Literary Events
A full listing of literary events hosted by the Russian American Cultural Center.
- Emil Draitser, professor emeritus at Hunter College, in conversation with Yasha Klots about his new book, "In the Jaws of the Crocodile" on Feb 3
- Wednesday, Feb 3, 2021 | 6:30 PM EST
- via Zoom
- Featuring translator J. Kates and Julia Nemirovskaya on Feb 18
- Thursday, February 18, 2021 | 3 pm ET, 12 pm PT, 23 pm MT
- via ZOOM
- Featuring short stories by Natalia Efroimson
- Sunday, December 20, 2020 1:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
- Virtual ZOOM meeting
- Julia will read scattered poems and excerpts from her three latest series, "The Trashed Objects", "The Twelve," and "The Forest Fires."
- Thursday, December 17, 2020 | 6 PM EST
- Virtual ZOOM meeting
- Join us on Nov 23 for the launch of this bilingual book, published alongside the first solo exhibition of brilliant artist and visionary architect work in Belarus.
- Monday, November 23, 2020 | 12:00pm EST
- Zoom Webinar and YouTube Live
- Featuring: Yulia Nemirovskaya, Natalia Efroimson and Alla Dubrovskaya
- Monday, November 2 2020 | 6 pm
- Virtual ZOOM meeting
- "Cities Where I Am No Longer" - reading of selected prose on April 8th
- Wednesday, April 8, 2020
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Russian-American poet, scholar, and translator of poetry will present an annotated edition of Complete Plays and Poems of T. S. Eliot on March 23
- Monday, March 23, 2020 | 5:30 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- a two-part event featuring Grigory Starikovsky, vladimir Druk and Lev Fridman. Hosted by Irina Mashinski on March 3
- Wednesday, March 4, 2020 | 5:30 pm
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Award-winning author Emil Draitser will discuss the fascinating topic of the modern-day exodus and the Soviet Jewry Movement on Feb 13
- Thursday, February 13, 2020 | 6:30 PM
- Shakespeare and Co Bookstore
- Please join us as the Russian American Cultural Center presents a bilingual reading by Alexander Veytsman on Nov 6
- Wednesday, November 6, 2019 | 5:00 - 6:45 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Please join us on November 18 for a reading by Maxim D. Shrayer, internationally acclaimed author.
- Monday, November 18, 2019 | 5:30 - 7 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Please join us on Oct 23 at the reading by Anton Yakovlev of Translations of Sergei Yesenin from his book 'The Last Poet of the Village'.
- Wednesday, October 23, 2019 | 5:30 -7:00 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- New translations into Russian of Emily Dickinson's, Rudyard Kipling' poems, Shakespeare's sonnets and the original verse (in Russian) on Sept 4.
- Wednesday, September 4, 2019 | 5:30 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Pavel Lembersky, a New York based Russian American author, will read in Russian and in English on Sept 25
- Wednesday, September 25, 2019 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM
- Yorkville Library, Meeting Room
- Novelist John Burnham Schwartz to speak on his new book - sweeping historical novel is inspired by the remarkable life of Svetlana Alliluyeva.
- Thursday, May 16, 2019 | 6:30 PM
- Member's Room
- A Bilingual Poetry Reading by Anna Halberstadt from her new poetry collection in English and Russian on May 29
- Wednesday, May 29, 2019 | 5 - 7 PM
- Yorkville Library
- Book presentation
- Monday, April 29, 2019 | 5 - 7 PM
- Yorkville Library
- Saying good-bye to the Storony Sveta Literary Journal and the launch of the 18th and final issue
- Saturday, March 30, 2019 | 2 PM – 4:30 PM
- Tompkins Sq. Library
- He has, as they say, long arms. Therefore, better come yourself. Otherwise we are not responsible for it.
- Sunday, April 28, 2019 | 6 PM
- Russian Samovar
- presentation by Larissa Shmailo
- Monday, May 13, 2019 | 5 - 7 PM
- Yorkville Library
- Dedicated to the Poetry of MARIA STEPANOVA
- Tuesday, February 5, 2019 | 7 PM – 9 PM
- 249 W 60th Street
- dedicated to the memory of Alexander Arkad’evich Galich
- Wednesday, October 10, 2018 | 6:00 PM
- Cornelia Street Cafe
- Celebrating 2018 Immigrant Heritage Month | A talk by educator, author and talk show host John Bredin
- Wednesday, June 20, 2018 | 1 PM
- Pelham Parkway-Van Nest Library
- Celebrating 2018 Immigrant Heritage Month | A talk by children's book author L.B. O'Milla
- Friday, June 22, 2018 | 3 PM
- Pelham Parkway-Van Nest Library
- presented by the StoSvet Literary project and the Russian American Cultural Center
- Thursday, April 19, 2018 | 5:30 PM
- Tompkins Square Library
- Olga Bukhina - translator, writer, literary critic, children’s literature specialist will discuss topics in contemporary Russian-language children's literature.
- Tuesday, May 15, 2018 | 5:30-7:30 pm
- Tompkins Square Library
- New York launch of her new poetry collection
- Sunday, February 25th, 2018 | 6 PM
- Tolstoy Lounge @ The Russian Samovar
- An exciting new adventure classic with an unforgettable combination of American fantasy elements and Russian folklore enjoyable for middle graders through adults.
- Tuesday, June 20, 2017 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- St-Petersburg Global Trade House
- Russian scientist Lyudmila Trut and biologist and historian of science Lee Dugatkin tell the inside story of the science, politics, adventure and love behind it all.
- Tuesday, June 6, 2017 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- St.Petersburg Global Trade House
- Dedicated to the poetry of BELLA AKHMADULINA
- Saturday, April 29, 2017 | 1 PM
- POETS HOUSE (Elizabeth Kray Hall)
- Margarita Meyendorff’s journey is thrillingly personal yet universal-the journey we all take, to find our true selves and safe haven.
- Thursday, March 30, 2017 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- St. Petersburg Global Trade House
- What a satirist could and what he couldn’t lampoon in the tightly controlled Soviet media? What would happen to him if he slipped?
- Thursday, March 23, 2017 | 5:30 - 8:30 PM
- Hunter College
- presented by the StoSvet Literary project and the Russian American Cultural Center
- Sunday, March 5, 2017 | 5 - 7 PM
- The Uncle Vanya Café
- Reading and discussion of her book about the children of WWII occupation/liberation and the search for their fathers.
- Thursday, February 23, 2017 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- St-Petersburg Global Trade House
- Presented by the StoSvet Literary Project and Russian American Cultural Center. Moderator - Irina Mashinski.
- Sunday, January 15, 2017 | 1 - 3 PM
- Word Up Books
- Presented by the StoSvet Literary Project and Russian American Cultural Center. Featuring Tomas Venclova, Valzhyna Mort and Vasil Makhno. Hosted by Irina Mashinski.
- Thursday, December 8, 2016 | 8 PM (getting together starting @ 7 PM)
- Uncle Vanya Cafe
- Please join us for a book-signing and reception with Julia Tulovsky and Tatiana Kubensky, for Julia Tulovsky’s new book, Avant-Garde Textiles: Designs for Fabric.
- Wednesday, November 2, 2016 | 6:30 – 8:30 PM
- St. Petersburg Global Trade House
- Presented in English
- Thursday, November 10, 6:30 - 8:30 PM
- St-Petersburg Global Trade House
- Russian American Cultural Center is pleased to announce:
- Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 pm
- Литературному проекту “СтоСвет” – 10 лет
- Thursday, May 5 2016 8pm Четверг 5 мая, 8ч. вечера
- Литературному проекту “СтоСвет” – 10 лет
- Dedicated to the Poetry of BORIS SLUTSKY
- Saturday, March 12, 2016, 1 PM
- POETS HOUSE (Elizabeth Kray Hall)
- ДЕКАБРИСТЫ И ДЕКАБРИЗМ ВЧЕРА, СЕГОДНЯ, ЗАВТРА
- MONDAY DECEMBER 14, 2015, 6pm
- COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY
- The StoSvet Literary Project, the Russian American Cultural Center and Poets House present.Translated by Boris Dralyuk and Hosted by Irina Mashinski.
- Saturday, December 5, 2015 @2PM
- Poets House, The Elizabeth Kray Hall
- Russian American Cultural Center presents: Poetry by Eugene Ostashevsky and fiction by Zarina Zabrisky, in their only New York appearance this year.
- Wednesday, November 11, 6-8pm
- Poets House
- The curator of the series – Irina Mashinski, Producer – Regina Khidekel
- Tuesday, 2 June 2015 6.:30 PM
- Uncle Vanya Café
- The curator of the series – Irina Mashinski, StoSvet editor Producer – Regina Khidekel, RACC director
- Thursday, April 30, 2015 7.00 PM
- The SLASH Series 7/Artists
- The Heyman Center welcomes Russia-born poets
- Tuesday, March 3, 2015 6:15pm
- presented by StoSvet Literary Project, MadHat Press and Russian-American Cultural Center
- Saturday, January 17, 2015 | 4 PM
- POETS HOUSE (Elizabeth Kray Hall)
- Alexander Matlin will read short stories and poems from his new book "2=1".
- TBA November 2014
- The StoSvet Literary Project and RACC present the readings dedicated to the generation of Russian-American poets born in the late 1960s and 1970s.
- Saturday, December 6, 2014 | 6:30 PM
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Reading in Russian and English and conversation about encounters with Igor Guberman and translating his poetry.
- December 18, 2014 | 6:30 PM
- Rustico Café
- Susan Gold reading from her new novel, set in Soviet Russia after Perestroika reveals gross corruption, sweeping betrayal, and a metals deal in palladium gone bad.
- December 10, 2014 | 6:30 PM
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Poets/teachers, poets/architects… Our series is about the word to the right of the slash. On April 29, the word is “interpreters”.
- Tuesday, 29 April 2014 , 7 pm | Вторник, 29 апреля 2014, 7:00 вечера
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Poets/teachers, poets/architects… Our series is about the word to the right of the slash. On May 10, the word is “psychologists”.
- Saturday, May 10, 2014 , 6:30 pm | Суббота, 10 мая 2014, 6:30 вечера
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- An inspiring talk about the crucial social role of Jewish humor at the time of the modern-day exodus of Jews from Russia by Hunter College professor Emil Draitser.
- Friday, May 9th, 2014 | 7 pm
- Hunter College, City University of New York
- Irina Mashinski is a poet, the author of nine collections of poetry and translations
- Tuesday, February 18, 2014 | 7:00PM
- Uncle Vanya Cafe
- This year’s Compass Award competition is dedicated to the poetry of Arseny Tarkovsky (1907-89).
- Accepting submissions from February 15 through July 31, 2014
- Reading from a debut novel "Returns and Exchanges" by Yuri Kruman.
- January 22, 7:00 PM
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The third Compass Award contest (2013) was for translations of Maria Petrovykh (1908-79)
- January 28, 2014 at 7:30 pm
- A reading from a new online anthology of works by 50 contemporary Russian poets, edited and with a preface by Larissa Shmailo, celebrating poetry and translation.
- December 11, 2013, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
- Cornelia Street Café
- Welcome to “1983, a Dialectical Novel” – the new book from Anthony Saidy which imagines an alternative storyline to the final decades of the Soviet Union.
- November 12, 2013, 7:00 PM
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Stealing Cherries by Marina Rubin - Literature with an Adrenaline Rush. Today’s short attention span literature, a book for all seasons and people.
- October 24, 2013, 7:30 PM
- JCC Manhattan
- In this engaging and penetrating study, Alyssa Dinega Gillespie focuses on Tsvetaeva's poetry, rediscovering her as a serious thinker.
- June 2013
- An evening of poetry and reflection. Our series is about the word to the right of the slash.
- May 23, 2013
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Celebrate the publication of The Jews of Pinsk, 1881-1941, the most comprehensive history of a single Jewish community in any language.
- May 5, 2013
- Museum at Eldridge Street
- An evening of poetry and reflection. Our series is about the word to the right of the slash.
- February 27, 2013
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- The second annual Compass Award contest is dedicated to the translation of poetic works of Marina Tsvetaeva.
- January 12, 2013
- Poets House, Elizabeth Kray Hall
- New translations into Russian of Emily Dickinson's poems and Shakespeare's sonnets and the original verse (in Russian).
- November 27, 2012
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- На кудыкину гору: Одесский роман | From Here to Wherever: An Odessa novel
- November 20, 2012
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Congratulations to Boris Dralyuk and Irina Mashinski - First Place winners for Field Hospital by Arseny Tarkovsky!
- November 2012
- Stephen Spender Trust
- Come celebrate HIAS' 130th Anniversary... and your success! Join us as we launch HIAS' new book: "HIAS@130: 1+30, the Best of myStory."
- April 22, 2012
- Center for Jewish History
- Второй вечер из новой серии SLASH: Врачи. An evening of poetry and reflection.
- April 19, 2012
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Presented by St. Petersburg Review, Cardinal Points Literary Journal and Russian American Cultural Center.
- April 18, 2012
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The title of this festival, 0, 2012: The Last Futurist Lab is a reference to 1915's "0, 10: The Last Futurist Exhibition"...
- March 19, 2012
- Does it really matter what a poet does besides writing, how he/she earns a living? Do poets working in the same field have anything in common?
- March 16, 2012
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- For all those interested in the secret machinations that often occur behind political movements, this program is for you!
- January 25, 2012
- Rubin Museum of Art
- Mark Serman presents Four Lives of Ruth Zernova - a collection of memoirs by friends, family and colleagues of the writer.
- December 8, 2011
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- An Hour and a Half of Poetry, Songs, and Translation
- October 30, 2011
- The Bowery Poetry Club
- A reading (in Russian) from a newly released book В пятьсот веселом эшелоне, Franc Tireur Publishing.
- September 22, 2011
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- The Unlikely Connections Series: Irina Mashinski - Poet, Writer, and Cardinal Points Editor.
- May 19, 2011
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Join us for an evening that will honor the memory of Holocaust victims and affirm our hopes for a better and more humane world.
- May 3, 2011
- Mid-Manhattan Library
- Presentation of the book, "Shakedown Socialism," and discussion with the author, exploring and explaining why socialism cannot work.
- April 27, 2011, 7:00 PM
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Join us for this discussion about the clash between psychoanalysis and Stalinism in Mexico during the 1930s.
- March 25, 2011
- Instituto Cervantes at Amster Yard
- Samuel Menashe's most recent collections of poems are New and Selected Poems (Library of America, 2005) and an expanded edition of the same book, New and Selected Poems.
- March 22, 2011
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- RACC and Office of Cultural Affairs, Consulate General of Israel in New York present "Russian-Israeli Art: Then and Now."
- February 9, 2011
- The Angel Orensanz Foundation Center for the Arts
- Presentation of Polonsky's newly released book, "Molotov's Magic Lantern," which explores the people, places, and ideas from Russia's past.
- January 12, 2011, 7:00 PM
- Idlewild Books
- Evening and book signing with a scientist and history author.
- December 15, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The Jewish Conundrum in World History.
- October 22, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Alexander Matlin lives in the USA since 1974. Before emigrating from the Soviet Union, his short stories and topical satires were published in the Crocodile Magazine in Moscow.
- September 29, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Stalin's Romeo Spy. The Remarkable Rise and Fall of the KGB's Most Daring Operative.
- May 6, 2010
- In her own words, Nicole Brun-Mercer: "The Golden Ring takes place in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the historic "golden ring" cities Vladimir and Suzdal.
- April 21, 2010
- Globetrippin Bookstore
- A presentation of Susan Gold's memoir The Eyes Are the Same about childhood in Poland and Ukraine during the WWII as seen through a child's eyes.
- April 20, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Stalin's Last Crime: The Plot Against the Jewish Doctors, 1948-1953.
- March 2, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Philip Pomper was born in Chicago and attended the University of Chicago, where he specialized in modern European history and Russian history.
- February 9, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The Disposable Birds compilation includes selected verses and poems spanning end of 1970s through 2008.
- January 26, 2010
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Please join NYRB Classics and translator Robert Chandler for a READING and RECEPTION in celebration of the publication of Everything Flows by Vasily Grossman.
- January 21, 2010
- Foxbats over Dimona: The Soviets' Nuclear Gamble in the Six-Day War, An interactive discussion series "Memory and History."
- October 29, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Reading of poetry from his collection of original verse in Russian and translations of poetry from English and Spanish.
- October 20, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Homage to the memory of Aleksandr Galich at 90, with words by Drs. Gene Sosin and Gloria Donen Sosin, who both knew Galich personally.
- October 15, 2009, 6:30 PM
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The bilingual reading from a newly released book A Unique Occurrence.
- September 15, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- The Russian American Cultural Center of New York and St. Petersburg Review enthusiastically sponsor a poetry reading of Dmitry Golyanko.
- May 18, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Alexander Matlin lives in the USA since 1974. Before emigrating from the Soviet Union, his short stories and topical satires were published in the Crocodile Magazine in Moscow.
- May 13, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Book and art documentary presentation.
- January 28, 2009
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Bakhyt Kenjeev is a frequent participant of major international festivals.
- November 30, 2008
- Russian Samovar (upstairs)
- Presentation of an International video/literature/translation project: The Poet's Address - St. Petersburg
- May 27, 2008
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Marina Temkina "Reading from the recent book Canto Immingranto."
- April 16, 2008
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Genrikh Golin: "Einstein and Russia"
- March 3, 2008
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Literary critic and essayist, Genis writes on the lives, food and social customs of the world.
- January 20, 2008
- Central Library
- Matvei Yankelevich and Eugene Ostashevsky: "reading of works by Daniil Kharms and the Oberiu."
- January 16, 2008
- A Public Space
- Liberty Prize is the first-ever award established specifically for the purpose of recognizing and honoring people who have made an outstanding contribution to the Russian-American culture.
- 2008
- Emil Draitser will present his newly published (University of California Press) book entitled Shush! Growing Up Jewish Under Stalin.
- 2008
- The story of the transformation of a city-raised, Cornell-educated American to someone who could survive in virtual isolation from the civilized world.
- 2008
- Writer, journalist, laureate of the Russian America contest, and participant of the Moscow Poetry Biennale 2007...
- December 27, 2007
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Vladimir Solovyov Reading from new controversial book: "Post Mortem: The Banned Book on Joseph Brodsky" (in Russian).
- October 17, 2007
- Russian Bookstore Club
- New Novel about "Andrei" Warhol by Alexander J. Motyl.
- October 10, 2007
- The Harriman Institute, 12th Floor, International Affairs Building
- RACC Literature Series, "Meet the Writer: Alexander Kushner."
- September 30, 2007
- Kings Bay YM-YMHA
- Museum of Jewish Heritage and The Russian American Cultural Center are pleased to announce a joint event series.
- June 8, 2007
- Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust
- Gary Shteyngard Author of: "The Russian Debutante's Handbook" and others The Jewish Community Center in Manhattan.
- June 8, 2007
- BESA ME MUCHO by Mariam Yuzefovskaya at the Russian Book Club.
- April 22, 2007
- Russian Book Club
- Alexei Bayer and Valery Bazarov.
- April 16, 2007
- Russian Bookstore No. 21
- Genya Turovskaya's poetry chapbook The Tides and Eugene Ostashevsky's poetry chapbook DJ Spinoza's Dozen have both just been released by Octopus Books.
- March 19, 2007
- Russian Bookstore No.21
- Michael Skakun discusses issues of exile, displacement, identity, and surviving extremity in this presentation: "At the Mind's Limit: Exile, Memory, and Identity."
- February 14, 2006, 6:00 PM
- Bowery Poetry Club
- After the Orchard: A Russian Journal is based on Anthony Newfield’s experiences in Russia while studying at the Moscow Art Theatre.
- November 15, 2005
- The Bowery Poetry Club
- An Evening of Russian-American Literature, with the presentation of a New Book, and discussion by Paul La Farge and Wayne Chambliss.
- July 26, 2005, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
- The Bowery Poetry Club
- Ruth Zernova (born Ruth Zevina in Odessa in 1919) was an author of many short stories and several novels.
- April 24, 2005
- The Bowery Poetry Club
- Keith Gessen, Genya Turovskaya & Ilya Bernstein.
- 2005
- A Book Reading and Signing by Celebrated Young Author and Russian Emigre, David Bezmozgis
- June 20, 2004
- 35 East 10 Street #4k
