“A man returns home, but home is no longer the same—nor is he.” Chapter 1: The Homecoming Alexei Ivanov, a Soviet soldier, returns to his village after years […]
Russian literature
Happy Moscow
“Life is not given for happiness, but for the struggle for it.” Chapter 1: Moscow’s Dream The novel opens with Moscow Chestnova, a young orphan raised in Soviet […]
Russian literature
Soul
“A man is alive as long as his soul is alive—even if his body is already dead.” Soul (also known as Dzhan) by Andrei Platonov follows the journey […]
Russian literature
Chevengur
“Man is born for happiness, like a bird for flight.” Part 1: Sasha Dvanov’s Journey The novel begins with Sasha Dvanov, an orphan raised by a fisherman, who […]
Russian literature
The Foundation Pit
“Man is not nourished by bread alone, but by the truth.” Chapter Summaries Chapter 1 The novel opens with Voshchev, a worker dismissed for “thoughtfulness,” wandering the Soviet […]