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Reading Russian books is really a matter of joy and they are illuminating immensely. As a matter of fact I like most of Russian writers and all are Russian short stories which are immensely rich in everything.
Tolstoy is really marvellous and I have always enjoyed reading his books from War and Peace to all his short stories.
Russian literature has been my all time favorite and I never got tired of reading.
Count me in the group of those who love Russian Lit.
You can't go wrong with the classic masters, Pushkin, Chekov, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky. Almost every year I pick one of the novels of Tolstoy or Dostoevsky and put it on top of my "to read" stack. I always find something new with each reading. I haven't read that much by the contemporary Russian writers but some of the posts have piqued my curiosity about them. I'll be heading to the book store soon to see what I can find.
I read a book called The Anti-Soviet Soviet Union by Vladimir Voinovich and he mentioned Tvardovsky a few times. I haven't read any of his works yet but I am interested. I had a look on amazon and they don't have a lot of books by him but I was able to add one to my wish list along with a book or two by Ivan Bunin, he's another Soviet author I've heard a lot about but never read.Quote:
Originally Posted by hellsapoppin
Russian literature in point of fact great sources and Russian literature others in many respects. For instance I always admire Tolstoy for his famous book war and peace, for this is really a beautiful novel, and I like this book in all respect. Tolstoy has reached a height in literature few others have reached. He was really a serious man, and he has lived his life by setting an example. We know he was from a very prosperous family background, but he has attuned himself to servitude, and he had to suffer a lot owing to his dispute or clash with his family members, for he was living by the ideal they did not want at all.
I just read Crime and Punishment and I was just 'grabbed' by it!!
I strongly recommend it...
Those of you who know Dostoyevski... which of his books should I read next???
Just to whet your appetite a bit read Notes from the Underground. It is an excellent little book. Read it in one sitting and then go for the big ones. The Idiot is far better than Crime and Punishment but it moves slowly. A very slow but extremely rewarding book. Then you can move on to the Dady of them all, The Brothers Karamazov. Only War and Peace comes anywhere near it. Karamazov is a huge book but if you think Crime and Punishment is good, Karamazov would simply sweep you off your feet. Go for it, read Dostoevsky. You will never regret investing time in this one writer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melmoth
Hi! I'm a newly English teacher here in Philippines and to be honest I discussed LAMENT by Anton Chekhov. I appreciated his short story and it also reflects to the Filipino values here so I can say that Russian literature is great.... I will also read other Russian lits..... :)
And don't forget The Possessed...or Devils...or Demons, apparently the name had several translations. ;) It ranks right up there as one of my favorite Dostoevsky books along with Crime and Punishment.Quote:
Originally Posted by Melmoth
What about lesser known works of Dostoevsky like "The Gambler"? Anyone read his lesser works? By 'lesser' I mean less well known of course.
I've read several of his short stories and novellas, The Gambler being one of them and it's brilliant.
I think it is best to read Dostoyevsky in more modern translations. The best version of 'Crime & Punishment' in my opinion is David McDuff's.
I find it really difficult to get through the Russians, There have been a few that I've started and not finished. It's not that I'm not interested, as I'm reading for my own pleasure, and it's not that I don't appreciate the work because I will never ever consider myself well-read until I have thoroughly covered the Russians. Any idea why this could be?
My case is totally different. I have never failed to finish a Russian novel. I can not get through an English novel to save my life. I read some during the course of my student years but could never finish anything for pleasure. I can read American novels, even contemporary English writing but can't read those 'classics' (Dickens, Hardy, the Brontes etc). Start with Lermontov's A Hero of Our Time and work your way up towards Dostoevsky and Tolstoy via Turgenev and Gogol reading short stories by Pushkin and Chekov's plays on your way when you feel tired of reading longer works.Quote:
Originally Posted by *Classic*Charm*
I am planning to re-read Dostoevsky in near future.
Oh,I'm reading the second volume of "War and Peace" right now and I am absolutely loving it...I didn't expect this to happen,since the first half of the first book is not quite attractive,but now I am amazed...Absolutely!
They're often difficult, as you said, and I think that's why!!:)Quote:
Originally Posted by *Classic*Charm*
There are quite a few I didn't finish as well (The Idiot, for instance, or The Brothers Karamazov - but I read Crime and Punishment through to the end, as well as shorter ones by Dostoievsky; and I finished all of Solyenitzin's). I always tell myself I'll have time to take them up again one day, and that maybe I wasn't ready for them at the time...
Have you ever tried the shorter Russian novels? Lermontov, Pushkin, a few of Tolstoi (The Cossacks, The Kreutzer Sonata) and of Dostoievsky (Notes from the Underground...), Gogol (the St Petursberg's stories)... There are lots of those, and I sometimes have the impression they tend to be forgotten, shadowed as they are by the more famous longer works.
Russian literature is the most prominent subject,there are a eclectic of these books being translated.I have hitherto read Russian literature books and they make the biggest portion of my stupendous library.
hey wilbur, i just wanted to say that eventually I hope Russian Lit makes a large part of my library too. May I ask who is your favorite Russian author? Having begun reading Russian Literature less than a year ago, I am not very well-versed in it, but Dostoevsky is to me far more interesting than Tolstoy.Quote:
Originally Posted by wilbur lim
I actually ahven't read any of the shorter novels and short stories. I kind of just dove right in, starting with The Master and Margarita, as well as The Brothers Karamazov. Neither worked out particularly well. I'm going to try them again later..It was really disappointing though.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitterfly
It's quite normal: they're practically the hardest you could have chosen!!Quote:
Originally Posted by *Classic*Charm*
Bulgakov wrote easier novels than The Master and Margarita, which is interesting but quite heavy-going; ditto for Dostoievsky's The Brothers Karamazov. I don't know whether it's a matter of personal taste, but I found Crime and Punishment far more accessible.
And do try Notes from the Underground - I really loved that book. Or A day in the Life of Ivan Denissovitch, a good place to start for Solyenitzyn. Or The Kreutzer Sonata, a beautiful (long) novella by Tolstoi, ifyou don't feel like starting straight off with Anna Karenina or War and Peace.
There are so many other Russian authors and works... it's really a pity to be disappointed by Russian literature only because you've chosen the "wrong" introductions to it... I know I went through a period when I was fascinated by them.
I've read pretty much everything Dostoevsky wrote over the last couple of years, and would definitely say that 'Crime & Punishment' is the best book to start off with. It's somehow easier reading than his other 'big' novels, and also more satisfying than his shorter work. If you don't enjoy it then I think it's unlikely that you'll like the heavier, more difficult to read stuff.
I'm now looking to expand my Russian reading as apart from lots of Dostoevsky and some Gogol (and Nabokov, don't know if he counts though...), I haven't read much else in the field. I keep thinking about giving 'War & Peace' a go, but am currently reluctant to commit myself to one big novel for ages... Any thoughts on other 'must read' Russian masters?
War and Peace is a truly amazing book. I would put it on your list for a rainy day...or 50 ;) but do read, you won't be disappointed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Basil Valentine
Are you looking for 19th century Russian or any era? A wonderful 19th Century author is Ivan Turgenev. He writes these short little books but are able to capture that era and society so succinctly and yet they are incredibly astute commentaries on the times. Fathers and Sons is a must read book and another favorite Turgenev book for me was On The Eve although you really can't go wrong with any of his works.
A couple of other worthwhile 19th century novels are Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov, it's a little slow to begin with but stick with it and you will be richly rewarded...and The Golovlyov Family by M.E. Saltykov.
Great! Thanks a lot for the recommendations (and yes, I was mainly thinking of 19th century authors). I'll admit I was a little put off Turgenev because of Dostoevsky's attitude towards him, and satire of him, in 'Demons', but I still felt 'Fathers and Sons' was something I should really read at some point. I've never even heard of Goncharov or Saltykov, and both the books you mention look very interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Idril
"A couple of other worthwhile 19th century novels are Oblomov by Ivan Goncharov, it's a little slow to begin with but stick with it and you will be richly rewarded..."
I didn't think it was "slow" to begin, I think the beginning was in fact rather funny.
I had the good fortune to read Turgenev before I knew anything of the man or others' opinion of him so I had a very open mind. There is no denying that he was a "Dandy". We was a very "European" Russian and lived his life somewhat extravagantly and I have little problem understanding why Dostoevsky disliked him so, he was, in many ways, the epitome of what Dostoevsky railed against...however, that doesn't take away from his talent. He's a very different writer from Dostoevsky or Tolstoy, he doesn't have the same concerns, he isn't coming from the same place, neither is he looking towards the same place but he still has a lot to say and he says it very well and I think he opens the window to a different aspect of Russian society at that time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Basil Valentine
I just had a very hard time connecting with the character of Oblamov, he was such an incredibly superfluous human being and granted, that's kind of the point but it just got old for me quickly. There were certainly some amusing anecdotes but there came to be a time when I was wondering whether this was just going to be one long, clever story about how ridiculous this class of people were or if it was going to go somewhere a little deeper and of course, it went somewhere deeper and then it all fell into place but there were a few chapters where I struggled to keep my interest up.Quote:
Originally Posted by Etienne
Well I had already discussed this in some thread about the book. Oblomov is a caricature, but he is a very good caricature actually. I think from what I got too many people judge him for how he acted rather than for what insight there is in such a caricature and for it's merit as a character.
I thought this book was genius.
I think you miss understand what I'm saying though, I'm not saying I don't like the book, I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't like it. I loved the book and I grew to love the character of Oblomov very much despite being luke warm about him in the beginning. There is much more depth to the character than is originally evident. There is a bigger picture that I didn't see in the beginning and that's a comment I've heard often when discussing this book so I was just pointing out that while it may seem light and fluffy to someone who is used to reading the heavy works of Dostoevsky, if you stick with it, you will be richly rewarded.
Notes are probably the hardest to start with, in my opinion; that's not even typical Dostoevsky. You should start with something from realism, and that would exclude Bulgakov and Solzhenitsyn. If you insist on Dostoevsky, start with C&P, and Anna Karenina is not hard; if you want Tolstoy.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitterfly
Turgenev - Fathers and SonsQuote:
Originally Posted by Basil Valentine
Pushkin - Eugene Onegin; novel in verse
Tolstoy - Anna Karenina, War and Peace
Goncharov - Oblomov
Lermontov - Here of our times
Pasternak - Dr Zhivago
Bulgakov - Master and Margarita
Thanks for all the recommendations- I'll try some of the novels you all recommended as being slightly easier and we'll go from there!!
Sometimes the reason for not being able to fully understand or accept a piece of Russian literature, unfortunately, is that the reader is not a native Russian. The Russian Literature is very specific, and very often translators just can't transfer some particular notions, an atmosphere of the book to an interpreted text.
Russian literature is the reason I live.
I think we have the same problem: what to read after reading all Russians? I have no clue.:(Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Hill
I'm dying to read Andrei Bely's Petersburg, but can't find it anywhere!! To the internet!
Exactly! Someone with my dilemma.Quote:
Originally Posted by bazarov
My problem seems to be, that after reading all of Dostoevsky, some Gogol, Resurrection by Tolstoy and some Turgenev, nowadays it takes a long time until I find a book which matches the tremendous quality these books have. Until recently I kept myself from reading Anna Karenina because I wanted to read it whenthere is nothing to do for university, but I just couldn't wait any longer, and now it's like I'm waiting the whole day to continue reading it. Absolutely amazing novel.
I'm reading Resurrection by Tolstoy right now. What a great book!Quote:
Originally Posted by Bumbeli
Read some Pushkin! Or perhaps some Chekhov. Pasternak?
Just throwing names out there. :D
Any recommendations on literature relating to or pertaining to the the February and October revolutions of 1917? If not those specific Revolution(s) what about the 1905 Revolution?
Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by semi-fly
The White Guard by Mikhail Boulgakov is outstanding.Quote:
Originally Posted by semi-fly
For the two books mentioned above (The White Guard by Mikhail Boulgakov & Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak) are there specific translations I should be on the lookout for that are true to the original language?
I'm not sure. I own the Max Hayward / Manya Harari translation. "The Poems of Yurii Zhivago" are translated by Bernard Guilbert Guerney.Quote:
Originally Posted by semi-fly