Pogromatic Stuff
- Pappa
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Pogromatic Stuff
Sorry, this was meant to be a parody, but the title got me thinking about One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. It's one of my favourite books, though I haven't read it for years. I've always liked Russian fiction, but embarrassingly still haven't got round to reading Crime and Punishment, though I did read Notes from the Underground a few years ago.
I read We once and was really impressed. Apparently Aldous Huxley denied having read it before he wrote Brave New World, and Orwell publicly called him a liar.
I'm a fan of Andrei Kurkov. He's written some great novels and somehow I'm friends with him on Facebook.
Anyone got any favourite Russian fiction?
I read We once and was really impressed. Apparently Aldous Huxley denied having read it before he wrote Brave New World, and Orwell publicly called him a liar.
I'm a fan of Andrei Kurkov. He's written some great novels and somehow I'm friends with him on Facebook.
Anyone got any favourite Russian fiction?
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I slogged through War and Peace. Not my favorite, but a few decades ago I committed myself to reading it because of the cliches surrounding the book. I don't know why some folks have ranked that book all the way at the top of novels ever written. I found it ponderous.
You might try Pushkin's Eugene Onegin. That's a cool one.
Also, not a novel, but it is a must read - The Gulag Archipelago, by Alexandre Solzhenitsyn. That thing will knock your socks off.
You might try Pushkin's Eugene Onegin. That's a cool one.
Also, not a novel, but it is a must read - The Gulag Archipelago, by Alexandre Solzhenitsyn. That thing will knock your socks off.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I'm glad to see someone still has the patience for Russian literature. I know I don't. I read several of the well known books including Crime and Punishment, Anna Karenina, The Idiot (my favourite) and started War and Peace. This was several decades ago.
I gave up on War and Peace and sadly have never been back to them. They require leisurely, contemplative and unhurried reading I think. I lost the ability to be any of those things in my later 30s.
I gave up on War and Peace and sadly have never been back to them. They require leisurely, contemplative and unhurried reading I think. I lost the ability to be any of those things in my later 30s.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
"I've developed a method of speed reading, which is really useful in my business. Last night I settled down with milk and cookies and read War and Peace in one sitting. It's about Russia." -- Woody Allen.
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Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
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"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice.
There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
Frank Zappa
"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I never really got what all the hype about Crime and Punishment was about. I preferred Brothers Karamazov. But I'd prefer to read a Wilbur Smith novel than read any more Russian literature. It's all so bleak. Having said that I do want to read Doctor Zhivago. It might be a while, though, before I regain the concentration levels to read serious literature again.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I read the 'Grand Inquisitor' chapter of The Brothers Karamazov and left the rest for later. Still haven't returned to it. Taras Bulba is good enough; properly bleak in the Russian tradition, and has the advantage of not taking up too much of your time.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
Russian history is bleak...
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
You want bleak try Cancer Ward.
I tried "We", but it was too turgid and slow. Needed more tits.
I tried "We", but it was too turgid and slow. Needed more tits.
Yeah well that's just, like, your opinion, man.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I call bullshit - Alfred E Einstein
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
Me of course, I know Russian literature very well, even the modern one. It helped too that I used to have lots of business trips to Russia and could stock up.
Viktorija Tokareva is major and currently I like also Viktor Pelevin.
Russia and Russian have always been a huge resource to me. Whatever I study, research or translate, I check out what the Russians have done as well, in fact, as a first point of reference.
Viktorija Tokareva is major and currently I like also Viktor Pelevin.
Russia and Russian have always been a huge resource to me. Whatever I study, research or translate, I check out what the Russians have done as well, in fact, as a first point of reference.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I was forced to read that book at school Paps. I liked reading Asimov at the time. That book put me in the first circle of hell. Hated it.
What will the world be like after its ruler is removed?
- Pappa
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I read the first few chapters of Cancer Ward a couple of years ago, but didn't finish it. Mobile phones have destroyed my attention span, but I should finish it. It seemed like an excellent novel.laklak wrote:You want bleak try Cancer Ward.
I tried "We", but it was too turgid and slow. Needed more tits.
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
I read SF, fantasy, crime, poetry and science. That's it...
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
@ OP : You know that Ivan Denissovitch is not fiction but a heavily edited autobiographical piece, right?
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Re: Pogromatic Stuff
That book cured me of communism.Svartalf wrote:@ OP : You know that Ivan Denissovitch is not fiction but a heavily edited autobiographical piece, right?
Rationalia relies on voluntary donations. There is no obligation of course, but if you value this place and want to see it continue please consider making a small donation towards the forum's running costs.
Details on how to do that can be found here.
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"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice.
There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
Frank Zappa
"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
.
Details on how to do that can be found here.
.
"It isn't necessary to imagine the world ending in fire or ice.
There are two other possibilities: one is paperwork, and the other is nostalgia."
Frank Zappa
"This is how humanity ends; bickering over the irrelevant."
Clinton Huxley » 21 Jun 2012 » 14:10:36 GMT
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