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This national bestseller is a wildly original, brilliantly crafted novel about a young Russian immigrant's misadventures while trying to figure out what it means to be an American.
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Review:
Vladimir Girshkin, a likeable Russian immigrant, searches for love, a decent job, and a credible self-identity in Gary Shteyngart's debut novel, The Russian Debutante's Handbook. With a doctor-father of questionable ethics and a manic, banker mother, Vladimir avoids his suburban parents and their desire that he pursue the almighty dollar as proof of success. Vladimir gets by as an immigration clerk, eking out a living in a cruddy New York City apartment while accumulating an array of quirky acquaintances, from a wealthy but disheveled old man (who claims his electric fan speaks to him) desperate for citizenship to Challa, a portly S/M queen. As a love interest, Challa is replaced by Francesca, a graduate student whose friends welcome Vladimir for the status he brings their bohemian clique, and whose parents encourage them to shack up (she lives at home) as visible proof she can maintain a steady relationship.
About the Author:
The Russian Debutante's Handbook is a quirky amalgam of dead-on American absurdities, albeit with somewhat stereotypical characters. While Vladimir flounders with how to improve his state, he becomes an expatriate in a trendy European city, becomes somewhat of a mobster himself, and generally has a good time. While many of the central characters remain elusively thin, Vladimir is a delight, and Shteyngart's wit is merciless: Russian women wear "wedding cakes of blond hair" and graduate students lounge in a bar "as if waiting for funding to appear." Reminiscent of Gogol and other Russian satirists, The Russian Debutante's Handbook is a genuine, sublime social commentary. --Michael Ferch
Gary Shteyngart was born in Leningrad in 1972 and came to the United States seven years later. He lives in New York City.
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- PublisherPhoenix Audio
- Publication date2008
- ISBN 10 1605148431
- ISBN 13 9781605148434
- BindingPreloaded Digital Audio Player
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Book Description preloaded_digital_audio_player. Condition: Good. PLAYAWAY. Reliable and Presentable PLAYAWAY EDITION. Withdrawn from the library collection. Digital audio player already pre-loaded audio book. PLAYAWAY IS EASY TO USE! Just plug in the earphones, press the power button ON and begin to listen and enjoy. Some library markings. Included is a new battery and new earbuds. So convenient. Light weight with a powerful purpose. Take along on your next journey. Makes a sensitive get well gift! Enjoy the convenience and versatility of the PLAYAWAY for all your travel and leisure needs. Seller Inventory # 68120820173944
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