The Twelve Chairs

A former nobleman, Kisa Vorobyaninov, learns from his dying mother-in-law about diamonds hidden in one of the twelve chairs of an antique set. Together with the charming and resourceful adventurer Ostap Bender, they travel through the cities of the young Soviet Union in search of the coveted treasure, encountering a whole array of amusing characters along the way. Instantly loved by all readers, this novel of the NEP era was quickly cited, adapted into film multiple times, and is considered a benchmark of satire and humor.