Russian Classics

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I read the Brother's Karamazov about 3 years ago. I particularly enjoyed the moral questions and psychological questions the book posed. This, I think is part of the classic Russian novels that I have been exposed to. But I think that to truly understand a book, you have to read it more than once. So I have to re-read. Any opinions/comments about the book?

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weare not used to intllektuals rond her madam. Maybe one will show up though

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Good book.

What other Russian classics do you like? :wink:

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You mean there are more? Shocked

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The Brothers Karamazov is certainly worth reading more than once. But I'd also highly recommend Crime and Punishment, also by Dostoevsky. The probelm with most Russian literature is the fairly poor English translations. It's almost worth it to learn the Russian language just to enjoy Dostoevsky and Tolstoy and Pushkin and Gogol and . . .

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Merry, so true. My love of Dosty's writing led me to 'learning' the Cyrillic alphabet. I had to do it alone, with books and exercise books, but one day I will actually learn to speak the mo'fo'ing Russian language! Cool

Don't forget about the great Russian poets! I'm interested to hear more. I absolutely love this subject.

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Favorite Russina read: Tolstoy short stories.

I read Brothers K. while traveling in Europe. The paperback was so large that when I finished a chapter I would just rip it out and leave it behind. I remember finishing the last chapter on a train as we pulled into Pisa. Not sure if I would want to read it again.

Best translations from Russian have been by Modern Library in MHO.

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The only other one I have read (sort of ) was Anna Karenina. Over the summer I started reading it but with about 40 pages left, things kept coming up so I never finished. I guess I have to start all over another time. Anyhow, what did you think about Anna's character. Initially, I couldn't sympathize with her. Then I began studying the Victorian era adn how women were treated. Also, when I read Ibsen's A Doll's House, I could understand how she could leave. I like the idea that a person is an individual before they are a member of society, not the other way around.

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Has anyone read Maxim Gorky? Very weird dude. Reminds me of Klimt, the surrealist painter.

What about The Idiots? Dostoyevsky

Or Chekov plays?

Or Solzynitsen (sp) - A day in the life of Ivan Denisovich, Cancer Ward...

War and Peace and Anna Karenina are too laborious for me. Way too much unnecessary detail...

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bookmarking with one comment.

Mame,
I am happy to make your acquaintance.

Mame said:

Quote:

War and Peace and Anna Karenina are too laborious for me. Way too much unnecessary detail...

You must take into account that these books were written long ago, when it was not uncommon for a book lover to spend hours at a time reading. There are significant cultural differences as well.

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flushd wrote:

Merry, so true. My love of Dosty's writing led me to 'learning' the Cyrillic alphabet. I had to do it alone, with books and exercise books, but one day I will actually learn to speak the mo'fo'ing Russian language!

Don't forget about the great Russian poets! I'm interested to hear more. I absolutely love this subject.

The impression I've always had is that Russian literature relates to ours sort of like our economy relates to theirs....

A lot of Russian literature is online these days.

http://public-library.narod.ru/Pushkin.Alexander/

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Great topic, I'm sort of on a, what could be called, Russian lit-kick. A Hero of Our Time, by Lermontov, is still one of my favorite books.

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How about Isaac Asimov? I don't think anyone's mentioned him. Asimov deserves an acknowledgment in this thread, I think.

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Mame wrote:

Has anyone read Maxim Gorky? Very weird dude. Reminds me of Klimt, the surrealist painter.

Gorky's short stories are marvelous: his novels, not so good. Among my favorite stories are Malva, Tcelkash,and Twenty-six Men and a Girl. All very colorful and impressionistic.

His autobiography - three volumes "My Childhood";"My Universities" ; and I forget the title of the last volume are also very good reads. He was briefly very fashionable in the West as the creator of "Socialist Realism. He left the Soviet Union to live in Italy about eight years after the revolution, and died under somewhat mysterious circumstances soon after returning in the mid 1930s.

I didn't like Anna Karenina much, but believe War and Peace is wonderful. Dostoyevski's novels are in a class by themselves-- particularly The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment.

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I believe the other book was called roughly "In the World".

Gorky was weird. I enjoyed reading him though. One of the biggest pleasures of his work, for myself, is comparing various copies. Some old books stores have gorgeous copies, and it is amazing how different they are. Interesting stories about the publishing houses too.

I wonder how much of his writing is actually authentic, and how much is doctored bits and pieces. I dunno, but that time period for writing in Russia is interesting.

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flushd wrote:

I believe the other book was called roughly "In the World".
.

I believe you are correct. Thanks.

The first volume of his autobiography left the most lasting impression on me - particularly his descriptions of the character and behavior of his grandmother. I recall a wonderful section in which he contrasted the styles of his grandfather and grandmother at prayer.

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georgeob1 wrote:

Mame wrote:
Has anyone read Maxim Gorky? Very weird dude. Reminds me of Klimt, the surrealist painter.

Gorky's short stories are marvelous: his novels, not so good. Among my favorite stories are Malva, Tcelkash,and Twenty-six Men and a Girl. All very colorful and impressionistic.

His autobiography - three volumes "My Childhood";"My Universities" ; and I forget the title of the last volume are also very good reads. He was briefly very fashionable in the West as the creator of "Socialist Realism. He left the Soviet Union to live in Italy about eight years after the revolution, and died under somewhat mysterious circumstances soon after returning in the mid 1930s.

I think the last one is called "My Apprenticeship"; sorry, I could not handle him - so depressing - and what was with the woman and the goat? Ack... I was in a totally Russian phase and was so looking forward to some 'good' writing, but I couldn't get past the first two of these books.

I didn't like Anna Karenina much, but believe War and Peace is wonderful. Dostoyevski's novels are in a class by themselves-- particularly The Brothers Karamazov and Crime and Punishment.

I like War & Peace, too... but too much detail... much like Dickens, every single bleeding thing is described in excruciating detail... Do we really need to know exactly how the gas light was shining on that particular piece of road at that moment???

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LionTamerX wrote:

bookmarking with one comment.

Mame,
I am happy to make your acquaintance.

Mame said:

Quote:
War and Peace and Anna Karenina are too laborious for me. Way too much unnecessary detail...

You must take into account that these books were written long ago, when it was not uncommon for a book lover to spend hours at a time reading. There are significant cultural differences as well.

Pleased to meet you, too LionTamerX...

I realize the period in which these were written, and as I said to someone else here, it was the era, but it was much too detailed and much too superfluous... too much of a muchness. JMO, of course.

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CrazyDiamond wrote:

How about Isaac Asimov? I don't think anyone's mentioned him. Asimov deserves an acknowledgment in this thread, I think.

Well, he's a whole different kettle of fish, isn't he? I really like the Foundation series, and the I Robot ones... very good. Yes... but different era, different writing style...

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Chekhov is the best short story writer, ever, period.

Gogol writes the most scathing yet benevolent omniscient narrator. Loved Dead Souls--his stories are worth reading, too.

One of my all time favorite Russian novels is Master and Margarita by Bulgakov; check him out if you haven't already.

The Russians are the greatest storytellers.

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