Vintage 1980 Soviet Book: The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin – Leonid Solovyov | Tsar to Soviet Books

Vintage 1980 Soviet Classic: "The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin" by Leonid Solovyov

For collectors of Russian 20th-century literature, Eastern folklore, and picaresque satire, this 1980 original Soviet hardcover is a standout edition. Published in Leningrad by Lenizdat (Лениздат), The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin (Повесть о Ходже Насреддине) collects both of Leonid Solovyov’s legendary novels about the wit, defender of the poor, and timeless trickster of Central Asian legend.

Bound in bright orange cloth embossed with traditional oriental scrollwork, this 576-page volume is illustrated throughout by the celebrated Soviet graphic artist and caricaturist Vladimir Galba.

Two Masterpieces of Picaresque & Philosophical Prose

Solovyov's novels are celebrated for their rich oriental atmosphere, sparkling dialogue, and underlying subversion of tyranny:

• Book One — "The Troublemaker" (Возмутитель спокойствия, 1940): A joyful, fast-paced adventure set in Bukhara, where Nasreddin infiltrates the palace of the Emir to deliver justice and rescue his beloved.

• Book Two — "The Enchanted Prince" (Очарованный принц, 1954): Written during Solovyov's imprisonment in the Dublag labor camp, this sequel deepens into a profound meditation on freedom, moral duty, and the passage of time.

• Vladimir Galba Illustrations: Full-page and inline ink drawings capturing bazaar brawls, greedy usurers, wise donkeys, and Nasreddin’s cunning exploits.

Complete Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: Повесть о Ходже Насреддине (The Tale of Hodja Nasreddin)

• Author: Leonid Vasilievich Solovyov (Л. В. Соловьев)

• Illustrator: Vladimir Aleksandrovich Galba (В. А. Гальба)

• Book Designer: A. I. Veksler (А. И. Векслер)

• Publisher: "Lenizdat" Publishing House (Ленинград)

• Publication Date: 1980 (Leningrad, USSR)

• Language: Russian

• Binding: Original publisher's orange cloth hardcover, blind-stamped oriental framing

• Page Count: 576 pages, illustrated

• Classification: Russian 20th-Century Fiction / Central Asian Folklore / Soviet Satire

Condition & Preservation Report

• Exterior Condition: The orange cloth boards are clean, flat, and rigid. Embossed oriental scrollwork and title lettering remain sharp and distinct with minimal shelf wear.

• Binding Integrity: Exceptionally firm, square, and tight text block with intact hinges.

• Paper & Illustration Quality: Interior pages are clean and unmarked, exhibiting uniform light cream age-toning typical of 1980s Lenizdat paper stocks. Free from marginal notation, underlining, library stamps, or owner signatures.