January 04, 2026

An Author by Any Other Name...


An Author by Any Other Name...
Yes, there can be too many. The Russian Life files.

A recent report by the BBC's Russian service revealed that Russian publishing giant AST has been using ghostwriters to churn out books for years – to ill effects.

Ghostwriters who produce for AST write prodigiously: some write as many as 20 books a year. But while ghostwriting is widespread around the world, and while AST claims that it meticulously checks the facts contained in its books, readers have begun to notice a spate of errors.

Notably, AST publishes a series called "The Complete History of a Country," where ghostwriter Sergei Nachaev covers the history of different countries. The authors are purported to be residents and scholars of these countries, with names like Azadi Hussein (author of the Iran entry) and Lehman Herschel (Israel). In reality, Nachaev has written them all.

As a result the Russian perspective has shone through via obscure conspiracies. The book on India, for example, mentions "a highly developed civilization [that] existed on the country's territory, which perished in a clash with extraterrestrial aliens" from "nuclear weapons."

We're going to need to see the sources on that one.

Perhaps most interesting is the book on the United States, written by one Sage Tippot (a name about as plausible to American ears as Art Vandelay). According to the BBC, the portrayal of the U.S. in the book is not explicitly erroneous, and, once the book gets to the twentieth century, it glosses over any Soviet aggression during the Cold War, painting the United States as an single-minded aggressor plotting for world domination. This is closely in line with the popular Russian telling of the period. In addition, of the two epigraphs at the start of the book, one appears to be sourced from Wikipedia.

The BBC speculated that the rise in low-quality books is caused by non-bibliophiles getting editorial jobs and clamoring for high levels of production. For our part, we book-lovers at Russian Life only endorse history books written by non-ghostwriters.

You Might Also Like

A Whole New World (of Nuclear Weapons)
  • February 07, 2019

A Whole New World (of Nuclear Weapons)

Whether you think INF stands for Instant New Fear or Internationalism Never Falters, this week’s got you covered with both politics and otherworldly events.
A Memory Battle for Lubyanka Square
  • March 14, 2021

A Memory Battle for Lubyanka Square

The hoopla surrounding a new monument at a controversial location in central Moscow highlights the importance of history for Russia – and ourselves.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka
November 01, 2012

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.

Life Stories
September 01, 2009

Life Stories

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.

Little Golden Calf
February 01, 2010

Little Golden Calf

Our edition of The Little Golden Calf, one of the greatest Russian satires ever, is the first new translation of this classic novel in nearly fifty years. It is also the first unabridged, uncensored English translation ever, and is 100% true to the original 1931 serial publication in the Russian journal 30 Dnei. Anne O. Fisher’s translation is copiously annotated, and includes an introduction by Alexandra Ilf, the daughter of one of the book’s two co-authors.

Woe From Wit (bilingual)
June 20, 2017

Woe From Wit (bilingual)

One of the most famous works of Russian literature, the four-act comedy in verse Woe from Wit skewers staid, nineteenth century Russian society, and it positively teems with “winged phrases” that are essential colloquialisms for students of Russian and Russian culture.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

How Russia Got That Way
September 20, 2025

How Russia Got That Way

A fast-paced crash course in Russian history, from Norsemen to Navalny, that explores the ways the Kremlin uses history to achieve its ends.

A Taste of Chekhov
December 24, 2022

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955