The Poplar Float

13 hrs. 18 min.

Romance & Prose

Language Russian

Author Ivan Pyrkov

Narrator Stanislav Ivanov

The Grand Prix “Manuscript of the Year” includes nostalgic stories about life on the Volga and the people connected to it: buoy-keepers, fishermen, and ferry operators. This poetic everydayness turns routine into a lyrical narrative, making the river the main character. The book is intended for those who appreciate the beauty and richness of the Russian language, as well as the quiet charm of provincial Russia. “A Raft Float from Poplar Grass” tells of an almost vanished civilization on the Volga, similar to Atlantis. The writer sought to convey the voices of people living on the riverbanks—such as ferry operators and fishermen—but in the process he realized that through their stories he found his own voice. In the book, the speech of the Volga comes alive—reflecting the life of people and boats, the miracle of the overflow lakes, and how the riverbank becomes a refuge in difficult times. The work reminds of reflections in calm lake water, keeping memory of loved ones, or a dream from which you don’t want to wake up.

The House That Doesn't Exist (narrated by Ekaterina Babkova) The House That Is No More (narrated by Ekaterina Babkova) The Genius of Unrequited Love (narrated by Marina Moskvina) The Rabbit Hutch (narrated by Natalya Maltseva) Prayer Book (narrated by Elena Delver) The Poplar Float Taiga, General Delivery (narrated by Veronika Raytsiz) Three from Jean-Paris (narrated by Victoria Fyodorova) The Defense of Joseph Vintz (narrated by Agafya Maksimova) 0. Doctor, Don't Trip Over the Kerb! (narrated by Veronika Raytsiz) 0. The Twenty-Sixth (narrated by Elena Shemet) 0. Semolina Porridge for Three (narrated by Elena Delver) 0. The Last Pioneer (narrated by Roman Pokryshkin) 0. The Little Bird Danced the Polka (narrated by Veronika Raytsiz) 0. A Romance with the Moon (narrated by Marina Moskvina) 0. A Happy Tail – A Happy Me! (narrated by Yulia Yu. Mezentseva, Elena Chernysheva) 0. Pearls (narrated by Victoria Fyodorova)

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