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gomer
WayToRussified
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445
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 Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| I see many people reading books while they are riding the Metro. |
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mister_wizzz
VIP
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 582
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 4:51 pm Post subject: |
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Actually a russian friend living in Novossibirsk gave me the main reason why Russians read so many books... It is because during the long Russian winter there is often nothing else to do  |
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Crabman
WayToRussified
Joined: 28 Jan 2005
Posts: 401
Location: Middlesex
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 5:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Daria wrote: | | Racer wrote: | | It seems pretty common they like to read. If you're looking for a good one in English, I'd suggest The Collected Tales of Nikolai Gogol, translated by Pevear & Volokhonsky. Reminds me very much of late Mark Twain--great sense of humor, but often with a bit of a dark (or at least realistic) edge. And they're short stories, so easy to read. I think the book is currently out of print, but still can be had through Amazon. |
"Dead souls" by Gogol is a must read.
Did you know that Gogol was paranoid about being buried alive? Apparently, when Gogol's coffin was exhumed, his body was flipped over. |
I first read Gogol after seeing the movie "Taras Bulba" and decided to read the book. I enjoyed the book immensely and subsequently read many of Gogol's short stories as well as the classic "Dead Souls" (which I agree is a "must read").
Gogol certainly had very dark, ironic sense of humour. I agree that English language readers would be reminded of Mark Twain or, especially, Joseph Heller ("Catch 22") I understand that Gogol was quite mad at the end of his (very short) life. |
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Generation-P
WayToRussified
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 316
Location: SHE WENT TO BARCELONA!
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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| Remember Pelevin as well! |
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gomer
WayToRussified
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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| Crabman wrote: | | I understand that Gogol was quite mad at the end of his (very short) life. |
I have heard that 'short lives' are apparently somewhat of an occupational hazard among Russian writers. Pushkin is one name that comes to mind. |
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Generation-P
WayToRussified
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 316
Location: SHE WENT TO BARCELONA!
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 6:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Lermontov and Gumilev were both death even younger than Pushkin.. |
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gomer
WayToRussified
Joined: 30 Mar 2007
Posts: 445
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Yes. Quite a few names can probably be found if someone is familiar with the birth and death dates of many Russian writers. |
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Daria
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1146
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:00 pm Post subject: |
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| gomer wrote: | | Crabman wrote: | | I understand that Gogol was quite mad at the end of his (very short) life. |
I have heard that 'short lives' are apparently somewhat of an occupational hazard among Russian writers. Pushkin is one name that comes to mind. |
Russian drama! One has to write something genius and die shortly after.
Sickness, duele, murder, suicide is even better. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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| is that still true today |
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Daria
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 16 May 2005
Posts: 1146
Location: Canada
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| surfguy wrote: | | is that still true today |
Of course it is. Russian literature is full of drama. There aren't too many happy stories. It's all about drama: adultery, envy, death, lies, murder, love, revolution; it's all about good and evil. Writers add to their stories their own life drama. That's what makes them live forever. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 8:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Daria wrote: | | surfguy wrote: | | is that still true today |
Of course it is. Russian literature is full of drama. There aren't too many happy stories. It's all about drama: adultery, envy, death, lies, murder, love, revolution; it's all about good and evil. Writers add to their stories their own life drama. That's what makes them live forever. |
ahhh so poetic...but what about the simple things in life...why all those complexities? Surely can't russians just live and enjoy...Russians need to surf! |
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Generation-P
WayToRussified
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 316
Location: SHE WENT TO BARCELONA!
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:06 pm Post subject: |
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| Daria wrote: | | surfguy wrote: | | is that still true today |
Of course it is. Russian literature is full of drama. There aren't too many happy stories. It's all about drama: adultery, envy, death, lies, murder, love, revolution; it's all about good and evil. Writers add to their stories their own life drama. That's what makes them live forever. |
Yes Yes! It is not that long ago when Putin youngsters, at the time called idushie vmeste, I think, were burning books of Sorokin in the center of Moscow. Also they tried to bann theater performance written by Sorokin or based on Sorokin's novel. |
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surfguy
Lounge Wizard
Joined: 13 Apr 2006
Posts: 6979
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| Posted: Fri Aug 17, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| so much for freedom of speech and press |
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Generation-P
WayToRussified
Joined: 22 May 2006
Posts: 316
Location: SHE WENT TO BARCELONA!
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| Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 8:14 pm Post subject: |
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| Some of Sorokin's prose has had quite vulgar language, he's somewhat similar to Bukowski, some might say. Actually, in 1980's Sorokin wrote quite interesting and describing book of soviet day-to-day life with his book Queue. |
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