Moscow to the End of the Line
4 hrs. 16 min.
Language
Russian
Author
Venedikt Erofeev
Author
Venedikt Erofeev
Narrator
Sergey Shnurov
Narrator
Sergey Shnurov
Description
In the now long-ago year of 1970, in a print run of two typewritten copies, the poem “Moscow–Petushki” by the thirty-year-old Venedikt Erofeev was published. At first it was read by “all of Moscow,” then by the province, and later by the whole world. The book’s popularity caught Venedikt Erofeev off guard. As he himself admitted, he wrote the poem for several friends so that a few pages would make them laugh, and a few would make them sad and think.
The plot of the poem is simple. The main character rides a commuter train from Moscow to Petushki. In each chapter, the author describes what happens to him as the trip goes from one station to another. Given that throughout the entire journey the hero is continually taking a bottle, it is hardly surprising that in the end he does not reach Petushki.
There are two diametrically opposed opinions about the text of “Moscow–Petushki.” Some believe that this poem is a manual for drinking alcohol, it’s foolish nonsense, and not worth attention. Others—and, fortunately, the majority—are convinced that it is a great work about a man who, in a world of identical and similar people (let’s not forget, the poem was written at the height of the “stagnation” era), turns into a gray faceless mass and, despite everything, tries by any means possible to preserve his individuality.
And finally, almost forty years after the first publication of the book, an audiobook version of this cult poem is released, performed by the leader of the group “Leningrad”—Sergey Shnurov—whose originality and sheer distinctiveness, just like with the main character of “Moscow–Petushki,” still today provokes contradictory statements and opinions.
In one of his last interviews, Venedikt Erofeev said that out of everything he wrote, he likes “Moscow–Petushki” the most. “I read and laugh like a child. Today, perhaps, I wouldn’t be able to write it like that. Back then, it came over me. I wrote this story for five weeks…”
We invite you to laugh—and possibly also feel a little sad—with this audiobook version of this wonderful book.
The plot of the poem is simple. The main character rides a commuter train from Moscow to Petushki. In each chapter, the author describes what happens to him as the trip goes from one station to another. Given that throughout the entire journey the hero is continually taking a bottle, it is hardly surprising that in the end he does not reach Petushki.
There are two diametrically opposed opinions about the text of “Moscow–Petushki.” Some believe that this poem is a manual for drinking alcohol, it’s foolish nonsense, and not worth attention. Others—and, fortunately, the majority—are convinced that it is a great work about a man who, in a world of identical and similar people (let’s not forget, the poem was written at the height of the “stagnation” era), turns into a gray faceless mass and, despite everything, tries by any means possible to preserve his individuality.
And finally, almost forty years after the first publication of the book, an audiobook version of this cult poem is released, performed by the leader of the group “Leningrad”—Sergey Shnurov—whose originality and sheer distinctiveness, just like with the main character of “Moscow–Petushki,” still today provokes contradictory statements and opinions.
In one of his last interviews, Venedikt Erofeev said that out of everything he wrote, he likes “Moscow–Petushki” the most. “I read and laugh like a child. Today, perhaps, I wouldn’t be able to write it like that. Back then, it came over me. I wrote this story for five weeks…”
We invite you to laugh—and possibly also feel a little sad—with this audiobook version of this wonderful book.
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