Written by Sophie Papp, CSEEES Academic Year 2023-2024 Intern

My selection for the Area Studies Centers Free Little Library is «Собачье сердце», or Heart of a Dog, by Mikhail Bulgakov. I first read this book in my freshman year Russian literature class in the fall of 2022. We started it not long after finishing Crime and Punishment, a literary behemoth that seemed like it’d never end. After many weeks devoted to Dostoevsky, Heart of a Dog was wonderfully engaging – bitingly satirical, grotesque, and comical all at once. I recall going to class every week and regaling the events of the previous night’s chapters with my classmates, all of us oddly fascinated. Heart of a Dog is the perfect blend of compelling social commentary and entertainment. If you enjoy political satire, human-animal hybrids, and debating the ethics of medicine, this one’s for you! 

The free little library is located in the fireplace area of Crane Cafe in Hagerty Hall and offers books in foreign languages supported by Ohio State's Area Studies Centers. The aim of the library is to encourage students to read in their language of study. Stop by to browse the catalogue and find something to take home (just bring it back when you're done!).