Synopses & Reviews
“Mordantly funny, deliciously human, Rubins tale of a self-possessed survivor brings zest to the literature of immigration and adaptation.” -
BooklistWhen Stalina Folskaya flees her native Russia after the fall of the Soviet Union, she sets out for America with her dreams—and her painful past—firmly in tow. A trained chemist in Russia but disillusioned by her prospects in the United States, she becomes a maid at the Liberty, a “short-stay” motel on the outskirts of Hartford, Connecticut. Even here, gutsy Stalina sees opportunity, convincing the owner to let her transform the motel into a fantasy destination. Business skyrockets and the American dream is within her sights, but she cannot escape the ghosts she left behind in St. Petersburg. Obsessed with avenging her family while also longing for a new life, Stalina must choose between the obligations of the past and her hopes for the future.
“[Rubin] respects the often harrowing histories of her Russian characters and, most importantly, is true to human nature, to our weaknesses and superstitions, to the strengths and frailties of our friendships, and to the baggage of the past that we bring with us no matter where we go.”—Daphne Kalotay, author of Russian Winter
Synopsis
Twelve luminous stories alive with friendship and secrets introduce a remarkable writer. Daphne Kalotays characters confront regrets and unrealized hopes in tales tinged with gentle humor. A newly independent woman finds herself in bed with an ex-husband of long ago. A little girl gets a surprising glimpse into adulthood when she catches her mother in a moment of uninhibited pleasure. A thirteen-year-old boy contends with the unwanted attentions of a younger girl. And for two older women, a tie formed in their youth sustains them through varied twists of fate. These are dazzling intertwined tales of love, failure, and the comedy of human relationships.
Synopsis
A Russian émigré learns that she can succeed at anything as long as she can corral all the demons from her past.
About the Author
Emily Rubin's fiction has been published in the Red Rock Review, Confrontations, and HAPPY. She is a past nominee for the Pushcart Prize. In 2005, she began producing "Dirty Laundry: Loads of Prose," a reading series that takes place in laundromats around the United States. She divides her time between New York City and Columbia County, New York with her husband, Leslie, and their dog, Sebastian.