Lara Vapnyar Book order

As a young girl, Katya Geller learned from her mother that math was the answer to everything. Now, approaching forty, she finds this wisdom tested: she has lost the love of her life, she is in the middle of a divorce, and has just found out that her mother is dying. Nothing is adding up. With humor, intelligence, and unfailing honesty, Katya traces back her life’s journey: her childhood in Soviet Russia, her parents’ great love, the death of her father, her mother’s career as a renowned mathematician, and their immigration to the United States. She is, by turns, an adrift newlywed, an ESL teacher in an office occupied by witches and mediums, a restless wife, an accomplished writer, a flailing mother of two, a grieving daughter, and, all the while, a woman caught up in the most common misfortune of all—falling in love. Award-winning author Lara Vapnyar delivers an unabashedly frank and darkly comic tale of coming of age in middle age. <em>Divide Me by Zero</em>is almost unclassifiable—a stylistically original, genre-defying mix of classic Russian novel, American self-help book, Soviet math textbook, sly writing manual, and, at its center, a universal story with unforgettable lessons for us all.

Vica, Vadik, Sergey and Regina met in Russia in their school days, but remained in touch and now have very different American lives. Sergey cycles through jobs as an analyst, hoping his idea for an app will finally bring him success. His wife Vica, a medical technician struggling to keep her family afloat, hungers for a better life. Sergey's former girlfriend Regina, once a famous translator is married to a wealthy startup owner, spends her days at home grieving over a recent loss. Sergey's best friend Vadik, a programmer ever in search of perfection, keeps trying on different women and different neighborhoods, all while pining for the one who got away.As Sergey develops his app - calling it "Virtual Grave," a program to preserve a person's online presence after death - a formidable debate begins in the group, spurring questions about the changing perception of death in the modern world and the future of our virtual selves. How do our online personas define us in our daily lives, and what will they say about us when we're gone?

Lara Vapnyar's collection of six stories explores the intricate relationship between food and love through vividly drawn characters. Nina, a newcomer from Russia, finds hope in vibrant vegetables, while Luda and Milena vie for a widower's affection through culinary competition. Sergey discovers solace in a companion's borscht, highlighting the deep yearning for connection and the essence of home. This delightful anthology not only weaves together their experiences but also includes a roundup of recipes, enriching the narrative with a tangible taste of culture and longing.

Set against the backdrop of a cramped Soviet apartment, a teenager named Tanya dreams of becoming a muse to a great writer, inspired by her obsession with Dostoyevsky. After emigrating to America, she seizes the chance to live with acclaimed novelist Mark Schneider, hoping to inspire him while navigating her own identity. As she grapples with her expectations and the realities of their relationship, Tanya discovers profound truths about ambition, love, and her envisioned destiny.

Exploring the lives of Russians in both Moscow and Brooklyn, this collection of poignant, humorous stories delves into their aspirations and experiences. The narratives weave together the complexities of identity and culture, creating a vibrant literary landscape that captures the essence of the characters' struggles and triumphs.