Evgeny Petrov (1903–1942)

Written in the 1920s, this is not your typical Russian fare. Filled with humor, this book examines Russian society in the aftermath of the Russian revolution. Ippolit Matveyevich Vorobyaninov was a nobleman and, on her deathbed, his mother-in-law reveals she hid all of her jewels in one of the twelve dining room chairs. Off he goes to find out what happened to his property, but quickly discovers that she also told her priest, who secretly longs to be a factory owner. Having no idea how to locate the chairs nor gain access to them, the nobleman partners with Ostap Bender, a con artist, referred to as the "smooth operator." Their adventures are quite comical, as is the ending. Enjoyed this one.… (more)