This edited collection focuses on the nexus between literary consumption, memory and collective identity formation in Russia from the 1980s until today. It challenges perceived notions about the reduced social significance and identity-building potential of contemporary Russian literature. Drawing on a diverse set of primary source materials, ranging from memoirs, diaries and essays to fan art and BookToks, the collection seeks to do justice to the diversity of an enormous reading public that is often routinely referred to as the 'Russian reader'. The case studies explore the reading habits and self-understanding of very different audiences that are dispersed along regional, gender, generational and technological divides. In doing so, this collection examines both the continuities and shifts in the multifaceted relationship between literary consumption, memory and identity during the profound and ongoing transformations in Russian society and its literary landscape.
Reading Russian Literature, 1980 2024: Literary Consumption, Memory and Identity is a valuable contribution to the field of Russian literary studies. The book is well-organized and accessible, making it a useful resource for scholars, students and general readers interested in contemporary Russian literature. Reading Russian Literature, 1980 2024 emphasizes the enduring significance of literature in shaping collective memory and identity. (Elizabeth A. Skomp, Slavonic and East European Review SEER, Vol. 103 (2), April, 2025)







