Who is your favorite Russian writer?

[Kyriakos]

Just a poll of some of the main names. They are all of bygone years, since i am only relatively well-read in that century of Russian letters...

My own favorite is Dostoevsky. Gogol comes second.

[Desolation]

Uncle Fyodor.

[aliengirl]

Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Chekhov stands third but I've read only his short stories.

[Helga]

Way to difficult to answer, I have only read about one book by each and loved them all. I do think Pasternak should be on the list, I love him.

[dfloyd]

The Shooting Party. All the rest of his work are short stories and plays, unless he wrote some poetry that I am unaware of. Pasternak only wrote one novel I am aware of: Doctor Zhivago. Chekov's The Shooting Party is mediocre, but as evryone knows, Doctor Zhivago is one of the best of the 20th century. I've read it twice and couln't put it down either time. For breadth of work and his three masterpieces: The Brothers Karamazov, The Possessed, and The Idiot, I must vote for Dostoyevsky.,

[bIGwIRE]

My vote was for Tolstoy. I may have voted for Anton Chehkov if he had written some longer novels, as I recieve so much pleasure from his work.

I enjoyed the other Russians as well, but with Tolstoy I can re-read his stuff several times and still enjoy myself. I've read everything Dostoevsky ever wrote, and, while I really enjoyed it, it hasn't kept me coming back time and time again. With Dostoevsky, and Gogol, once is enough for me. Anna Karenina amazes me everytime I pick it up.

[stlukesguild]

Pasternak only wrote one novel I am aware of: Doctor Zhivago.

Within Russia Pasternak is far more known as a poet... arguably the greatest of the 20th century. Such is the opinion of other poets such as Anna Akhmatova and Marina Tsvetaeva.

Tolstoy was a jerk at times... quite often... but also a brilliant writer. I must go with him.

[Lokasenna]

No love for Mikhail Bulgakov? Shame...

My knowledge of Russian literature is rather too limited to make a fair judgement, but I from what I've read I'm going to have to go with either Bulgakov or Pushkin.

[Alexander III]

1)Pushkin
2)Tolstoy
3)Lermontov
4)Turgenev


I ought to say I am more partial to poetry than prose, hence my list is probably biased.

[Alexander III]

[COLOR="DarkRed"]
Tolstoy was a jerk at times... quite often... but also a brilliant writer.

Fun Fact 1) Tolstoy and Turgenev had some sort of quarrel and Tolstoy challenged him to a dual. At the last minute their seconds convinced them otherwise, but still we could have lost two great men in a matter of seconds.

Also say what you want about Tolstoy but he never killed another man (excluding war-time of course but that is different). Just on this list alone Lermontov killed half a dozen in duel over pointless things.

Fun fact 2) If one is russian, and one is a poet; do not under any circumstances participate in a duel...

[crusoe]

No love for Mikhail Bulgakov? Shame...



Double-SHAME !!! Bulgakov IS:

a) a master of the Short-Story
b) a blessed novelist
c) an outstanding Playwright.

[kelby_lake]

Chekhov, because he wrote some brilliant plays, followed by Tolstoy who could win on the basis of Anna Karenina alone.

[Kyriakos]

The only Bulgakov story i ever read was the infamous one with the dog that got transformed into a human, and naturally became a member of the communist party :)

[PeterL]

Nabokov by far

[kelby_lake]

Nabokov by far

Yes, he ought to be included on this poll.

[byquist]

Would have to say Chekhov, although I've only read so much of Russian lit. Seems to be the gentlest writer, even in the entire Western tradition. So many sympathetic characters, deserving of our admiration. Sonia, from Uncle Vanya -- how much more she deserves in life than she gets. Mother whose son is drowned, military men who have to leave the one they love or lose their life in a duel, an indigent student who will not take a gift of money and is kind to the lucky one, a guy who has wasted and been cheated of 30 years of his life by a fraud, a debt collector who is always rebuffed and has a weakness for women. All these people are true to human existence, all so real. Not made up. So natural. Nothing is exaggerated in Chekhov; it rings true.

[Bustrofedon]

Other- for Nabokov. Dostoyevsky and Tolstoy in a dead heat for second. I enjoyed Bulgakov's M&M but was disappointed in Lermontov's Hero. Reading Doctor Z right now and am enjoying it very much. To the rest I sadly plead ignorance.

[aliengirl]

I also missed Pasternak on this list. Doctor Zhivago is certainly one of the best novels of 20th century.