Tales of Belkin

THE ART OF THE NOVELLA

First published anonymously in 1830, Alexander Pushkin's The Tales of Belkin contains his first prose works, comprised of an introductory note and five linked stories, ostensibly collected by the scholar Ivan Belkin. Centering variously around military figures, the wealthy, and businessmen; this beautiful novella gives a vivid portrait of nineteenth century Russian life.
It has become, as well, one of the most beloved books in Russian literary history, and symbolic of the popularity of the novella form in Russia. In fact, it has become the namesake for Russia's most prestigious annual literary prize, the Belkin Prize, given each year to a book voted by judges to be the best novella of the year.
It is presented here in a sparkling new translation by Josh Billings. Tales of Belkin also highlights the nature of our ongoing Art of the Novella Series-that is, that it specializes in important albeit lesser-known works by major writers, often in new translations.