Lives in Transit—Contemporary Russian Women's Writing

After the fall of the Soviet empire, feminine roles in Russia shifted radically, resulting in a rich new body of women's literature. Featuring twenty-five diverse writers from this turbulent era, Lives in Transit is a collection of stories and poems that strive to make sense of the female experience. Sexual awakening, romantic love, parenthood, politics, family structures, abortion, rape, and the struggle to integrate domestic and professional responsibilities are deftly handled here in stunningly vibrant verse and prose.

Lives in Transit not only gives voice to a generation of talented Russian women authors, but also provides readers with a glimpse into a unique time and place. Within its pages are found a cobbler with an undying love, an immigrant family living in France, an elderly woman intrigued by a younger man, and other memorable characters, while several remarkable poems round out this collection.

Helena Goscilo is Professor and Chair of the Department of Slavic & East European Languages & Cultures at Ohio State University. She writes primarily on culture and gender in Russia. Her most recent publications include Reflections and Refractions: The Mirror in Russian Culture and Putin as Celebrity and Cultural Icon.