Lazar Lagin

The recorded working language is Russian and Yiddish. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are short novel and polemical lampoon. Works named in the authority record are Old Khottabych. Distinctions recorded are Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945", Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, Order of the Red Banner of Labour and Medal "For the Defence of Odessa".

• Born — 4 December 1903 • Birthplace — Vitebsk, Russian Empire • Died — 16 June 1979 • Place of death — Moscow, RSFSR, Soviet Union • Birth Name — Lazar Iosifovich Ginzburg

Lagin is best known for his ever-popular book Starik Hottabych (Старик Хоттабыч, Old Man Hottabych, 1938), a fairy tale telling the story of a genie who is freed from captivity by a Soviet schoolboy. The genie, as is to be expected, has some trouble in adapting to modern life values and technological development. The book was recommended to school libraries by Ministry of general and professional education of Russian Federation; it was made into the film Old Khottabych in 1956. Lagin's science fiction novels are set in imaginary Western "capitalist" countries and satirize misuse of scientific inventions in bourgeois society. His novella Major Well Andyou (Майор Велл Эндъю) is a satiric sequel to H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. Lagin was also a screenplay writer, producing, for instance, the screenplay for the 1967 animation film Passion of Spies.

• The Old Genie Hottabych, foreign language publishing house, 1950. • The Old Genie Hottabych, Fredonia Books, 2001.

• Beeswin sadi ka jinn. New Delhi, Rajkamal publications. Translated by famous Hindi writer Kamleshwar.