Alumni Travel Reading: Waterways of Russia

"[A] modern filmmaker magically finds himself transported to the 18th century. There he embarks on a time-traveling journey through 300 years of Russian history. Filmed with a cast of thousands, three live orchestras and an army of technicians, Russian Ark is the longest uninterrupted shot in film history, and the first feature film ever created in a single take." Click title above to preview trailer at Youtube.

A nostalgic Soviet comedy about the tenants of a Moscow communal apartment in the 1950s. Includes many Moscow locations, and songs by the famous Russian bard Bulat Okudzhava. Find in a library near you through Worldcat.org: http://www.worldcat.org/title/pokrovskie-vorota/oclc/70043321&referer=brief_results.

Click on linked title above to see brief preview (without subtitles) at Vimeo.

From the publisher: “Beginning in the eighteenth century with the building of St. Petersburg and culminating with the Soviet regime, Figes examines how writers, artists, and musicians grappled with the idea of Russia itself--its character, spiritual essence, and destiny. Skillfully interweaving the great works--by Dostoevsky, Stravinsky, and Chagall--with folk embroidery, peasant songs, religious icons, and all the customs of daily life, Figes reveals the spirit of "Russianness" as rich and uplifting, complex and contradictory--and more lasting than any Russian ruler or state.”

This article (through Ebscohost) is available to Penn alumni. See Alumni Services guide for more information: http://guides.library.upenn.edu/c.php?g=475934&p=3255247

This article was written when the city of Yaroslavl was celebrating the 1000th anniversary of its founding. It's a nice overview of the history, culture, and landmarks of Yaroslavl. Includes 15 color images.

From the publisher: “A compelling portrait of a city and its transcendent artistic and spiritual legacy-written by a cultural historian who has known some of the greatest figures of modern St. Petersburg, including Balanchine, Shostakovich, Akhmatova, and Brodsky.”

A brief travel article about traveling Russia’s Golden Ring, which includes the cities of Yaroslavl, Rostov, Kostroma, and Bogolyubovo. This semicircular ring of cities gained the appellation "Golden Ring" due to their many gilt-cupolaed churches. The article includes some historical background on the region.

A political, architectural, and geographical history of Moscow, from its founding through the end of the twentieth century. Includes a timeline.

From WorldCat: “When the author, a British journalist, moves to Moscow, she discovers an apartment on Romanov Street that was once home to the Soviet elite. One of the most infamous neighbors was Stalin's henchman Vyacheslav Molotov, who was a participant in the collectivizations and the Great Purge, and also an ardent bibliophile. In what was formerly his apartment, she uncovers an extensive library and an old magic lantern, two things that lead her on an extraordinary journey throughout Russia. In this book, she visits the haunted cities and vivid landscapes of the books from Molotov's library: works by Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Pushkin, Akhmatova, and others, some of whom were sent to the Gulag by the very man who collected their books.”

A collection of short stories by Yaroslavl native and 2006 Debut Prize winner Anna Lavrinko. The stories are set in Yaroslavl and each one is prefaced by an image of a location in the city.

A collection of 15 short stories set in Moscow, published in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.

Mandelstam (1891-1938) was one of the great Russian poets of the 20th century. The Moscow Notebooks cover his years of persecution, from 1930 to 1934, and include the poems "Midnight in Moscow," and "The factories, bathing in the Moscow river."