“Draitser’s memoir is a compelling read—informative, passionately written, funny, and framed within the context of Soviet history. It is a great resource for anyone interested in Soviet Jewish culture and identity in the post-Stalin era, the perils of emigration, and the paradox of being a humorist in an authoritarian state where satire was tolerated but always suspected of crossing a line into dissent.”—Jarrod Tanny, author of City of Rogues and Schnorrers: Russia’s Jews and the Myth of Old Odessa
“A true jewel. This book is hard to put down. It is funny, insightful, full of excellent dialogue and detail. It provides a window into everyday life of the author working within the Soviet publishing industry and offers insights on how the Soviet censorship system worked in practice.”—Anna Shternshis, author of When Sonia Met Boris: An Oral History of Jewish Life under Stalin
“A revealing and moving window into the life of Soviet Jews more generally post-WWII through 1974. . . . An unsurpassed look at the texture of Soviet life at that time.”—AJL News and Reviews