Culture and Customs of Russia

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Culture and Customs of Russia is a splendid introduction to the largest country in the world. This timely volume gives the scope of the country from earliest history through the breakup of the Soviet Union to the present day. Students and a general audience will learn about the land, history, thought and religion, social customs, marriage and family, education, cuisine, fashion, literature, media, film, the arts, and architecture. The authoritative breadth of coverage, accessibility, and engaging writing style are truly outstanding. Culture and Customs of Russia encompasses the grand achievements of Russian society and the everyday life and traditions of average citizens. A Land, People, and History chapter surveys the geography and Russian population and succinctly chronicles the long, fascinating Russian saga, peopled with imposing figures such as Ivan the Terrible, Catherine the Great, and Joseph Stalin. The Thought and Religion discussion is highly informative as it traces the role of and attitudes toward religion through the centuries. Russian proverbs and superstitions are also included. The current state of marriage, gender roles, children, and education is surveyed next. Holidays and leisure activities, the famous Russian cuisine, and fashion, both traditional and contemporary, are charmingly evoked. The literature chapter illuminates not only the classic writers such as Leo Tolstoy but modern authors and poets such as Anna Akhmatova plus popular fiction and fairy tales. The Media and Cinema chapter brings more of the Russian contemporary popular culture to life. A chapter on Russian performing arts reflects the golden age of Russian music with composers such as Tchaikovsky, and also examines folk instruments and pop and rock, the famous Russian ballet scene, and the equally esteemed drama and theater. The art chapter includes icons, painting, folk art and decorative arts such as needle crafts and wood toys. The final chapter on architecture describes homes, churches, and public buildings. A glossary, timeline, and numerous photos enhance the text. This volume provides a vast amount of information that is up to date as well as accessible.

Reviews

an excellent, introductory reference work.it is particularly suited for high school students and beginning college students. Recommended for high school and public libraries. * Library Journal *
the strength of Schultze's book is that it offers an array of informed commentary in a concise format and gives excellent coverage to the past decade.this book has an excellent text and should be a useful resource. * School Library Journal *
Each volume has enough topics and in-depth information that any social studies class doing comparative cultures and history will find very useful information here beyond what is in a general encyclopedia or what they can find on that country's Web site.Since the series concentrates on many third world countries and the authors are very knowledgable, we find the series valuable for hard-to-find, in-depth and current cultural information. Recommended. * Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher *

Author Bio

SYDNEY SCHULTZE is Professor of Classical and Modern Languages at the University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky./e She specializes in Russian literature, culture and language.