The author has taught creative writing and 19th-century Russian literature at Syracuse for 25 years (he also wrote the extraordinary Lincoln in the Bardo). This book is a collection of 7 Russian short stories followed by, or interspersed with, Saunders' commentary. It amounts to his college course between two covers. It even has exercises as appendices. The stories are great ones and Saunders is entertaining, insightful, and sometimes wise. I can go to 4.5 stars.