Lazar Lagin (Russian: Лазарь Иосифович Лагин, Lazar Yosifovych Lagin) (born Lazar Ginzburg, December 4, 1903 in Vitebsk – June 4, 1979) was a Soviet satirical and children's writer. He is best known for his book "Starik Hottabych" (Старик Хоттабыч, Old man Hottabych, 1937), a fairy tale (heavily coloured with communist and pro-Soviet ideology) 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 and the communist lifestyle. The book was very popular among children in its day; it was made into a film in 1956.
See also
- Starik Khottabych, a Soviet Union 1956 film
External links
- Lazar Lagin biography on the Belarus SIG Newsletters, by Vitaly Charny
