"Lively" and Other Stories

Though the communist regime has collapsed and new leaders have emerged from the shadows, Mozhaev's stories still have a modern resonance and a chillingly poignant relevance, as those in power still conduct themselves with the same Soviet mindset and mentality as they did under the old regime. Mozhaev's writing, still regularly republished in Russia today, has not tarnished with time and it still bears its sharp, critical edge, as cutting as the day it was originally written. Through this volume of translations, Mozhaev is set to take his place amongst the great writers of contemporary Russia accessible to the English-speaking reader. The translator has provided a wealth of background information and copious notes to help the reader better to understand the satire and enjoy the stories.

Preface. Contents. List of Illustrations. Acknowledgements. A Note on Transliteration. A Note on Proper Names and Modes of Address. Introduction. The Solzhenitsyn Memoir. Foreword. ?With Boris Mozhaev?. Sania. Lively. One-and-a-Half Square Metres. Old Mother Proshkina. The Saddler. A History of the Village of Brekhovo. Shishigi.
Appendix I: The Politics of Soviet Literature: Soviet Realism, the ?Thaws? and Village Prose. Appendix II: Brief Survey of the Soviet Farming System. Glossary. Suggested Further Reading.