In the USSR, stories about the "leader of the revolution" were part of Soviet propaganda, and although written for pre-school children, they were compulsory reading in the younger grades. What was not emphasized was the authorship of Zoshchenko, who was still subjected to repression in 1946, then barred from printing until his death.
The stories in this collection are teasing, subtle irony, a parody of moralistic tales about Vladimir Lenin. In one of the stories, a fisherman asks Lenin to support the fishing industry, because the fish, unable to wait for Soviet nets (not enough of them were being produced, also the boats needed repairs), are drifting away to English waters. The author plays with convention when he portrays the hero as an ideal and flawless character, a crystal of virtues. This is the case, for example, in the story in which Lenin, as a teenager, admits, after two months of internal struggle, to accidentally lying and breaking a decanter. Only then can he finally fall asleep with relief and a smile. For all his actions and remarks are just and wise, how could it be otherwise....
Zoshchenko's stories over time have become material for the creation of many anecdotes and parodies.
Edition I (Polish).
Published by Nasza Księgarnia, 1970.
Format: 210 x 175 mm, 78 pages.
Hardcover, with cloth spine.
Book in nice condition (rubbing of edges included in photos, hardly visible stamp on title page).
