Ilya Ilf (1897-1937) and Yevgeny Petrov (1903-1942) were classics of Russian satirical prose and co-authors of legendary novels that created one of the most striking and witty characters in Russian literature: Ostap Bender, the "great schemer," a man of indefatigable wit, ingenuity, and irony.
This volume includes both of these writers' famous works-"The Twelve Chairs" (1928) and "The Golden Calf" (1931)-in their expanded versions, including fragments and episodes excluded from the first editions for censorship reasons.
"The Twelve Chairs" is a satirical novel about the search for diamonds hidden in one of the chairs in Madame Petukhova's suite. Set against the backdrop of Soviet reality in the late 1920s, a comedy of human characters unfolds, where dreams, greed, stupidity, and resourcefulness collide.
In "The Golden Calf," the action extends beyond the confines of provincial towns: Ostap Bender, now more experienced and cautious, seeks a path to wealth and freedom in a country where even a million rubles is no guarantee of success.
Ilf and Petrov created not just a satire on the society of their time, but a timeless comedy of human vices and illusions. Their novels are full of humor, paradoxes, and brilliant dialogue, and Ostap Bender has long become a symbol of resourcefulness, charm, and a philosophy of survival.
