In this classic of Russian humor and social commentary, a fired cable fitter goes on a binge and hopes a train to Petushki (where his "most beloved of trollops" awaits). On the way he bestows upon angels, fellow passengers, and the world at large a magnificent monologue on alcohol, politics, society, alcohol, philosophy, the pains of love, and, of course, alcohol. "The comic high-water mark of the Brezhnev era." —David Remnick, Village Voice "Linguistically, it is as intoxicating as Gogol. Erofeev's Russian is rich, expressive, multilayered: there are the crudest vulgarities next to some of the most poetic prose imaginable, and the work becomes epic." — World Literature Today "Erofeev's delirium tremens journey is a tale of restless, hopeless alienation and yet it is soulful in the Russian manner. . . . The poignancy of Venya's follies is almost unbearable." —Elizabeth Hardwick, New Republic In this classic novel of Russian humor and social commentary, a cable fitter is fired from his job after accidentally sending out detailed graphs charting his coworkers' productivity against the amount of alcohol they consumed. VENEDIKT VASILYEVICH EROFEEV  (also Benedict Yerofeyev, 1938–1990) was a noted Soviet-era Russian satirist.  Used Book in Good Condition