Well, it looks like winter's finally done. After a snowstorm on April 30, we've finally made it over the hump. It's been 80 …
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What is Art? Part I of an Essay by Ivan Ilyin
What do you think is the most common essay title in the history of literature? I don't know. But if I were to guess, I'd say it …
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Some interesting facts about the Ostromir Gospels
(Translated from the July 2016 issue of Foma. Here’s the link to the original Russian article) The Ostromir Gospels is the …
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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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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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5 Rules to Reestablish Civility in Internet Conversations
What a week! I used to think social media brought out the bad in people. But I was wrong--it brings out the worst in people. …
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Election woes? Become a saint!
And so ends the most vicious election cycle in my lifetime. Thank God it's over. Now, fear not, gentle reader. I'm not going …
How a Russian Historian Imagined Democracy to Look in 14th century Russia
As much as you probably want to forget this fact, the election is tomorrow. I've been at a loss how to deal with it, so I …
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5 Epic Fantasy Fiction Series to Read after The Lord of the Rings
Have you ever finished a book (or a series) that leaves you craving for more of the same? And have you then looked for more of the …
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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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A Short Post about Weddings from Belarus
Right now, it's 1:30 AM in Vitebsk, Belarus. I want to go to sleep. But I can't. My body thinks it's 3:30 in the afternoon. And …
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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 …
Sick of the presidential debates? Read Perelandra instead.
Perelandra by C.S. Lewis My rating: 5 of 5 stars Whatever you might think of the quality of the currently popular fantasy …
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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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The Plague of Swords – Don’t Miss It!!!
If you're anything like me, you're always looking for that amazing book that knocks your socks off. But the more your read, the …
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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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When Authors Don’t Fulfill Their Promises (Even with Dragons)
Have you ever read a book (with or without dragons) that begins with a promise that is almost impossible to fulfill, and (lo and …
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