Scarlet Sails
by Alexander Grin
Type of fun: happy ending
This story, sure thing, won’t leave you screaming and crying in depression – only in happiness. It follows a girl, Assol, who continues to believe in her dream, aka Prince Charming, despite all the hardships that fall upon her. Of unwavering faith and big dreams, the story has left a lasting impression on the culture of Russia and St. Petersburg in particular.
“...I've come to understand a simple truth, namely: you must make so-called miracles come true yourself.”
The Twelve Chairs
by Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov
Type of fun: eccentric, satirical comedy
Atypically for Soviet literature, this title chronicles the adventures of two antiheroes – the middle-aged official Ippolit "Kisa" Vorobyaninov and Ostap Bender, a good-looking con man with a sharp wit and street-like charm. The literal partners in crime set out on a hunt for diamonds hidden in one of the titular chairs set for an auction. The story is packed with laugh-out-loud jokes and catchy quotes; but it's also full of more subtle, satirical scenes. Moreover, the book has an equally entertaining sequel called The Little Golden Calf.
“He loved and suffered. He loved money and suffered from a lack of it.”
Ivan Vasilievich
by Mikhail Bulgakov
Type of fun: satire, situational comedy
What if Ivan the Terrible found himself in the 20th century, and his Soviet namesake, Ivan Bunsha, a morally strict and upright building manager, was sent back to the tsar’s times? Right at the heart of this play are time travel antics, with which comes brilliant historic ambience, hilarious gags, and unexpected twists and turns. The play was successfully turned into a movie, well-loved and rewatched around the globe.
SCRIBE: Prithee affix thy hand and seal, great sovereign.
BUNSHA: In my capasity as building superintendent I haven't got the right to sign such papers.
Monday Begins on Saturday
by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
Type of fun: satirical Soviet sci-fi
Set in an alternative version of 1960s USSR, the book tells the story of Leningrad programmer Aleksandr Privalov (Sasha), who finds himself in the Scientific Research Institute of Sorcery and Wizardry after picking up two hitchhikers. Wildly imaginative, amusing, and thought-provoking, the story has it all: geeky scientists, a Hogwarts-like school where strange things happen, elements of folklore and fantasy — all you need for the perfect tongue-in-cheek-ness.
“In the Department of Perpetual Youth, after a long and extended illness, the model of an immortal man had died.”
Moscow to the End of the Line (18+)
by Venedict Yerofeyev
Type of fun: sad comedy
A train odyssey, a paean of drunk philosophy, and a menu of questionable cocktails – that’s all Moscow to the End of the Line or Moscow-Petushki, as it is better known in Russia. Strong in references and sometimes language, the book follows Venichka (Venedikt Yerofeyev), aka the author himself, as he hops on a train to the end of the line, the station Petushki, to meet the woman of his life. Along the way, he engages in intoxicated but oftentimes fun conversations with himself and his travel companions about anything and everything.
“Oh, that most helpless and shameful of times in the life of my people, the time from dawn until the liquor stores open up!”
Love reading? Explore our Russian literature series to find your next read. If you’re not sure where to start, check this story for a book rec that will perfectly suit your language level.
