Russian folklorist Alexander Nikolayevich Afanasyev (1826-71) recorded and published more than 600 folk and fairy tales. His first collection was published in eight volumes from 1855 to 1867. Kiev-born Sergey Levchin emigrated to the United States at the age of 12. He received his BA from St. John's College and an MA in Russian literature and linguistics from Columbia University. He is also the author of Dover's Easy Russian Phrase Book.