Earrings for a Black Day: Surviving Perestroika in RussiaThis book provides a real sense of what it was like to live at the time when the Soviet Union collapsed. The reader will step in and participate in the lives of the characters, realizing the devastating impact Perestroika had on the people of Russia. Dont be born beautiful, but be born fortunate, the Russian people say, believing that fate exists. On graduation day, a provincial teacher gives her daughter a pair of priceless antique earringsthe only remaining evidence of the familys former nobilityinsisting they must be kept for a black day. As if a spell has been cast, Lenas life begins falling apart: her fianc is killed in Afghanistan, she loses her baby, and, after a brutal assault, is forced into prostitution. Victor is a military officer who has gone through the bloody meat grinder of Afghanistan. Returning home, he doesnt recognize the country he left a few years ago: he has no place to live, no possibility of employment, and no money in the bank. His only recourse in civilian life is to become a hired killer for his former commander. This novel takes the reader on an emotional roller coaster ride. Just when Lena and Victor seem to find happiness in their lives, fate intervenes through the forces of war, poverty, and death. The reader will finish the book greatly enriched with a deeper understanding of Soviet history, culture, and that mysterious Russian soul. |
Contents
Chapter 23 | 110 |
Chapter 24 | 114 |
Chapter 25 | 118 |
Chapter 26 | 123 |
Chapter 27 | 127 |
Chapter 28 | 132 |
Chapter 29 | 138 |
Chapter 30 | 144 |
| 33 | |
| 37 | |
| 41 | |
| 45 | |
Chapter 11 | 51 |
Chapter 12 | 58 |
Chapter 13 | 63 |
Chapter 14 | 67 |
Chapter 15 | 74 |
Chapter 16 | 77 |
Chapter 17 | 82 |
Chapter 18 | 87 |
Chapter 19 | 91 |
Chapter 20 | 94 |
Chapter 21 | 98 |
Chapter 22 | 104 |
Chapter 31 | 151 |
Chapter 32 | 156 |
Chapter 33 | 158 |
Chapter 34 | 161 |
Chapter 35 | 163 |
Chapter 36 | 167 |
Chapter 37 | 169 |
Chapter 38 | 176 |
Chapter 39 | 183 |
Chapter 40 | 187 |
Chapter 41 | 195 |
Chapter 42 | 199 |
Chapter 43 | 203 |
Chapter 44 | 208 |
Chapter 45 | 212 |
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Common terms and phrases
Afanasiev Afghan Afghanistan Andrey Arthur baby beautiful bench body Bogatyrs Bolshoi Theater coat coffins cognac Colonel Comrade daughter dress earrings everything exclaimed eyes factory father feel felt Frank front girl Granny Maria Gurzuf gypsies hair hand head Ivan Ivanovich Kabul Katya Kiev kissed knew Kyril laughed Lena answered Lena asked Lena looked Lena nodded Lena stood Lena’s Li-ena live looked at Lena Maya military Moscow mother mushroom hunting mushrooms Nevorov asked Olga paused pelmeni Perestroika Politburo pulled quickly quietly Red Square remember returned Russian Serega Sergey shook shoulders sighed slowly smiled sofa soldiers Soviet Soviet Union Spasskaya Tower stopped street talk tell thought told Tolyan took trying turned to Lena Varya Victor village vodka voice Volodya waiting walked watch whispered window woman young Zarecie دو