Former Lenin Street

Shamil Idiatullin is a journalist and prose writer. Born in 1971, he graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at Kazan University and works for the publishing house “Kommersant.” He is the author of novels “Tatar Strike,” “USSR™,” “Ubyr” (a duology), “This Is Just a Game,” “For the Senior,” “Brezhnyev City” (the “BIG BOOK” prize). Idiatullin admits that he values above all “an honest, interesting story about us here and now.” And the action of his new novel “Former Lenin” unfolds in 2019—a prosperous and anxious time.

A provincial town Chupov, Sarasevsk Oblast. On the outskirts, a gigantic regional landfill is growing rapidly, and the head is being filmed for bribes. In the town there is lawlessness and a nasty smell; political technologists, messengers, social networks. An ordinary official Daniil Mitrofanov (and in the past a noticeable figure in local politics and business), his wife Lena, and their daughter Sasha are a prosperous family. But in a single moment, the well-oiled mechanism breaks down. Everything turns out to be “former”—even the apartment of childhood is “Former Lenin.” Probably, it’s necessary to start over, but first you must defeat apathy, yourself…and the landfill.

Giving up is shameful. Staying in such conditions is impossible. You must change the conditions. Changing the conditions means fighting.