The photojournalist Misha Friedman is renowned for his efforts to capture life in contemporary Russia, documenting subjects as varied as political corruption, the dangers of coal mining, the tuberculosis epidemic, and the Bolshoi Ballet. In publications ranging from the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time, and the New Yorker, Friedman's grimly evocative black-and-white images—“intimate, behind-the-scenes photos” (Time)—have been credited with capturing moments of intense pathos, bleak existence, and human dignity. He has received multiple international awards for his “unflinching” lens and his intrepid reporting. For his new collection of photographs, Lyudmila and Natasha, Friedman trains his lens on a gay couple living on Saint Petersburg, offering a series of intimate snapshots of their relationship as it unfolds over the course of a year. Faced with a hostile political climate, financial difficulties, and often unstable living arrangements, the subjects of this stunning book reveal the possibilities for love in the most uncertain of times. With the fabled city of Saint Petersburg as its backdrop, Lyudmila and Natasha powerfully evokes both a vital place and the people who call it home. Lyudmila and Natasha was designed by Emerson, Wajdowicz Studios (EWS).

National Bestseller Globe and Mail Best Book of the Year New York Times Notable Book of the Year Winner of the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize for Best First Book (Canada and Caribbean Region) Winner of the Canadian Jewish Book Award, Fiction Category Winner of the Toronto Book Award Winner of the Jewish Quarterly Wingate Literary Prize for Fiction Winner of the Danuta Gleed Literary Award Finalist for the Governor General’s Award for Fiction Finalist for CBC’s Canada Reads Finalist for the Guardian First Book Award Finalist for the Borders Books and Music 2004 Original Voices Award Finalist for the LA Times Book Prize The Bermans—Bella, Roman and their son, Mark—are Russian Jews who fled the Riga of Brezhnev for Toronto, the city of their dreams. Natasha and Other Stories is the chronicle of their search for a better life as they struggle to fit into a foreign urban landscape. Told through Mark’s eyes, these are stories filled with heart, verve and consequence. In “Tapka,” six-year-old Mark’s cocky game with a neighbour’s beloved dog turns into a tragi-comedy of life lessons learned. In the title story, a teenage Mark faces a stark, comical and ultimately searing introduction to first love at the experienced hands of his cousin, Natasha, an immigrant from the new Russia. And in “Minyan,” Mark and his grandfather watch as the death of an Odessan cab driver sets off a religious controversy among the residents of a Jewish old-people’s home. Often funny and always wise, this much-celebrated collection captures the immigrant experience with striking wit and deep sympathy.

A rare look into the history, theory, and craft of the black mages and sorcerers of Russia • Examines practical rituals and spells, the demonic pantheon, places of power, offerings and sacrifices, Hell Icons, and instructions for cemetery magic • Provides insight into the fundamental ideology of black magic practitioners, from the universal laws of magic to the principles of morality • Details how the Russian practice of black magic preserved ancient pagan traditions and evolved as the antithesis of Christianity Born in the Soviet Union and descended from a matrilineal line of witches, Natasha Helvin offers a rare look into the secret practices of Russian black magic, passed down from teacher to disciple for generations both orally and through their grimoires bound in black. Drawing from her own experience, Helvin provides insight into the fundamental ideology of black magic practitioners, from the universal laws of magic to the principles of morality. She explains a mage’s view on fate and predestination, how the world was created, and their relationship with the demons that grant them their power. She examines the demonic pantheon as well as how a black sorcerer is able to influence the forces in the universe and pass on his or her powers and knowledge to further generations. Exploring the history of occult practices in Russia, including how Christianity had a profound effect upon magic and witchcraft, Helvin shows how attempts to forcibly convert the Russian population to the Christian faith were widely resisted, and instead of these ancient pagan practices disappearing, they blended with Christian belief. Authorities repainted old pagan gods as demons in order to eradicate ancient traditions. Black magic became labelled as defiantly anti-Christian simply for preserving the old ways, and as a result, some branches of black magic evolved as a reaction against enforced Christianity and practitioners proudly accepted the label of “blasphemer” or “heretic.” Through this book, readers can explore the Left-Hand path of Russian magic and its spells and rituals. The author explains about cemetery magic, sacrifices, the creation of Hell Icons, and places of power, such as crossroads, swamps, and abandoned villages, as well as the best times to practice black magic, how to choose the best grave for your spell, and how to summon demons. Providing many concrete examples of spells, Helvin demonstrates the broad range of what can be accomplished by those who practice the black arts, if they commit themselves to the craft.

"This collection of essays examines the lives of women across Russia--from wealthy noblewomen in St Petersburg to desperately poor peasants in Siberia--discussing their interaction with the Church and the law, and their rich contribution to music, art, literature and theatre. It shows how women struggled for greater autonomy and, both individually and collectively, developed a dynamic presence in Russia's culture and society"--Publisher's description.

The unknown story of the last Tsar of Russia set against backdrop of wealth, love, sex, royalty, war, revolution and murder. The relationship and subsequent marriage of Michael and Natasha was one of Greatest scandals in Russian History. It lead to Michael's disgrace, humiliation and banishment. Michael and Natasha is the first full account of this magnificent love story. But it is also more than that : It charts the decline of the last age of elegance and provides a fascinating insight into the daysleading up to the Russian Revolution. This is an outstanding romance, a Royal scandal and a compelling historical drama with a supremely tragic ending.

The “graceful, loving,” (The New York Times Book Review), never-before-told story of Hollywood icon Natalie Wood’s glamorous life, sudden death, and lasting legacy, written by her daughter, Natasha Gregson Wagner. Natasha Gregson Wagner’s mother, Natalie Wood, was a child actress who became a legendary movie star, the dark-haired beauty of Splendor in the Grass and West Side Story. She and Natasha’s stepfather, the actor Robert Wagner, were a Hollywood it-couple twice over, first in the 1950s, and then again when they remarried in the 70s. To Natasha, she was, above all, a doting, loving mom. But Natalie’s sudden death by drowning off Catalina Island at the age of forty-three devastated her family, turned Robert Wagner into a person of interest, and transformed a vibrant wife, mother, and actress into a figure of tragedy. The weekend has long been shrouded in rumors and scandalous tabloid speculation, but until now there has never been an account of how the events and their aftermath were experienced by Natalie’s beloved eldest daughter. Here, for the first time, is a“deeply intimate chronicle of life with her famous mother and how Wood’s death devastated the family” (Los Angeles Times). Cutting through the shadow hanging over her mother’s legacy, More Than Love is a “poignant” (The Washington Post) tale of a daughter coming to terms with her grief, as well as a “revealing new look at Natalie Wood” (Good Morning America).

"The Imperial Wife is a smart, engaging novel that parallels two fascinating worlds and two singular women. Irina Reyn writes beautifully of immigrants, art and the vagaries of love". --Jess Walter, National Book Award finalist and author of the New York Times bestseller, Beautiful Ruins Two women's lives collide when a priceless Russian artifact comes to light. Tanya Kagan, a rising specialist in Russian art at a top New York auction house, is trying to entice Russia's wealthy oligarchs to bid on the biggest sale of her career, The Order of Saint Catherine, while making sense of the sudden and unexplained departure of her husband. As questions arise over the provenance of the Order and auction fever kicks in, Reyn takes us into the world of Catherine the Great, the infamous 18th-century empress who may have owned the priceless artifact, and who it turns out faced many of the same issues Tanya wrestles with in her own life. Suspenseful and beautifully written, The Imperial Wife asks whether we view female ambition any differently today than we did in the past. Can a contemporary marriage withstand an “Imperial Wife”?

FINALIST - 2023 PUSHKIN HOUSE BOOK PRIZE “A gem of a book! A must read for anyone looking to understand Russia better!” — Clarissa Ward, CNN chief international correspondent and author of On All Fronts After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, the timing appeared perfect to bring Sesame Street to millions of children living in the former Soviet Union. With the Muppets envisioned as ideal ambassadors of Western values, no one anticipated just how challenging and dangerous this would prove to be. In Muppets in Moscow: The Unexpected Crazy True Story of Making Sesame Street in Russia, Natasha Lance Rogoff brings this gripping tale to life. Amidst bombings, assassinations, and a military takeover of the production office, Lance Rogoff and the talented Moscow team of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and puppeteers remained determined to bring laughter, learning, and a new way of seeing the world to children in Russia, Ukraine and across the former Soviet empire. With a sharp wit and compassion for her colleagues, Lance Rogoff observes how cultural clashes colored nearly every aspect of the production—from the show’s educational framework to writing comedy to the new Russian Muppets themselves—despite the team’s common goal. Brimming with insight and nuance, Muppets in Moscow skillfully explores the post-Soviet societal tensions that continue to thwart the Russian people’s efforts to create a better future for their country. More than just a story of a children’s show, this book provides a valuable perspective of Russia’s people, their culture, and their complicated relationship with the West that remains relevant even today.