This is a breathtaking guide to one of the greatest traditions in literature. Starting in Moscow, the book paints a picture of the city through its most important literary sites, from the homes of writers like Pushkin and Mayakovsky to the streets where important literary scenes take place. Then to the areas around Moscow, to St. Petersburg, and onwards through the entire country, giving us at once an overview of Russian literature, an intelligent look at the social and political panorama of the time, and a travel guide to Russia's very heart. The authors take us from the major literary museums to the sites most central to the canon of Russian literature. "A book to be read at home as much as by travelers." Illustrations.