In a Beautiful and Furious World

The book includes selected stories and novellas by Andrei Platonov (1899–1951) that reflect his philosophical stance on the importance of humanity and compassion, the struggle for life, and personal happiness. An important theme for the author was the experiences of people facing war and trying to rebuild their lives after great upheavals. At the center of Platonov's narrative are ordinary people—workers and apprentices, engineers and builders—who are creating a new, better world. And it often turns out that this is extremely difficult, and one can easily lose their way and lose ground beneath their feet. The book features the stories "The Unknown Flower," "Yushka," "Nikita," "In a Beautiful and Furious World," and "Return," as well as the novella "Epiphany Gates" and the famous "Pit."