Russian Book Club: Pelevin. Chapaev and Void

Our book club is for anyone who is interested in Russian literature but is daunted by the prospect of reading a complete work in the original!

Each month we select a classic or contemporary Russian literary work to read in translation. While our discussions are held in English, we incorporate excerpts and quotes in Russian into the sessions to provide an authentic experience. The club is hosted by an experienced teacher, who will tailor the language element to the levels of the participants. So whether you’re an elementary or advanced learner of Russian, our book club welcomes all levels of proficiency.

Pelevin himself has described this as ‘the first novel in world literature which takes place in an absolute void’. In fact, the action cuts deliriously between Moscow in 1990-s and 1919, the era of the Civil War. At the same time, the boundaries between those worlds are blurry and intertwined. The name of the book has been translated variously as ‘The Clay Machine-Gun’ in Britain and ‘Buddha’s Little Finger’ in the USA.

British translation

The Clay Machine-Gun: Amazon.co.uk: Pelevin, Victor: 9780571201266: Books

American translation

Buddha’s Little Finger: Amazon.co.uk: Pelevin, Victor, Bromfield, Andrew: 9780670891689: Books