One of the things that are really useful to expand one’s vocabulary is reading – especially if you are not so fond of Russian Youtube. (Save the “duh”, it’s the introduction, it must be a bit obvious, to blow your mind later). I would therefore like to present you readers with a few options of books you should read, according to your level of language knowledge, and a few places in which you can find them pretty cheap!
What to Read
From the most basic level to the most advanced one, there are books that fit every taste and need. As a literature lover, I personally do not like adapted books, but if you don’t mind reading what was once rich and has now became an almost tasteless bolus, you know this option also exists. About “original” literature,Маленький Принц, Le Petit Prince, is a good beginning pick. Same for Lev Tolstoy’s Азбука, which is however more of a manual. Moving a bit up I can recommend (as my teacher, in turn, recommended me) short stories by Anton Chekhov or the ones written by Sergey Dovlatov. Poet and writer Daniil Kharms also wrote some interesting (however absurd, for the most part) short stories, which can be easily found on the Internet (check here, for example). Almost to the top of the pyramid! You can start to read novels, and a good one, not too extreme, is Bulgakov’s ‘The Master and Margarita’. Once you are comfortable reading this, it means you are ready to read whatever you want! Молодец!
Where to Buy
New Russian books can be found everywhere, even though I personally love Дом Книги on Nevsky, which has quite a remarkable choice, and not just the coolest setting in which you can find them. If you want to order online and maybe save some rubles, there are also plenty of options. I’ve used Ozon.ru, which deploys your order to a pick-up place of your choice, nothing easier. If what you are looking for is second hand books at derisory prices, Старая Книга has a few places around St. Petersburg, one of which is on Nevsky, close to the Hermitage. The second alternative place I suggest is Книги Искатель, which has a bigger choice of narrative literature. The only thing you have to arm yourself with is perseverance, since as much it takes to scroll though the chaos of their inventory to find books. But that’s the fun part, isn’t it?
If you have any further advice for readers or can recommend fome other Russian book, please comment below! In any case, enjoy reading!