Nashi

Thanks to Language Hat, who posted link to a review of Наши (Ours), I ordered it in Russian (from Russia-on-line). It was much cheaper and easier to get than the English translations, came in a couple of days. I am exceedingly glad that I did. Dovlatov is funny.

Here's a bit from the first chapter.

Беспорядков мой дед не любил. Поэтому и к революции отнесся негативно. Более того, даже несколько замедлил ее ход. Дело было так.

Народные массы с окраин устремились в центр города. Дед решил, что начинается еврейский погром. Он достал винтовку и залез на крышу. Когда массы приблизились, дед начал стрелять. Он был единственным жителем Владивостока, противостаявшим революции. Однако революция все же победила. Народные массы устремились в центр переулками.

My grandfather didn't like messes. That's the reason he didn't cotton to the Revolution. More than that - he even slowed it down a little bit. Here's how it happened.

From the outskirts masses were making for the city center. My grandfather decided that an anti-Semitic pogrom had started. He fetched his rifle and crawled up onto the roof. When the masses got close, grandfather began firing. He was the only Vladivostokan who opposed the revolution. However, the revolution triumphed anyway. The masses made for the center on the side streets.

He's funnier in Russian than my translation makes him seem...

Thanks, Hat!