Sandro from Chegem. Part One: The Romantic

The cycle “Sandro from Chegem” is Fazil Iskander’s central work, which brought the author the USSR State Prize. The book has been translated into many languages, and individual stories from it have repeatedly served as the basis for film adaptations.

A memorable hero: Uncle Sandro with his shrewdness, humor, and everyday wisdom—one of the most vivid and charming characters in Russian prose.

The chance to see the 20th century from the inside—the narrative unfolds against the backdrop of the most important milestones of the era: the Revolution, the Civil War, and collectivization.

Iskander worked for about thirty years on “Sandro from Chegem.” All the stories are connected by two constant characters: Uncle Sandro—a people’s favorite, a trickster and inventor, who knows how to get out of any trouble and “does not forget about small personal pleasures even while pursuing big public causes”—and a young journalist who records individual episodes from his acquaintance’s life.

With a precise, beautiful language and a subtle sense of humor, the author leads the reader through stories in which comedy is always accompanied by the dramatic. These plots unfold against the backdrop of the Revolution, the Civil War, collectivization, and other events of the first half of the 20th century.