A Note on Translation

This is a book about Russians and their tigers, and much of the
information in it comes from Russian sources, including many
interviews. I cannot speak Russian, so with a few exceptions all of these
interviews were conducted by Josh Stenberg and recorded by me during
March 2007 and May 2008. They were transcribed by Igor Levit and Asta
Mott, two court-certified translators whose skill and insight gave me a
much better appreciation for the material. Beyond a handful of common
words, Russian bears virtually no resemblance to English, so literal
translations often read like chimeras of grammar and syntax. Therefore,
of necessity, all the translated quotes in this book have been retooled to
flow in English, I have done this while making every effort to preserve
the sense, mood, and character of the speaker and, where possible, their
slang and idiomatic usage. That said, Russian is a rich, colorful, and
nuanced language, and there is no substitute for the real thing.
Several interviews, specifically those with Sasha Dvornik, the late Ivan
Dunkai, and the late Vladimir Kruglov, were graciously shared by Sasha
Snow and Dale Miquelle. They have enriched this book tremendously. I
also wish to thank Misha Jones for his translations of key Russian texts.
Monica Hong and Si Nae Park supplied valuable assistance with Korean
translations and sources.