New Additions to the Ardis List

Overlook is proud to announce the release of Manuscripts Don’t Burn and Theater as Life, two extraordinary new titles from Ardis, the premier source for Russian literature in translation. For theater enthusiasts, those with an abiding interest in Russian history and culture, or simply anyone looking for an enriching end-of-summer book, Manuscripts Don’t Burn and Theater as Life are indispensable new volumes.

Theater as Life presents the major theatrical works of Nikolai Evreinov: The Main Thing, for which he is perhaps best known, A Merry Death, Ship of the Righteous, The Theater of the Soul, and The Theater of the Eternal War. A director, historian, and prolific playwright, Nikolai Evreinov remains a founding figure of modern Russian theater. Known particularly for his association with Russian Symbolism, Evreinov was profoundly interested in the relationship between reality and illusion and the intersection of theater and real life, themes which he explored—and captured—in the fantastical staging, intricate plot twists, and signature surprise endings of his plays. Now back in print, this essential anthology immerses the reader in Evreinov’s works and creative identity and, by extension, the theatrical experience of early 20^th century Russia at large. Scholar and translator Chris Collins’s extensive and enriching introduction, as well as portraits, production photographs, and Evreinov’s own sketches, complete the volume.

Expertly researched, compiled, and interpreted, Manuscripts Don’t Burn offers a biographical account in letters and diaries of Mikhail Bulgakov, one of Soviet Russia’s greatest literary figures. This remarkable documentary history delivers the impact of a scholarly work with the poignancy of a novel—creative, personal, and political writings tell of Bulgakov's development as an artist, the intimate details of his own life, and the daily uncertainty of life under the Stalinist regime. Censored during his lifetime, Bulgakov is celebrated and made brilliantly accessible for current readers in this fascinating new anthology.

Theater as Life is currently available, and Manuscripts Don't Burn will go on sale at the end of this month. Don’t miss these critical additions to the Ardis list!