Andrej Kurkov Livres

Victor, de retour d'Antarctique, n'a qu'une idée en tête : retrouver son pingouin Micha, qui a atterri dans le zoo personnel d'un richissime Moscovite. Victor parcourt l'Ukraine et la Russie et s'aventure jusque dans les plus sombres recoins de la Tchétchénie.En funambule virtuose, Kourkov sillonne le gouffre qui sépare le rire du drame avec une aisance incomparable.

À Kiev, Victor Zolotarev et le pingouin Micha tentent péniblement de survivre. Victor, journaliste, est sans emploi et Micha, rescapé du zoo, traîne sa dépression entre la baignoire et le frigidaire de l'appartement. Lorsque le patron d'un grand quotidien offre à Victor d'écrire les nécrologies de personnalités pourtant bien en vie, Victor saute sur l'occasion. Un travail tranquille et lucratif.Mais un beau jour, les « petites croix » se mettent à mourir, de plus en plus nombreuses et à une vitesse alarmante, plongeant Victor et son pingouin neurasthénique dans la tourmente de ce monde impitoyable et sans règles qu'est devenue l'ex-Union soviétique.

This journal of Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine is a collection of Andrey Kurkov's writings and broadcasts from Kyiv.

Set against a backdrop of nostalgia, the narrative unfolds as a joyous caper filled with playful energy. It intertwines magical elements and supernatural twists, creating a whimsical atmosphere. The story evokes a sense of bittersweet longing for a brighter past, blending humor and enchantment to engage readers in an uplifting adventure.

A vivid, moving, and sometimes humorous account of life during Russia's invasion, this work provides an uplifting and defiant perspective on the ongoing conflict. For centuries, Ukrainians have resisted efforts to erase their language, songs, and history, facing nearly 400 years of Russian aggression. Ten years after Crimea's annexation and two years into the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian people continue their fight for identity and survival. The second volume of Andrey Kurkov's war diaries chronicles the diverse experiences of Ukrainians amidst Russian hostility, detailing everything from air raid stresses and deportations to Christmas celebrations and trench candle recipes. Kurkov's human-centric view blends satire, tragedy, humor, and heartfelt emotion, offering invaluable insights into Ukraine's history, politics, and culture. This account serves as an essential primer for understanding contemporary life in Ukraine. It captures the transformation of ordinary life into something extraordinary, highlighting themes of survival, hope, and humanity. With a genial yet impassioned voice, Kurkov passionately defends Ukrainian culture against Putin's attempts at erasure, asserting that Ukraine's future hinges on its freedom and independence. His quiet hope for victory resonates throughout this compelling narrative.

Sergey Sergeyich is one of the last residents of a Ukrainian village in the "Grey Zone," a no-man's-land between loyalist and separatist forces in Crimea. Sergeyich's one pleasure in life is taking care of his bees. As spring approaches, he knows he must move the bees to a place they can safely collect pollen. On his journey, he will meet people on both sides of the battle lines in a country torn by war and chaos

Going beyond the headlines, this title gives an insight into what it's like to live through - and try to make sense of - times of intense political unrest

'A bittersweet work, tough and touching at the same time. Kurkov's style is spare and effective, drawing us with deceptive ease into a dense, complex world full of wonderful characters' Michael Palin A sharp, engaging satire that delves into Ukraine's history. Moscow, 2013. Bunin, the Ukrainian President, has joined other heads of state in an open air swimming pool to drink vodka and celebrate with Putin. During his rise to power Bunin has juggled with formidable and eccentric political and personal challenges. His troubles with his family and his women combine with his difficulties with corrupt businessmen and demanding international allies, but it is his recent heart transplant that worries him most. Since the operation he has started to develop freckles, and his heart donor's mysterious widow seems to have moved in with him... Spanning forty years, The President's Last Love is a hilarious satire on love, lies and life before and after the Iron Curtain.