Learn Russian in three hours…..

Learn Russian in three hours…..

Karen Finney Brianna Keilar

Photo credit: Alfredo Flores

There was no vareniki with smetana, syrniki, kulicho or cavier bliny – but there was plenty of Vodka to make up for it.

Olga Slavnikova John Narins Williams

Steve Clemons of The Atlantic and Susan Glasser of Foreign Policy Magazine hosted a cocktail reception honoring a new generation of rising Russian literary stars:  Debut Prize Winners & Finalists Alisa Ganieva, Dmitry Biryukov, Igor Savelyev, Irina Bogatyreva and Russian Novelist and Debut Prize Director, Olga Slavnikova at the Glasser home.

While the honorees did speak some English, for guests it was like taking a Berlitz crash course in Russian. … not an easy language, but the Vodka helped.

Igor Savelyev Dmitry Biryukov Alisa Genieva Irina Bogatyreva

The writers (shown above) were brought to the U.S. by The Debut Prize Foundation, a Russian non-governmental organization and Causa Artium, a New York city non-profit. 

Jay Newton-Small Maryam Bradley

“The Debut Prize has been seeking out new young literary talent throughout the world’s Russian-speaking population for over a decade.  Receiving as many as 50,000 submissions annually, it has become an important part of Russian literary life.  Debut Prize writers are transforming the Russian literary landscape and are often called The Debut Generation,” explained translator John Williams.

Theo and Susan

 Here’s to you Theo:

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