Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In 1961, Anthony Burgess visited the Soviet city of Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg. What he experienced in the city inspired two novels: Honey for the Bears, and A Clockwork Orange.
Before he left England, he taught himself Russian by using phrasebooks and recordings on vinyl. The audio in this video is taken from a seven-inch record in the Burgess Foundation archive, titled 'Russian: Perfect Pronunciation'. Burgess bought the record around 1960, and it was instrumental in the creation of Nadsat, the invented slang spoken by the characters in A Clockwork Orange.
Honey for the Bears has been published in a new edition by Galileo and is available to order now: uk.bookshop.org/a/15106/9781915530684 (affiliate link)
Order A Clockwork Orange: The Restored Edition: uk.bookshop.org/a/15106/9780141197531 (affiliate link)
For more information about Anthony Burgess visit: anthonyburgess.org
Ordering from our affiliate links helps support the work of the Burgess Foundation.
In 1961, Anthony Burgess visited the Soviet city of Leningrad, now Saint Petersburg. What he experienced in the city inspired two novels: Honey for the Bears, and A Clockwork Orange.
Before he left England, he taught himself Russian by using phrasebooks and recordings on vinyl. The audio in this video is taken from a seven-inch record in the Burgess Foundation archive, titled 'Russian: Perfect Pronunciation'. Burgess bought the record around 1960, and it was instrumental in the creation of Nadsat, the invented slang spoken by the characters in A Clockwork Orange.
Honey for the Bears has been published in a new edition by Galileo and is available to order now: uk.bookshop.org/a/15106/9781915530684 (affiliate link)
Order A Clockwork Orange: The Restored Edition: uk.bookshop.org/a/15106/9780141197531 (affiliate link)
For more information about Anthony Burgess visit: anthonyburgess.org
Ordering from our affiliate links helps support the work of the Burgess Foundation.
