The Russian Greyhound

Milorad Pavić, a Serbian writer considered a pioneer of 21st-century literature, created a collection of stories titled “Russian Borzoi,” infused with elements of magical realism and mysticism.

This book is full of stories that will leave an indelible impression. A story about a boy whose life will end because of a song, even though he never hears it. A bullet flying through time will cross the days by the walls of the Peter and Paul Fortress. The author will have lunch with the dead and appear in another writer’s work. A grandson will see a grandfather who is already dead. A hero tries to poison an old friend using mirrors from an antique shop. And you yourself will become the cause of one of the characters’ death.

If you look deeper, you’ll find a hidden plot in the collection. Two stories are linked by a secret thread: a question from one finds an answer in the other. Pavić’s hint: one story is called “The Warsaw Corner,” and in the other a question is asked: “And who is now taking away my memories and claiming them as their own?” After reading these stories, you’ll be able to solve the twentieth story.

In addition, the collection includes a secret chapter from the novel “A Dictionary for Pocket Terms,” as well as references to the novels “The Inner Side of the Wind” and “The Other Body.”