russian Writers to Watch
Today, Russia has no dearth of successful, celebrated women writers.
news
The Russia Buzz
Is it a movie, a critique of Russia, or a code for living?
Art
The Russian Path: Through Impressionism to the Avant-Garde
See this fascinating show at the Museum of Russian Impressionism to prepare for their upcoming David Burliuk exhibition, or just because it's gorgeous...
news
Come See the Biggest Battle of 1812
This weekend get out of town - in fact, get out of this century - to see the biggest battle reenactment in Europe.
news
Celebrate Life and Art with Anatoly Zverev
The AZ (Anatoly Zverev) Museum is celebrating its third anniversary with a gift for us: three floors of Zverev's joyful, playful, masterful works. Don't...