Twelve Stories of Russia

"Twelve Stories of Russia: A Novel, I guess" is about a young American who moves to Moscow in 1991, knowing next to nothing about the country. In his discovery of Russia he is witness to an unsuccessful coup, an even-less-successful rebellion, rampant inflation, unprecedented social, economic and political change, mafia infighting, and a host of other phenomena that characterize this period.He moves among ordinary new Russians, meeting all sorts of curious characters, learning unsuccessfully to drink vodka and discussing English grammar and the other stumbling blocs of Western culture with his Russian friends. "Why is it," his Russian friend asks, "that you Americans smile so much?"His misconceptions about Russia land him in funny and sometimes dangerous situations while at the same time allowing him to have a good look at the underside of the various social strata."Twelve Stories" is an intelligent novel about contemporary Russia. For readers seeking an alternative to the "Russia-as-menace" genre, it offers observations on real life that are both thought-provoking and true, providing a fresh and thoughtful perspective on Russian culture.The author, a graduate of NU, is a young writer and translator who lives in Moscow with his Russian wife. This is his first novel. This book was created using print-on-demand technology.