When the King Loses His Head, and Other Stories

In this international anthology you’ll hear the stark, haunting voice of a writer who watched Russia’s turbulent turn of the early twentieth century from the margins of society. The stories range from a darkly comic re‑imagining of the French Revolution—where a king literally loses his head—to a bleak portrait of a young idealist confronting an unforgiving abyss. Andreyev’s prose is spare yet vivid, pulling listeners into cramped rooms, damp prisons, and restless crowds, all while probing the fragile line between hope and despair.

The collection also includes a lyrical prose‑poem about a seemingly frail hero whose inner fire fuels a quiet rebellion, and a chilling narrative about seven condemned men that echoes the dread of state terror. Though written over a century ago, the works pulse with a timeless concern for individual freedom under oppressive regimes. Listeners will find a blend of psychological intensity and stark social commentary that makes the stories feel both historical and eerily contemporary.