Selected Stories

Five tales of social satire from a forgotten sensation of nineteenth-century Russian literature

In 1830s and '40s Russia, A. F. Veltman's eccentric writings were a fixture on the bookshelves of the reading public. In his era, his work influenced writers including Pushkin, Gogol, and Dostoevsky. The five stories collected here, united by themes of social satire, display Veltman's characteristic pivots between the tragic, comic, and grotesque.

'Erotida' riffs on the genre of the society tale with linguistic puns and a bizarre plot resolution. In 'Roland the Furious,' provincial officials mistake a traveler for a high-ranking government. 'Travel Impressions, and, among Other Things, a Pot of Geraniums' plays on the travelogue genre and includes what may be the first description in Russian literature of journey by railroad. “ A Traveler from the Provinces or, A Commotion in the Capital” parodies the Moscow literary salons of Veltman's day. Finally, 'It's Not a House, but a Plaything!' toys with yet another storytelling convention of the time - the Russian folkloric tradition of 'house spirits.'

Contributor: James J. Gebhard (Translated by)

Translator: James J. Gebhard

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.