{"product_id":"лагин-старик-хоттабыч-вальк-1953-lagin-old-khottabych-children-s-soviet-ussr","title":"Lagin, L. Starik Khottabych (Old Man Khottabych). A Fairy Tale (Povest'-skazka), 1953. In Russian","description":"\u003cp\u003eЛагин Л. Старик Хоттабыч: Повесть-сказка. \/ Рис. Г. Валька.\u003cbr\u003eМосква ; Ленинград : Детгиз, 1953.\u003cbr\u003e255 с., ил. Твёрдый издательский иллюстрированный переплёт, формат 22.5 × 15 см.\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003eLagin, L. Starik Khottabych (Old Man Khottabych). A Fairy Tale (Povest'-skazka). \/ Illus. by G. Valk.\u003cbr\u003eMoscow; Leningrad: Detgiz, 1953.\u003cbr\u003e255 pp., ill. Publisher’s illustrated hardcover, format 22.5 x 15 cm.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 1953 edition of Lazar Lagin’s Old Man Khottabych is a fascinating literary artifact that stands at the intersection of beloved children's fantasy and the complex ideological landscape of the late Stalinist era. While the core story follows the schoolboy Volka and the ancient genie he rescues from a bottle, this specific version represents the first significant revision of the 1938 original.\u003cbr\u003eThis \"Cold War edition\" is notorious among bibliophiles for its sharp ideological shifts. Reflecting the \"struggle against cosmopolitanism,\" the text was altered to include harsh critiques of Western imperialism, specifically targeting the United States and the social inequities Lagin perceived abroad. The genie's magic often serves as a vehicle for satirical commentary on capitalist society versus the idealized Soviet collective.\u003cbr\u003eFurthermore, the book is a milestone in Soviet illustration history as it marks the debut of German Valk's iconic artwork for this title. Valk’s dynamic, expressive style became the definitive visual interpretation of the characters for generations of readers. Curiously, while \"L. Lagin\" appears on the cover, his name is omitted from the back matter—a subtle nod to the precarious political position of the author in the year of Stalin's death. This edition is highly sought after by collectors of children's literature and those interested in the history of Soviet censorship and propaganda.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Stanza Rare Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43963246542890,"sku":"EB-306526932120","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0701\/6359\/5306\/files\/57_809c42d5-3ca7-40b4-be99-bd2590b625ca.jpg?v=1768163214","url":"https:\/\/stanzararebooks.com\/products\/%d0%bb%d0%b0%d0%b3%d0%b8%d0%bd-%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b0%d1%80%d0%b8%d0%ba-%d1%85%d0%be%d1%82%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%b1%d1%8b%d1%87-%d0%b2%d0%b0%d0%bb%d1%8c%d0%ba-1953-lagin-old-khottabych-children-s-soviet-ussr","provider":"Stanza Rare Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}