Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

by Edwin Trommelen, David Stephenson (Translator), Nora Favorov (Editor)

Overview

You cannot separate Russians from their vodka or vodka from Russia. For over 600 years, this proud Slavic culture has – for good or ill – been inextricably bound up with their national drink. Vodka is an omnipresent and constant factor in Russian history, a drink for the great and the lowly, in times of happiness and in times of calamity. This has been expressed in literature, song, politics, history and every aspect of popular culture.

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

In addition, most all of the hundreds of wonderful quotes from literature, theater and poetry are presented in both their Russian original and English translation, making this also a useful guide to improving one’s Russian through the lens of this ancient drink.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940016124056
Publisher:	Russian Life Books
Publication date:	12/21/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	332
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Documentary filmmaker and author Edwin Trommelen is a life-long Russophile, an inveterate plumber of the mysterious Russian soul, and, of course, a lover of vodka. He spent decades researching this culturally-laden drink and has now generously poured all that he learned into this – quite possibly the most thorough literary and historical compendium of the world’s most popular spirit.

Editorial Reviews

"There has never before been such a comprehensive examination of that “drink that would give you strength when you are weak...” The book is full of examples of these sayings, and the literary quotes especially ? some which appear here in Dutch translation for the first time ? make you crave more."

Tijdschrift voor Slavische Literatuur - Fransiska Kleijer

"A pleasant, easy-to-read, illustrated book in which Russians themselves remark on their drinking behavior, specifically in their literature across the centuries, from Dostoyevsky to Solzhenitsyn... You can enjoy it in sips. You don’t have to finish the bottle in one evening, and you don’t have to drain the glass in one gulp. The book whets your appetite. You just keep reading. It seems to be just as addictive as that crystal-clear beverage."

Brabants Dagblad - Albert Megens