Quotes from Sergei Dovlatov

The university campus was in the old part of town. The combination of water and stone creates a special, majestic atmosphere there. It's hard to be a sluggard under those circumstances, but I managed.

What can I do? I have no talents. I refuse to cripple myself for ninety roubles... Well, all right, so I'll eat two thousand hamburgers in my lifetime. Wear out twenty-five dark-grey suits. Leaf through seven hundred issues of the local newspaper. And die without scratching the earth's surface. Is that it? ... I'd rather live only a minute, but live it right! (Fred Kolesnikov)

Di recente - aveva detto - ho dato al mio capo un ultimatum. O mi paga di più o me ne vado. - E com'è finita - aveva chiesto Musja. - Con un compromesso. Lui in definitiva lo stipendio non me l'ha aumentato e io, dal canto mio, ho deciso di non licenziarmi.

Abans que nasquem, hi ha un abisme. Després de morts, hi ha un abisme. La mostra vida és només un gra de sorra a l'oceà indiferent de la infinitud. Intentem almenys que aquest instant no s'enfosqueixi de tristor i d'avorriment! Intentem deixar una esgarrapada a l'escorça terrestre." La maleta, Sergei Dovlatov

A Russian drunk is a fascinating creature. Even when he has money, he still prefers poison at a rouble forty. And he won't take the change.

The day was cold but sunny. The city was decorated with holiday flags.

Basically, that marble fucker is hanging by a thread. So when the rally starts, stay to the side. And warn your wife." "But the cream of Leningrad will be standing there! What if the thing falls?" "Might be for the best, the foreman replied wanly.

Sales were lukewarm. Back home there was no freedom, but there were readers. Here there was freedom enough, but readers were missing.