Faithful Ruslan

Praise

“Among the greatest animal stories ever written…”
—Richard Adams, author of Watership Down

“Vladimov’s particular distinction was as a dissident of immense moral courage, and as the author of Faithful Ruslan, one of the defining literary texts of the post-Stalin period. His life was one of constant vicissitudes, but his authority and fortitude remained firm to the end.”
—The Guardian

“Melville House has reissued one of the most brilliantly crafted dissident books of the Soviet era….It is a slim volume that should be as well known as Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, but has been largely overlooked until now.”—The Weekly Standard

“[A] perfectionist whose writing took him much effort…Vladimov produced a set of works that captured the mood of the times, but whose craft will ensure they survive.
—The Independent

“Known as a writer of strong conscience…Mr. Vladimov’s best-known work, Faithful Ruslan, is a chilling, cynical parable of false hopes in the post-Stalin era.”
—New York Times

“Russia’s political reality can be best understood through Russian fiction. Today’s Russia, for instance, calls to mind “Faithful Ruslan,” a novella by dissident writer Georgy Vladimov.”
—The St. Petersburg Times (Russia)

“[An] exceptionally talented writer who has been cut down in mid-career and who is being hounded by the KGB. One reason for the persecution is his celebrated novella, Faithful Ruslan, which has circulated all over the country in samizdat.”
—Time (1980)