Juneau, Alaska – When we weren’t busy climbing mountains, hanging out with humpback whales, and exploring glaciers, Daddio and I have spent our time in Juneau doing research for our forthcoming book, The Last Stand of the Raven Clan. This…
Russian Sites in Northern California
Bodega Bay, California – Everybody knows that Alaska used to belong to Russia. But most people don’t realize that the Russians were actively exploring, hunting, trading and settling the Pacific Northwest, starting in the late 18th century. Yes, settling–like Russian…
Madame Gilflurt’s Excerpt from The Tsarina’s Lost Treasure
We have noted the popular fascination with Catherine the Great. While the Russian Empress may be among the trendier rulers from this period, historian Catherine Curzon points out that the Georgian era (1914-1837) was rife with “unique, eccentric and flamboyant monarchs.”…
Tsarina’s Lost Treasure in Publisher’s Weekly
Somerville, Mass – What? Why yes, that is Publisher’s Weekly calling our book a “meticulously researched history” and an “intriguing portrait of an art world mystery.” (It doesn’t really rhyme in the review. That was my unintentional poetic flare.) Read…
The Tsarina’s Lost Treasure
Somerville, Mass – Way back in 2013, I wrote about embarking on a new project with Daddio. We had this crazy idea to write a book together–not a guidebook, not an academic book, but a narrative nonfiction book. About a…
World Landmarks Project
Somerville, Mass – V’s class is doing a world landmarks project. Each kid chose a landmark building or geographical feature to learn about and create a model of. For some reason, V decided he might choose Machu Picchu for his…
Moscow on the Move
Sports fans! In case you didn’t know, Russia is hosting the World Cup this month. To help you plan your trip, Lonely Planet has already published articles highlighting the host cities, including Rostov-on-Don and Sochi. And now you can also consult a…
Why I Love Moscow
Moscow, Russia–A city that people love to hate. It’s big, crowded and confusing, and people speak Russian there (eye roll). It is often appears near the top of lists of the world’s “unfriendliest cities” and this year it was the…
Exploring Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don, Russia – Set along its storied namesake river, Rostov-on-Don is a geographic crossroads, standing at the historical border between Asian and European cultures and acting as a modern gateway between the Northern Caucasus and the Black Sea coast. It’s…
Sochi: Russia’s Black Sea Playground
Sochi, Russia – Prior to its 2014 debut on the world stage, Sochi was celebrated in Russia for its sunny skies and balmy temperatures, which attracted privileged Party members to seaside sanatoria. Even Comrade Stalin had a vacation home near…