The History of a Town (Apollo Library). This item is unavailable.The History of a Town (Apollo Library)

The town governors... all flogged the inhabitants, but the first flogged them pure and simple, the second explained their zeal by referring to the needs of civilization, and the third asked only that in all matters the inhabitants should trust in their valour.

One of the major satirical novels of the 19th century, Shchedrin's farcical history of Glupov (or Stupid Town) follows the bewildered and stoical Russian inhabitants for hundreds of years as they endure the violence and lunacy of their tyrannical rulers.

Charlotte Hobson spent much of the nineties living and working in Russia. She now lives in England and divides her time between translating and working on her first novel.