Kirschenbaum, Lisa A

This book traces the elisions and obfuscations in Ilf and Petrov’s story and the political and humorous motivations they may have had for doing so. Questions of politics, art, commerce, identity, and how Soviet citizens perceived themselves in relation to Americans make for a fascinating story. It’s somewhat academic, but this book is a must for readers interested in Soviet, American, or Jewish history and radical politics.