Sortировochnaya Land

2 hrs. 41 min.

Language Russian

Author Alexey Ivanov

Narrator Abr Kapitan

The novella “Sorting Earth” was written in 1991 and could pass for a parody of the busy, bustling Russian life of that time. This historical period also resembles the present days—what with opposition fighting against the legitimate authorities. But what’s the point of all that struggle? The main character of the novella is a thirteen-year-old boy named Vovka, who lives in the small railway settlement of Sortirovka. Life there is poor, gray, and boring. Workers run moonshine, drink heavily, swear, and fight. And the station is overgrown with thistles, cluttered to the limit, and absolutely not arranged: “Under the platform were boxes, chunks of brick, newspapers, bottles, and shoes.” Familiar picture, isn’t it? That’s how it was with us twenty years ago—many things are the same, even now…

1. Ships and the Galaxy (narrated by Vyacheslav Gerasimov) 2. Sortировochnaya Land 2. Sorting Earth (narrated by Vyacheslav Gerasimov) 3. Hunting the Big Dipper (narrated by Vyacheslav Gerasimov) 4. The Winner of Khvostik (narrated by Vyacheslav Gerasimov) 4. The Winner of Khvostik (narrated by Andrey Zverev)