Chtenia: Fine Readings from Russia
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When was the last time a really good story grabbed you? When time stood still and words on a page evoked tangible emotions, people and places? When you were surprised by a plot, enthralled by characters, gifted with a deeper understanding of your world?
Chtenia (“readings” in Russian — pronunciation: shten-i-ya) ), is full of stories like that. Stories that move you, impress you, and help you better understand the mystery that is Russia.
What Readers Say Don't take our word for it, read what current subscribers to Chtenia have to say about the publication
Chtenia is the only regularly published journal of Russian fiction in English, presenting new or long-forgotten works of classic authors like Pushkin, Gogol and Tolstoy alongside works by contemporary authors like Sorokin, Gelasimov and Slavnikova.
But fiction is only the beginning. Each issue of Chtenia has wonderful photography, memoirs, essays on popular culture, song lyrics, poetry, humor, all centered around a chosen theme.
The result is a vivid snapshot of one aspect of Russian culture, an introduction that is sure to give you insights into new areas of Russian life.
Take our recent issue, themed “Childhood.” It included original translations of the first-ever Russian children’s story, a memoir of a 19th century childhood, poems about how to (mis)behave like a child, stories of orphanage life under Stalin, and a touching modern story about a single mother. It was a vibrant portrait encapsulating 200 years of history, assembled from the work of 13 authors, 1 photographer and 9 translators
Of course, it helps that the raw material for Chtenia — Russian literature and experience — is so rich and diverse. Yet Chtenia is not a rehash of the Russian literature or memoirs you will find in bookstores or on the internet. Instead, we present only unpublished and untranslated works, works that have been long neglected or overlooked, works that are little known outside Russia.
As a result, each issue of Chtenia is full of literary gems waiting to be discovered by western readers!
Still, we don’t want Chtenia to overwhelm you. Our focus is on quality, not quantity. So each issue of Chtenia is limited to just over 100 pages and bound in a slim, attractive, portable paperback volume that’s easy (and extremely impressive) to tote along to the coffee shop or beach.
Chtenia’s stories are translated into fluent, engaging English by some of the best Russian-to-English literary translators working today, making each issue a beautiful collector’s edition. And yet, a one-year subscription (four issues) costs about what you’d expect to pay for a single work of new hardcover fiction.
If you love to read, if you are fascinated by all things Russian, or if you simply love to explore new ideas and new places, then Chtenia is for you.
We invite you to give Chtenia a try, risk-free!* Just follow this link to subscribe through our secure, online store, and your first issue will be on its way. Now, for a limited time, subscribe to Chtenia through our online store, we’ll send you a special FREE GIFT: Encore! The Russian National Orchestra Live in Concert — a CD that sells for $16 and features the best Russian orchestra performing today!
* If ever Chtenia fails to live up to your expectations, you may cancel your subscription with no obligation and receive a refund for all unmailed issues.
