Overlooked Russian greats: Ilf, Ilya & Petrov, Yevgeny

И – Ильф Илья и Петров Евгений

Ilya Ilf (1897-1937) and Yevgeny Petrov (1902-1942) were a legendary writing duo, who created Soviet literature's most brilliant satires. Though two individuals, they worked as one creative voice. Their novels ‘The Twelve Chairs’ and ‘The Little Golden Calf’ about a con artist named Ostap Bender remain masterpieces that boldly mocked Soviet bureaucracy. Both died young – Ilf from tuberculosis and Petrov in a plane crash during World War II.