Russian Reading List 1

This spring I've been turning my reading attention away from Victorian-era Raj, and slowly focusing on Russia. This, I'm worried, will lead to a lot of depressing reading. If anyone knows about a happy Russian book, please let me know. It's with a certain trepidation that I start reading books that I feel to be from the land of bloody revolution, gulags, and the KGB. A google search for "funny Russian novels" came up with Russian classics, but nothing I would call a comedy.
So here's what's on my list.

I heard about Sana Krasikov's The Patriots from my favourite podcast, Unorthodox.  I was intrigued by the book because it's about people who immigrate from Russia, and then go back. Who does that? Lots of people, apparently, and guess what? It never ends well. You may think life in Canada or the US is problematic, or you may have high revolutionary ideals, but returning to the Mother Country is a sure way to become suspect by the Communist government. This is, of course, hindsight, and it does make for excellent fiction. Krasikov's novel is about three generations of Russians who return. I'm looking forward (sort of) to reading about the Cold War years, and about  current life in Russia.

Next on my list is Eva Stachniak's The Chosen Maiden. This historical novel takes place before and during World War One, earlier than the time period I'm interested in, but it's about Bronia and Vaslav Nijinsky, famous Russian dancers. I love a book about dance and this one is even blurbed by Cathy Marie Buchanan, author of one of my favourite dance books, The Painted Girls. This historical novel promises to shed light on the remarkable career of Bronia Nijinsky and the role politics played in her career. (I'm guessing being a ballerina in Communist times wasn't fun. Sigh.)



Okay, this is off topic of Russian books, but it's always good to talk about dance. I've endured many terrible dance movies with bad plots and poor acting- injured dancers, dancers with unreliable partners, choreographers who just don't understand- but if you want to watch a fantastic dance film, check out Ballet 422 on Netflix. It's a documentary of the New York City Ballet's 422nd original ballet choreographed by Justin Peck. I loved the way the film takes the viewer from the original ideas behind the choreography and then through rehearsals, costuming, lighting, to the final performance. Justin Peck is also kinda dreamy. Please enjoy his ballet "The Times Are Racing," filmed in the NY subway system.

One of my favourite podcasts, 99% Invisible also had a great show about Russia recently. 99% Invisible bills itself as the podcast about the "unnoticed architecture and design that shapes our world." I've learned about the US postal service, the urban planning of Salt Lake City, and my favourite episode, a phone booth in the Mojave Desert. In the episode, The Falling of the Lenins, old statues of Lenin are taken down in Kiev, Ukraine and other Ukrainians cities, revealing generational gaps and fissures in attitudes towards the Ukraine's Soviet past. While listening to it in the car, a small voice complained from the back seat, "Why are we always listening to things from Russia?" I had a huge flash back to myself complaining to my father about his obsession with Russian history. I didn't have an answer for my son at the time, but I'll be formulating one as I start reading about Russia, and when I eventually get to reading about Russian Jews, and just maybe, Russian Jews who decide to leave Canada and go back to Russia.

Oh wait, I just remembered a novel by a Russian author that isn't depressing. In fact, it is quite funny. David Bezmogis' Natasha and Other Stories is the story of Mark Berman and his parents, who have fled Riga for Toronto.  And, not only is Natasha a great read, but now it's a film. Even if the film does have a darker side- Mark's new cousin turns out to have a double life as a sex-worker- the trailer makes me long for the kind of summer where you ride your bike aimlessly, smoke cigarettes by a pool at night, and have few obligations. Yes, I'm reading for summer, or at least spring-like weather.

Book Launch for The Most Dangerous Thing

Awhile ago I launched my book, The Most Dangerous Thing, at Novel Idea bookstore, here in Kingston, ON. Lots of my friends came out to celebrate me, and for the first time my sons were old enough to come to the launch. I was supposed to post this ages ago, but life caught up with me, and I'm only sharing this now. Sigh. I'd still like to share the introduction I gave to the novel.

My boys are sitting in the front on the left. My reading must have been scintillating to them because one is very interested in his cookie, and the other is reading a Star Wars book instead of listening to me!

Good evening everyone. Thanks for coming out to join me in launching

The Most Dangerous Thing. This is a YA novel about a teenage girl growing up in Vancouver named Syd who suffers from a debilitating anxiety. Syd is also fighting a secret battle against depression. Syd believes she can cope with her mental health problems herself, but as the book progresses, Syd realized that she really needs some help.

I decided to write about mental health because I realized so many people, both friends and family, and also my students, were coping with some serious mental health issues. And mostly, no one was talking about their problems. It's my hope that teens suffering from depression might pick up a copy of The Most Dangerous Thing, and be able to relate to, and seek help if they need it.
The book is dedicated to my sister Marcy, partly because she's my sister and she's great, but also because she is a mental health nurse. During the writing of this book we had several long talks about mental health and she answered some of my questions from a clinical perspective.

The book is also dedicated to my Gibridge sisters, who are my neighbours. When my husband and I bought our house ten years ago, I knew we were moving to a great neighbourhood, but I didn't realize how many of my neighbours would also become my close friends. In particular I'd like to say thank you to Jen Davidson-Harden who also answered many of my questions about teen mental health.

This is me blessing the book: Please sell well!

I didn't want to invite everyone here tonight to read from a depressing section of my book, so I'm going to read from another part of the book that highlights some of the other challenges Syd faces. There's a cute boy that likes Syd, but Syd's not sure how people with anxiety talk to boys. Syd's anxiety about relationships and her sexuality is compounded when her sister Abby decides to put on The Vagina Monologues at her their high school. As you might imagine, Syd thinks this is a terrible idea!

I chose this section to read because I thought it would be fun to highlight the differences between extroverted and introverted siblings. In the book, Syd wonders if there's a support group available for introverted people with extroverted siblings. Siblings with extremely different personalities tends to be a theme in my family. My parents are very different from each other, as are my sister and I and my husband and his brother. This has continued in my own children. (At this point my boys were pointing and giggling at each other.) I'm pleased that my kids are old enough to be here tonight.

Oh! How fun is it to say 'vagina' in public?!

My introduction ended with a set-up of the scene I read, which was about Syd's sister announcing her intention to put on The Vagina Monologues. According to my friend Steve, I said the word vagina eleven times, which is probably eleven times more than it has ever been said in Novel Idea. I'm good with that, in fact I think we should all be saying vagina, or whatever you like to call female genitalia, a little more often.

If you're intrigued to read more about the book, please head to your local Indie book store, or you can find it online at most major retailers. You can also listen to a recording from the launch at Finding A Voice on CFRC. Many thanks to Bruce Kauffman for recording the launch, for his great weekly show and for all he does for literature in Kingston.