THE OVERCOAT AND OTHER RUSSIAN TALES

Stefan Rudnicki narrates this collection of stories by the Russian author Gogol in his wonderful bass voice. Gogol's style, which uses the absurd and surreal to satirize Russian culture, influenced many of the greats of Russian literature who followed, such as Dostoevsky and Bulgakov. Besides the eponymous "Overcoat," this collection includes seven other tales, among which are "How the Two Ivans Quarreled" and "The Nose," the latter of which is one of this reviewer's favorites in all of Russian literature. Rudnicki's performance is perfect. His inflection, pacing, and enunciation are spot-on. He affects different voices for dialogue splendidly. M.T.F. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2021]