Distinguished by James E. Falen's masterful use of contemporary American English and handling of rhyme and meter, this new translation of Alexander Pushkin's verse novel ably provides English readers with the chance to experience the work of the poet Russians regard as the fountainhead of their literature.

The introduction includes Falen's discussion of how his translation compares with those of his predecessors and a general analysis of the poem. Nearly one hundred notes annotate the text.