The Twelve Chairs. The Golden Calf. Extraordinary Stories from the Life of the City of Kolokolamsk

In the first half of the 20th century, Soviet readers were introduced to the debut work of young writers Ilya Ilf (1897—1937) and Yevgeny Petrov (1902—1942). Although literary critics were initially not favorable towards the original novel «The Twelve Chairs», the public received the captivating story about the search for a hidden stash of family jewels with interest. The idea for the plot of the novel belonged to Valentin Kataev — the brother of Yevgeny Petrov. Kataev, being an experienced wordsmith at that time, suggested that the aspiring writers write a book under his guidance and indicate triple authorship. However, during the process, Ilf and Petrov introduced so many successful original solutions into his initial concept that Kataev renounced authorship. Later, a continuation of the adventures of Ostap Bender — «The Golden Calf» was published. Many years later, these works remain in demand and relevant for readers of all ages. In this book, the satirical novels «The Twelve Chairs» and «The Golden Calf», as well as the cycle of novellas «Extraordinary Stories from the Life of the City of Kolokolamsk», are presented with wonderful illustrations by Maxim Gennadyevich Sharaev (1963).