The Slavic Literature Pod

Show Notes:This week, Cameron will dive into the novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die by Ukrainian historian, journalist, and novelist Olena Stiazhkina — a novel diving into the intricacies of family life and identity formation through the late Soviet Union, the chaotic years following, and into the early years of the war. He’s joined by Dominique Hoffman, who translated the novel, and has a great wealth of knowledge to share about the book, its characters, Olena herself and the context of its writing. Hoffman is a translator of Ukrainian fiction and non-fiction. Her work includes short stories, long form journalism, a full history of Ukraine in global context and novels. Her most recent publication is titled The Wild West of Eastern Europe: a Ukrainian Guide on Breaking Free from Empire by Pavlo Kazarin, winner of Ukraine's non-fiction book of the year. She has a particular interest in the intersections of literature and history.Major themes: Material culture, clashing languages, forming oneselfPick up a copy of the book yourself here!07:16 - Writing in a Time of War: A Conversation with Ukrainian Historian and Novelist Olena StizhkinaThe music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Cameron pops in at the end of the month to talk about episodes you can expect in the coming months.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Pick up a copy of The Talnikov Family from Columbia University Press!Show Notes:This week, Cameron gets into Avdotya Panaeva’s The Talnikov Family with its translator Fiona Bell. The novel, set in 1820s St. Petersburg, follows Natasha Talnikova’s life in an abusive household, setting readers into some of the lesser-read side of Imperial Russian life. Bell is a writer and scholar from St. Petersburg, Florida. She has published English-language translations of the Russian filmmaker Nataliya Meshchaninova, the Belarusian writer Tatsiana Zamirovskaya, and other Russophone authors. She is completing a Ph.D. in Slavic Languages and Literatures at Yale University, where studies the Russian racial imaginary as it was elaborated in the nineteenth-century literary canon, in works by writers like Tolstoy and Dostoevsky.Major themes: Defamiliarization, Russian racial imaginary, Purported universality18:11 - Check out our episode on Nikolai Cherneshevsky’s What Is To Be Done? 30:04 - Some books on family abolition – Family Abolition: Capitalism and the Communizing of Care by M. E. O’Brien; Abolish the Family: A Manifesto for Care and Liberation by Sophie Lewis33:35 - As I’m editing this, I think it’s worthwhile to point to contemporary examples: the term “parent’s rights,” which so often really means “a parent’s unabridged sovereignty over a child,” has been deployed extensively throughout the U.S. (as well as other places) to justify cutting off a minor’s ability to choose what books they can read (if they’re legally allowed to go into a library at all), what music they can listen to, what friends they can or cannot have.This is a complicated subject because adults have more experience — frankly, because they probably got to make those mistakes themselves — which they can and do use to guide children well. Yet this belief is also deployed in service of forcing children into a mold. Going back to the wave of restrictions on what books minors are allowed to read, you see parental (or non-parent activist) opposition to topics relating to sexuality, race, class, etc. because, well, they perceive it as an outside influence which will “turn” their child into something else. This perspective makes children into little more than objects to be shaped, not humans to be respectfully guided as they grow into the person they become. 01:07:21 - The First Russian by Jennifer Wilson; The music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes: Our Christmas gift to you is a non-clickbait title. Unusual for December, huh?TL;DR:Matt is going to be stepping back from the podcast for the time being.Cameron will be continuing to produce episodes going forward, shifting the focus toward interviewing translators and authors about their work. Will the boys ride again? It's an open question. Listen to the podcast for the full story.Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron dive into the short story “The Performance,” from Sergei Dovlatov’s book The Zone. Get ready to dive into the most underrepresented point-of-view in the Soviet camp system: the guards. Well, kind of. Get ready to get stagnant and talk a bit about the state of the Soviet Union in the 1970s, but mostly about a play in a prison camp where all the old Bolsheviks are played by prisoners. Ideological confusion abounds. Major themes: The real no-termers, dirty reality & brilliant falsehood, theater of absurdity06:29 - The Russians by Hedgewick Smith06:39 - Antiheroes in a Post-Heroic Age: Sergei Dovlatov, Vladimir Makanin, and Cold War Malaise by Angela Brintlinger08:12 - Part 1 of our two-part series on Zuleikha by Guzel Yakhina (I won’t link the second part here, because Part 2 has more listens than Part 1. Who are you people listening to just Part 2? Show yourselves. Explain.)8:15 - Our episode on Varlam Shalamov’s Kolyma Tales. 27:43 - Unfortunately it’s only available in Russian, but check out the Prep Guide for the episode on our website for a relevant except32:50 - Philosophy experts please don’t come for my neck. Also, for laypeople: you should be aware that this idea was not specifically applied to the progression of history, but was rather applied to gaining knowledge. The idea, however, later came to be applied more broadly by others. The music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Check out the work of Shae McMullin, who did our wonderful podcast art. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠Socials: Instagram⁠ | Twitter⁠ | Facebook | ThreadsQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron get into their last Office Hours of the year, tackling the future of literature, whether or not Tolstoy is still relevant, which Russian literature icon would win in a rap battle and — most importantly — the tale of John Moritsugu, a man who tricked PBS into funding filth. God bless public broadcasting. Major themes: Raskolnikov the rap god, The future of art, Tricking PBS05:41 - That publisher being Spuyten Duyvil, whose fantastic website you should visit. 06:31 - The Talnikov Family by Avdotya Panaeva, translated by Fiona Bell06:56- Lucky Breaks by Yevgenia Belorusets07:11 - Alindarka’s Children by Alhierd Bacharevic31:09 - Super secret show notes link49:20 - Terminal USA dir. John MoritsuguThe music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Heads up: This episode will contain conversation about incest throughout. Take that into consideration as you head into it. Also sorry about the kitchen noises in the background of some portions.Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron learn about narrative-causes and narrative-effects in The UnSimple, a novella by Ukrainian writer Taras Prokhasko and translated by Uilliam Blacker. Set in the Carpathians through the first half of the 20th century, the story follows Anna, Franz, Anna, Sebastian, Anna, and Anna — no, that’s not a typo — as their picaresque lives overlap with the earthly gods known as the UnSimple. Grab your glass of gin, and get ready to get really confused. Major themes: We can never escape Benedict Anderson, Bai-narrative, Quasi-history02:13 - Ukrainian Literature, volume 205:25 - Here are the interviews I’ll be referencing throughout the episode:Taras Prokhasko: “Literature is a Lonely Business”Taras Prokhasko: The Ukrainian idea is connected with gentle sittingTaras Prokhasko, writer: Ukrainian literature is still at the level of domestic literatureTalking at the shelter about what matters. Taras Prokhasko. 06:02 - Taras Prokhasko’s bio on the White Chalk of Days website08:48 - Uilliam Blacker’s website09:09 - Earth Gods: Writings from before the warThe music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Buy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Bookshop⁠ or ⁠Amazon⁠!Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron dig into the short story collection To Hell WIth Poets, authored by Kazakh writer Baqytgul Sarmekova and translated by Mirgul Kali. The collection, published in English by Tilted Axis Press in 2024, explores rural-urban divides (with a focus on the dissatisfaction life doles out on both sides), troubled people, sexual exploitation, and the indulgence of nostalgia. Although the entire collection is worthwhile, they’ll be covering the stories “The Night the Rose Wept,” “To Hell with Poets” parts 1 and 2, as well as “The Taming of Aqtory.” Grab your qurt and tune in! Major themes: Aul literature, Looking for satisfaction, Having two faces01:49 - To Hell With Poets was actually published earlier this year, not last. I think I got this mixed up with the collection’s English PEN Translates award, which it did receive in 2023.05:28 - Turkoslavia’s website.06:34 - Baqytgul Sarmekova speaking on Tilted Axis Press’ Instagram.10:37 - Mirgul Kali on the Harshaneeyam podcast20:12 - An interview with Mirgul Kali and Baqytgul Sarmekova by Alma ReviewBuy this book with our affiliate links on ⁠Amazon⁠!The music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron host Office Hours, speaking about the wider state of reading as well as some non-Slavic lit they’ve been getting in to. Tune in to find their opinions about Lament for Julia by Susan Taubes and Z by Vassilis Vassilikos, whether or not literary analysis has any meaning at all, and whether we’re too concerned with what straight men are reading. Grab your extra credit and tune in! Major themes: A.I. bait, straight men and novels, TikTok killed the author-star15:06 - As an example of what I’m talking about here: Playing Cops: Militia Member Aids Police in Arresting Protester at Portland Alt-Right Rally by Arun Gupta36:06 - Piss Christ53:06 - “The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books”01:08:08 - The Combahee River Collective“This focusing upon our own oppression is embodied in the concept of identity politics. We believe that the most profound and potentially most radical politics come directly out of our own identity, as opposed to working to end somebody else’s oppression. In the case of Black women this is a particularly repugnant, dangerous, threatening, and therefore revolutionary concept because it is obvious from looking at all the political movements that have preceded us that anyone is more worthy of liberation than ourselves. We reject pedestals, queenhood, and walking ten paces behind. To be recognized as human, levelly human, is enough.”The music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Show Notes:This week, Matt and Cameron dive into Sergei Eisenstein’s landmark film Strike! (1925) to get a better look into his foundational ideas around montage and film composition amidst a tragic tale of a failed strike. Yes, they will be talking about the cow scene for most of the episode. Not sure what we’re talking about? You’ll have to tune in to find out. Major themes: Cow slaughter, Influencing the audience, Everything is montage01:30 - Mosfilm’s youtube channel actually does not have Strike!, but it does have many of Eisenstein’s other works. You can find decent versions of Strike! posted by other Youtube channels, though.  03:21 - Film Form: Essays in Film Theory by Sergei Eistenstein, ed. and trans. by Jay LeydaThe music used in this episode was “Старое Кино / Staroye Kino,” by Перемотка / Peremotka. You can find more of their work on Bandcamp and Youtube. Our links: Website | ⁠Discord⁠ Socials: Instagram⁠ | BlueSky | Twitter⁠ | FacebookQuestions, comments, want to hear your voice on a bonus episode? Send us an email at slaviclitpod@gmail.com or call our voicemail at 209.800.3944Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands