A definitive collection of the "Russian Oscar Wilde."
Experience the elegance, wit, and daring of Mikhail Kuzmin, including his debut novel Wings, the first gay-themed book to be published in Russia.
His open lifestyle made writing increasingly difficult for him under Stalin's regime, and his works were not reprinted for over forty years. Presented in this collection are the novel Wings; the play The Venetian Madcaps; thirteen short stories; and two major poetic cycles, including the acclaimed "The Trout Breaks the Ice."
Michael Green's translations remain the foundational gateway for English-speaking readers. Celebrated for capturing the luminous, accessible style that made Kuzmin a cult figure in his own lifetime, these translations preserve the sophisticated charm and psychological depth of a writer who bridged the gap between the classical tradition and the modern world.
This Overlook Press edition is a vital record of a literary rebel who bridged the gap between the refined traditions of pre-revolutionary Russia and the daring experiments of the early Soviet avant-garde
"Kuzmin is the most charming of modern Russian writers... Michael Green has done us a great service by bringing this extraordinary man back to life." — The New York Review of Books
