Forty Rubles Extra…
- Campbell gets that the love thing was a ruse, but how did Resi get her hands on that trunk filled with his writing?
- ZOMG, Shmoopers, this is the best part of this twisty conversation.
- Two words: Stepan Bodovskov.
- Okay, more words: Bodovskov is an interpreter with Russian forces. During the invasion of Berlin, he finds the trunk. He employs his interpreter skills by reading this German trove of creativity and decides: Imma steal this and pretend I wrote it.
- Surprise, surprise—the Bodovskov-Campbell "collaboration" is a hit.
- Bodovskov is uber famous and raking it in. Anyway, Russia loves the writing, and it's getting translated into other languages.
- The biggest hit is a play called The Goblet.
- Stalin loves it.
- Campbell can't remember it.
- Wirtanen summarizes it: it's a love story set among the protectors of the Holy Grail wherein extramarital sex is pardoned in cases of pure love.
- Even the, um, saucy stuff in Bodovskov's "memoir" is a smash.
- For forty extra rubles, you can even get the full-color illustrations.