The Slavic Literature Pod

01/02/2024

Today we have a big milestone to celebrate: 100,000 downloads!

Thank you to everyone who has helped us get here. We truly never envisioned having such a supportive community when we first started our show.

Here's to many more years and many more downloads of The Slavic Literature Pod!

17/01/2024

Vasily Grossman remains eternally relevant, a testament to why he is a timeless classic. Embraced by diverse readers—drawing in Ukrainian émigrés with his accounts of the famine, Jewish people touched by his poignant portrayal of the Shoah, history enthusiasts exploring WWII, and journalists inspired by his role as an exemplary war correspondent. Or us, Slavic literature enthusiasts, who now spend every day with him in .

12/01/2024

We had the pleasure of discussing Philip J. Metres' new translation of Sergei Gandlevsky poems OCHRE & RUST.

Pick up your copy on Green Linden Press' site now ASAP! (https://www.facebook.com/greenlindenpress)

https://slaviclitpod.com/ochre-rust-philip-metres/

07/01/2024

Can you believe we're done with week one of our Life and Fate read along?

There's still time to join! Check out our website: https://slaviclitpod.com/lifeandfate24

If you haven't already, follow us on Instagram or join our Discord to participate in the discussion.

06/01/2024

Our episode on Nadezhda Durova's (Alexandrov's) "The Sulphur Spring" is now out!

We were delayed a day due to a file corruption error. Thanks for your patience!

31/12/2023

Only 1 day left until we begin our chapter a day read along of Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate!

Interested in joining? Read more on our website: https://slaviclitpod.com/lifeandfate24

25/12/2023

Happy Russian Lit-mas!

21/12/2023

WE ARE SAVED!

Thanks to your generous support we absolutely SMASHED our goal of 10 new supporters. This December we added 21 new supporters!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We could not be more grateful, humbled, and ready to get back to work making the best Slavic literature content for our audience. And, thanks to your help, we will be able to send one episode per month to an editor.

Thank you again and we'll see you in 2024!

20/12/2023

Today is the LAST DAY to support us during our SAVE OUR SHOW supporter drive.

Will you consider throwing your support behind us as we prepare to launch in to 2024?

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

19/12/2023

It's your friendly neighborhood Slavic Literature Podcast, and boy, do we have a festive favor to ask before we dive headfirst into holiday hibernation:

Check out our website, become a monthly supporter (and discover the perks that come with it), share our SOS Pledge Drive with fellow lit enthusiasts and become (not so secret) Santa for us and (y)our community!

Oh yes, and ONE MORE BIG THING - thank you! For listening, inspiring and helping.

Sending heaps of love and holiday cheer!
https://slaviclitpod.com/we-need-to-talk/

14/12/2023

What if you holiday shopping was shopping for a new favorite podcast to support?🥺

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

13/12/2023

PICK YOUR CHAMPION AND RESCUE OUR PODCAST!

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

Our cherished podcast is under siege from budgetary antagonists and ad interruptions, and we need YOUR support to prevail. Join the league of literary champions and pledge your monthly support on our website.

🦸‍♂️Librarian ($20/month): Oblomov - The Leisurely Luminary
As you unwind and delve into Slavic literature, cherish the exclusive token of gratitude - a handwritten thank-you note.
🦸‍♂️Antiquarian ($35/month): Raskolnikov - The Introspective Inquirer
Antiquarians, like Raskolnikov, can dedicate an episode to a person or thing of their choosing, adding a touch of psychological depth and suspense to our podcast’s narrative.
🦸‍♂️Archivist ($75/month): Prince Myshkin - The Enlightened Explorer
Embark on a quest for wisdom like Prince Myshkin, and take your free tote with you - a practical vessel for collecting and carrying the literary artifacts and insights gathered on your intellectual journey.
🦸‍♂️Chronicler ($100/month): The Underground Man - The Existential Essayist
The Underground Man is best known for his unconventional approach - you can, however, become known for your unconventional shirt from The Slavic Literature Pod with a code of your choosing. We will NEVER reprint a shirt with that hex code ever again.

12/12/2023

Paid supporters just got access to Cameron's new article: "Losing Control of the Narrative in A Volga Tale."

That's just one of the many perks you too could have if you help us SAVE OUR SHOW and become a monthly supporter this December. It's not too late!

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

11/12/2023

Do you want this show to keep going?

Then consider helping us out by becoming a paid supporter. We need help offloading tasks like editing and social media so we can produce the best episodes possible for as long as possible.

This can only happen with your support. So what are you waiting for? Check it out here: https://slaviclitpod.com/sos

10/12/2023

FEBRUARY 2024 ON THE SLAVIC LITERATURE POD.

We have an exciting February that we can't wait to share with you.

Are you looking forward to these episodes? Consider supporting us on our website starting this month to make sure we have the resources we need to continue making them!

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

09/12/2023

You're Invited!

We cordially invite you to a three year celebration of our podcast. Meet us in our Discord on Sunday, December 17 at 7pm EST.

https://discord.gg/2PtA959SZh

08/12/2023

WE NEED YOUR HELP.

Listen to our episode out today where we talk about our current level of funding, what we've been able to do with it so far, but why it's inevitably not sustainable over the long term.

If you love The Slavic Literature Pod, please consider supporting us this December on our website.

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

07/12/2023

CHOOSE YOUR FIGHTER AND SAVE OUR PODCAST!

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

We need YOUR help to rescue our beloved podcast from the clutches of budgetary dragons and ad interruptions. Join the ranks of literary heroes and become a monthly supporter on our website.

🦸‍♂️Reader ($3/month): Alyosha Karamazov - The Compassionate Contemplator
Just like Alyosha, dive deep into the spiritual realms of Slavic literature. As a Reader, unravel the mysteries of our show through exclusive episode notes and secure your spot in our Discord hall of wisdom.
🦸‍♀️Bookworm ($7/month): Anna Karenina - The Passionate Plotter
Your votes shape the literary destiny of our podcast. Be the architect of the narrative, just as Anna shaped her own fate on the tracks of passion. Your choices, your saga!
🦸‍♂️Bibliophile ($10/month): Yevgeny Bazarov - The Intellectual Instigator
Unleash your inner Bazarov and enjoy exclusive analytical blog posts that delve into the radical and thought-provoking facets of Slavic literature.
🦸‍♀️Curator ($12/month): Natasha Rostova - The Dynamic Drinksmith
Like Natasha, infuse vivacity into our podcast! Curators suggest drinks for Office Hours episodes, adding a splash of creativity and dynamism. Your concoctions will be the talk of our literary soirées!

TO VICTORY, LITERARY WARRIORS! ⚔️

05/12/2023

This December you should consider joining our litter. The Slavic Litter-ature Pod is looking to add ten new paid supporters to help us continue providing ad-free Slavic literature content to all of our listeners. You could talk us into posting more cat content, too.

Thanks to our Discord members who graciously allowed us to use their cats for our propaganda - *ahem* promotional materials.

https://slaviclitpod.com/sos

04/12/2023

We can't SAVE OUR SHOW without you!

Please take a look at https://slaviclitpod.com/sos and consider supporting us if you want to help keep us ad-free.

03/12/2023

JANUARY 2024 ON THE SLAVIC LITERATURE POD!

These episodes are made possible only by our listeners who generously support us each month. Consider joining with them and becoming a paid subscriber during the month of December on our website: https://slaviclitpod.com/sos

02/12/2023

If the Bluths can do it, why can't we?

Please consider helping us reach our goal this December of ten new paid supporters. Your support will help sustain our show far into the future!

https://slaviclitpod.com/SOS

01/12/2023

We need your help to SAVE OUR SHOW!

In order to help us continue shouldering the costs associated with running our show, this December we are launching the SAVE OUR SHOW pledge drive. If you love this show and want to help keep it ad-free, please consider becoming a monthly supporter on our website. Your support will help us sustainably continue to run your favorite Slavic literature podcast as we enter our 4th year of podcasting.

Find out more at https://slaviclitpod.com/sos

24/11/2023

📣📣 Calling all connoisseurs of the diverse, the curious minds hungry for the unconventional! 📣📣

We're talking not-your-usual literary vibes from Czech Republic, Croatia, Slovenia (AND Slovakia), Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Montenegro, Ukraine, North Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Belarus!

Are there specific Slavic authors you're curious about? Ever stumbled upon a seriously cool literary period or movement from other Slavic lands? Share your juiciest recommendations, wild ideas, or just drop some literary banter. Let’s uncover those hidden gems, embrace different perspectives, and celebrate the breadth of human experiences! Diverse voices, endless stories.

22/11/2023

Psst... Want a sprinkle of Slavic literary charm in your inbox?

Join The Slavic Literature Pod email list – because who needs boring emails when you can have bookish treasures delivered straight to your digital doorstep? Slide into our literary circle – sign up on our website!

https://slaviclitpod.com

17/11/2023

This week, Matt and Cameron wrap up Mikhail Bulgakov’s Soviet-era masterpiece The Master and Margarita, covering chapters 26 to the epilogue.

Major themes: Comedy in translation, Ivan as creative process, PG shootouts for Americans

Major themes: Comedy in translation, Ivan as creative process, PG shootouts for Americans

15/11/2023

Brace yourselves for the chill, literary comrades! Our Merch is here just in time for the approaching winter frost!

Gift yourself or a fellow bookworm the warmth of felt boots and fur coats (minus the valenki swag and the fur coat price tag) – because nothing says "Happy Holidays" like surviving winter (or a possible Siberian exile) in style!

[Link to the merch: https://shop.slaviclitpod.com]

13/11/2023

So, folks, you've taken a deep dive into "The Master and Margarita" and now is time to sit on a broom with the very man behind the quill and unravel some offbeat trivia about him!

🧹 Bulgakov’s works were often censored, his apartment searched and raided. Although his satirical pieces, including the famous "The Master and Margarita," faced the wrath of the Soviet censors, he still managed to sneak in some literary zingers!

🧹 Game, Set, Bulgakov: When he wasn't crafting stories, you could find him acing it on the tennis court. Apparently, his serve was as strong as his storytelling prowess!

🧹 Before penning his iconic works, Bulgakov had a day job as a physician. He literally prescribed health by day and dreams by night!

🧹 Bulgakov's medical journey took an unexpected turn when a vaccination for diphtheria led to a morphine detour. Operating on a child with diphtheria, he vaccinated himself, leading to a severe reaction. To cope with the pain, he turned to morphine, inadvertently diving into addiction. Miraculously, he triumphed over the struggle, inspiring his later work, "Morphine."

🧹 At one point, Bulgakov's manuscript for "The Master and Margarita" mysteriously disappeared, only to be found later, adding an air of intrigue to his life. The novel was left incomplete, but the plot thickened posthumously. After his passing, wife Elena Sergeevna took the reins, spending two decades perfecting the drafts.

🧹 Wandering the Mystical Streets of Moscow: In his masterpiece, "The Master and Margarita," there's a scene where the Devil himself crashes a ball on Patriarch Ponds. There's even a sign there today warning you not to talk to strangers. Why? Because you might be taken to the ball yourself!

10/11/2023

This week, Matt and Cameron finish the last three parts of Guzel Yakhina’s A Volga Tale, discuss fairytales, and think about billiards as a metaphor for World War II.
Join us as we (metaphorically) dive into the Volga.

Major themes: Knowing The Big Lie, WWII as billiards, rivers as historical force

05/11/2023

Which theme within "A Volga Tale" do you personally find the most relevant and enduring? Is it the exploration of identity and belonging, the novel's timeless storytelling, the elements of a fairytale or perhaps a specific element that kept you engaged or made you pause your reading? We invite you to share your insights and experiences as we prepare to delve deeper into Part 2 on November 10th. Let's collectively unravel the intricate layers of this compelling work.