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Counterpoint

The Suitcase: A Novel

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Description

From the exiled Russian author of The Zone―“His tales open a small window on to daily life in the former Soviet Union” (The Guardian). Sergei Dovlatov’s subtle, dark-edged humor and wry observations are in full force in The Suitcase as he examines eight objects―the items he brought with him in his luggage upon his emigration from the U.S.S.R. These seemingly undistinguished possessions, stuffed into a worn-out suitcase, take on a riotously funny life of their own as Dovlatov inventories the circumstances under which he acquired them, occasioning a brilliant series of interconnected tales: A poplin shirt evokes the bittersweet story of a courtship and marriage, while a pair of boots (of the kind only the Nomenklatura can afford) calls up the hilarious conclusion to an official banquet. Some driving gloves―remnants of Dovlatov’s short-lived acting career―share space with neon-green crepe socks, reminders of a failed black-market scam. And in curious juxtaposition, the belt from a prison guard’s uniform lies next to a stained jacket that once belonged to Fernand Léger. Imbued with a comic nostalgia overlaid with Dovlatov’s characteristically dry wit, The Suitcase is an intensely human, delightfully ironic novel from “the finest Soviet satirist to appear in English since Vladimir Voinovich,” according to The Washington Post “Readers will soar through the first two-thirds of this novel, then . . . stave off finishing it. The final chapters will be hoarded and cherished, doled out one at a time as a reward after a bad day.” ―The New York Times “His laconic, humane irony illuminated life in the Soviet Union like a sudden burst of laughter during a police interrogation.” ―The Baltimore Sun< Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Counterpoint; Reprint edition (April 1, 2011)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Paperback ‏ : ‎ 160 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1582437335


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 30


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 6 ounces


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.4 x 0.4 x 8.1 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #153,282 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #294 in Dark Humor #1,215 in Fiction Satire #9,256 in Literary Fiction (Books)


#294 in Dark Humor:


#1,215 in Fiction Satire:


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Top Amazon Reviews

    • A Brilliant Lens Through Which to View Soviet Life
Since my college days, I have been a voracious reader of Russian authors, especially the great classical novelists. I recently read and reviewed a book by a contemporary Russian author, and had an e-mail conversation with a close friend who lives and works in Moscow. When I told him the name of the author whose work I had recently completed, he sneered and said,"Here in Russia, we consider this 'airport reading.' If you want to read a more modern Russian novelist, you should tackle Sergei Dovlatov." So, based on Vasya's recommendation, I ordered a copy of "The Suitcase." In reading this small novel, I experienced feelings similar to those I felt in reading Tim O'Brien's iconic book, "The Things They Carried." As was the case with O'Brien's book in demonstrating what it was like for an American to fight in Vietnam, each object described in "The Suitcase" evoked a deeper understanding of what it meant to live under the Soviet system. The conceit of the book is that the author has emigrated from the USSR to New York, carrying with him only a single suitcase, which he promptly stows in the back of the closet in his NYC apartment. A few years later, he has occasion to rediscover the suitcase. As he unpacks it, each of the eight objects prompts him to launch into a vignette that describes how he had acquired the object, and its meaning in his life - and by extension - its connection to life in the USSR. The book is a small gem, full of irony, self-deprecation, insight, humor and pathos. "The Finnish Crepe Socks" chapter is a wonderful example, leading to the unraveling of a tale of black market entrepreneurship run amok in a rapidly changing world in Russia. I cannot wait to order my next example of Dovlatov's writing and wit. Thank you, Vasya! ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 8, 2013 by Alan L. Chase
    • Satire on USSR
We are reading this for our Zoom book club meeting soon. The narrator brought a small suitcase with him when he emigrated to the USA. He tells an anecdote based on each of the articles in the suitcase in a humorous self-deprecating way that is quite amusing. Throughout he mentions Soviet filmmakers, writers, and politicians, a large number were new to me. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 23, 2020 by Margaret Catambay
    • Clever, funny and insightful
Dovlatov's work is hard to categorize - billed as novels but written in an autobiographical voice. But whether fact or fiction, his books are clever and funny and well worth the read. Set in the waning days of the USSR he depicts with humor and irony the lives of Russians in the 70-90s. "The Suitcase" is essentially a collection of short stories - each based on an item the author brought with him when he immigrated to the US. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2021 by Ambrose Rankin
    • Three Stars
Entertaining but somewhat disconnected.
Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2017 by Amazon Customer
    • A treasure
I was living in Eastern Europe a few years after this was written, and it is so true to my experiences there. The use of the suitcase as an organizing principle was brilliant. It's a quick read, and really insightful on life. I don't think it would be everyone's cup of tea ... creative brilliance more than cut-and-dried story ... but that's a plus for me. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2020 by Kristen
    • Everyday items in a forgotten suitcase provide the chapters in a surreal Soviet autobiography
In sparse prose, Sergei Dovlatov shares chapters from his misspent Soviet youth in memorable style drawing everyday items out from a mythical suitcase that was all he was allowed to take out when he left Russia. There is no attempt to link his various experiences as a conscript, journalist, construction worker or small time black marketeer into any kind of narrative. Each chapter stands alone and captures moments bizarre, moving or confused of a corrupt system which brutalised its own people before falling victim to its own empty deceits. Dovlatov spares no one, least of all himself, from his searing honesty, razor sharp commentary and mordant wit. It all combines in powerful literary cocktail. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2014 by keetmom
    • Beautiful, poignant, sad, and funny all at the same time
Dovlatov is one of my favorite authors. I appreciate his writing style, sense of humor, and authenticity. I can see how his subject matter can be alien to someone who is not at all familiar with the everyday life of common people in the Soviet Union in the 1960s-1970s - and at the same time it could be a great help to those who wish to familiarize themselves with that era in the Soviet History. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 25, 2013 by Neeyah
    • Humor and Sadness
A unique combination of comical incidents and underlying pathos, as only Dovlatov can. A talented Russian writer who died young in America and was not published in Russia during his lifetime.
Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020 by Abie Alexander

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