Post: #1

Some of his books:

- Death and the Penguin. With its sequel "Penguin Lost", two cult pieces of writing. As usual Kurkov combines modern political and social commentary with traditional russian absurdist satire. Viktor, a friendless and familyless 40ish writer lives alone in Kiev in a dreary apartment with Misha, an emperor penguin. Masterpieces.

http://www.amazon.com/Death-Penguin-Melv...1935554557

- Pengouin Lost. Wonderful, funny, tragic and brilliant, packed with intrigue and mordant humour : Viktor tracks down his beloved Penguin, Misha, through Ukraine, Russia and even Chechnya. A true gem.

http://www.amazon.com/Penguin-Lost-Melvi...pd_sim_b_1

- The Milkman in the Night. His new novel. In the tradition of Gogol and Bulgakov, blends folkloric characters, magical realism and political satire to reveal a ukrainian society riddled with greed, stupidity and corruption.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Milkman-Night-An...0099548860

- The President's Last Love. It's the story, told in the first person, of Sergei Pavlovich Bunin, born in the Soviet Union in 1960, who progresses from being an unemployed youth to becoming the President of the post-Soviet Ukraine. The absurdities of the life in Ukraine - corrupt politicians, incompetent officials, etc. Brilliant.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Presidents-Last-...1843432579

- Good Angel of Death. The hero, Kolya, leaves Kiev in a hurry. His destination is not random, but is related to Ukraine's national poet, Taras Shevchenko. A fantastic journey set not just in Ukraine, but also in Astrakhan and Kazakhstan, and on a fish-packing factory ship on the Caspian Sea.

http://www.amazon.com/Good-Angel-Death-A...721&sr=1-8

- The Gardener from Ochakov. The misadventures of Igor, who stumbles upon an old Soviet Police uniform which gives the wearer the ability to time travel. Igor then finds himself living a double life, shuttling between his depressing modern existence, in which he lives in the suburbs of Kiev with his mother, and the exciting world of Ochakov in 1957, full of gangsters, thieves and illicit relationships.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Gardener-Och...1846556155