“This is the crazy raucous story of Vladimir Girshkin, a young non-confrontational Russian emigre who comes to the U.S.
While his parents mange to cope well with the changes in their lives, even learning to "work the system", Vladimir finds himself in a dead end job with personal relationship that is anything but fulfilling. He is in hos own thoughts, a slacker.
The author creates an amazing tale of acculturation and re-acculturation as Vladimir attempts to improve his social and financial standing in life. His choices lead him into anew relationships, new bars and challenge that will take him down a shadowy path. Shteyngart, manages to poke fun at elements of the hip intellectual crowd, the college crowd and the perception of life in the "beautiful people" crowd. At the same time he mocks the post-Soviet money driven "semi-organized" criminal element. This author offers a wonderful offbeat, satirical sense of humor and human understanding that is too often overlooked, under appreciated and ingenuously revealing.”