A must read for anyone interested in great lit & probably my favorite Russian novel. Simply stated it is a journey into the mind & soul of a killer, written with brutal realism. Read all of FD!

Definitive Russian satire, a critique against serfdom done w. humor and a brilliant cast of characters. The novel is unfinished but don't let that sway you, it is essential for lovers of Russian lit.

Massive novel that details the war between Nazi Germany & Communist Russia. Resembles, War & Peace; lots of characters & short chapters. Definite tear jerker spurned by horrific autocities.

Most modern selection & a personal favorite. I highly recommend all of Voinovich's work, it is all satire so some knowledge of Russian political & social history is valuable. Be prepared to laugh.

Another personal favorite, an underrated novel of an outspoken nihilst in the pre-revolutionary era. Sanin is an individualist that rejects traditional Russian society but is he a future Socialist?

A novel about an aristocrat that is lazy and uninspired but really is a condemnation of the society that creates such a figure. Oblomov may be analyzed harshly but he is a likable figure. A must read.

Short novel of one man's day in the Soviet Gulag, very important in terms of Russian lit & Soviet history. Much shorter than his other books dealing w. the horrors of Stalin era.

Another satire of Soviet life though this one is more serious than Voinovich & Ilf. It feels like a ridicule of the Soviet dream, exposing it as something not founded in reality. A good read.

by Sergius Stepniak. Amazon doesn't offer this book but I really enjoyed it. Again a story of a nihilst, except this one is ready to get a little violent. It's worth the hunt if you can find it.

The horrors of the purges seen from the view point of a mother, it also shows how enthusiastic communists slowly became educated by their own experiences & losses. A very short novel.

Not for all tastes, this novel on drug addiction is different from all the other novels listed. Personally I thought the author tackled addiction successfully although it is more than just a drug book

There are many dystopian novels out there and this one is interesting because of the time and place it was produced. Definitely a different style than the novel's above.

I haven't read any Nabokov or any of Chekov 's plays but I hear they are worth the read so I'll mention them here.