100 Books to Read from Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia

Ainsley Morse, Russian Department and Yuliya Komska, German and Comparative Literature recommend 100 books to read from the Calvert Journal.
Experimental fiction, literary classics, searing historical accounts, and forgotten memoirs: the breadth of literature from across the post-communist world — much of it still untranslated — stands as testament to centuries of human experience in a region marked by political turmoil and extraordinary resilience. We asked writers, poets, translators, and academics to help us pick 100 of the best books from Central and Eastern Europe, Russia, and Central Asia available in English. From Belgrade to Bishkek, these remarkable works of literature span across cultures, borders, and time.