Russians generally have a bad rap as being dour and grumpy. Some Russians will even agree with this characterization, making a …
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The Meeting of the Lord: Old Russia’s Groundhog Day
Did you know that Groundhog Day is also a Russian holiday? Ok, not exactly, but February 2 (which is celebrated today on the …
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How old Russian words hilariously change their meanings
One of the more fascinating articles I've read recently is one about "untranslatable emotions" in different languages. I was …
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5 Amazing Facts about Medieval Moscow
Earlier this week, I shared a blog post about the amazing things Russians Tsars did on Christmas day. It struck me as an …
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How the Tsars celebrated Christmas in Medieval Moscow
I've always loved good, old-fashioned pageantry. In my novels, I try to include moments of it, since it's not something authors …
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Christmas Traditions in the Ancient Rus
Last year, while spending a very illuminating six months in Belarus, my wife and I were invited to a local television program to …
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The Spiritual Meaning of Stories: Slavic Mythology Edition
More and more people are willing to accept the fact that fairy tales are not merely for children. However, there's still often a …
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Four Bizarre Ways Tales from Slavic Mythology Begin
You probably know some of the best first lines in literature. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” (A Tale of …
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Everything You Need to Know about Men’s Hats in Old Russia
Last week, I wrote about women’s head-dresses. Today, as promised, I’ll add the male version of that post. Basically, it’s …
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5 Kinds of Folk Hats Russian Women Wore
Do you ever wish that hats would come back in fashion? I do. I still sometimes wish I could pull off the Maltese Falcon look, …
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5 Unusual Remnants of old Rus
Last week, you may have seen my review of Miles Cameron’s The Dread Wyrm. Mr. Cameron, in preparation for the release of his new …
Russian Winter: Five Fascinating Folk Traditions
In last week's post, I explained why Russians prefer to get married in the beginning of winter, on October 1 (October 14 by …
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Why the Feast of the Protection is the Best Day for a Russian Wedding
What do you think is the best day for a wedding? Maybe late spring or summer, I would say. Good weather, good wedding, right? …
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7 Obstacles for the Heroes of Slavic Mythology
I think many of you will agree with me when I say that one of the great joys in life is making up stories for your two-year-old …
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7 Superhero Warriors from Slavic Mythology
Everywhere you look these days in the entertainment world, you see superheroes. And although we may (finally) be getting to a …
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5 Unusual Codes of Behavior in Old Russia
I’ve had a wonderful few weeks, both in terms of work and rest. My kids are growing up fast and beautiful, my work is rewarding, …
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15 Russian expressions you’ve never heard of
I’m having a great time getting into the exciting bits of my new novel. Bear-riders have appeared, my main character is in the …
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8 things you’ve never heard about medieval Russian princes
Many people have an allergic reaction to the word "conventional." Or, worse yet, "traditional." They immediately sense the bonds …
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