pbIvan Petrovich Belkin left behind a great number of manuscripts.... Most of them, as Ivan Petrovich told me, were true stories heard from various people.bpbrFirst published anonymously in 1830, Alexander Pushkin's iTales of Belkini contains his first prose works. It is comprised of an introductory note and five linked stories, ostensibly collected by the scholar Ivan Belkin. The stories center variously around military figures, the wealthy, and businessmen this beautiful novella gives a vivid portrait of nineteenth century Russian life. pIt has become, as well, one of the most beloved books in Russian literary history, and symbolic of the popularity of the novella form in Russia. In fact, it has become the namesake for Russia's most prestigious annual literary prize, the Belkin Prize, given each year to a book voted by judges to be the best novella of the year. pIt is presented here in a sparkling new translation by Josh Billings. iTales of Belkini also highlights the nature of our o