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The Same Old Story
The Same Old Story (1847) tells the story of Alexander Aduyev who leaves the idyllic setting of his home in the country to seek his fortune and make a career in St. Petersburg under the guidance and protection of his uncle, a government official. Such is the beginning of this "ordinary story". Alexander Aduyev, a "romantic three times over" (to quote Vissarion Belinsky) gr...more
Paperback, 392 pages
Published
January 28th 2001
by University Press of the Pacific
(first published 1847)
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Since I loved "Oblomov" so much, my guy got me a copy of another book by the same author. It's not nearly as wonderful as "Oblomov" (I'm not sure what could be, actually), but very enjoyable. It's much shorter than the typical Russian novel, so that's something in its favor! (haha) This author had quite an interesting ironic view of life, it seems. Too bad he only wrote three books -- or maybe it's not so bad because who has time to read all these long Russian books -- even this "short" one had...more
More of a treatise on love than a common story indeed!!
Prevalent throughout the story is the sympathetic undertones of the wisdom of the author, far from being dogmatic, as some of Russian authors of that period tended to be.
A very concise book, plentiful of witticism and aphorism amidst a lifelong worth of heartbreakes and disillusionment, worthy of Wilde in his prime make this one of the most jovially morose Russian fictions i've ever read so far.
Prevalent throughout the story is the sympathetic undertones of the wisdom of the author, far from being dogmatic, as some of Russian authors of that period tended to be.
A very concise book, plentiful of witticism and aphorism amidst a lifelong worth of heartbreakes and disillusionment, worthy of Wilde in his prime make this one of the most jovially morose Russian fictions i've ever read so far.
What I admire in this novel:
- excellent portrayal of class and the demoralizing effects of wealth
- the damaging effects of the ideology of love
- the no-win outcome for both sexes in a patriarchal marriage except, of course, that the husband gets to pursue his career, while the wife is bound
What I wish were different:
- often too heavily dialogue laden
- the two male protagonists (nephew and uncle) are overdrawn, less would have been more and the aunt could have been used more efficiently as a c...more
- excellent portrayal of class and the demoralizing effects of wealth
- the damaging effects of the ideology of love
- the no-win outcome for both sexes in a patriarchal marriage except, of course, that the husband gets to pursue his career, while the wife is bound
What I wish were different:
- often too heavily dialogue laden
- the two male protagonists (nephew and uncle) are overdrawn, less would have been more and the aunt could have been used more efficiently as a c...more
This book was excellent. Goncharov is a genius; he gets human nature just right. This book is very depressing leaving one feeling hopeless, helpless and cynical at the end. I think many people go through the process of disillusionment, disappointment, and depression that the main character experiences as he gets older and is more in touch with the “real world”. This book explains the change in people from idealists to materialists, and makes one really think about the world. I also really love t...more
One of the books that really make one reflect on your life. I've read it this year, and surprisingly found myself tracking similarities between my and Alexander's experiences. Leaving the family nest and entering a new world of opportunities, possibilities, hopes and dreams is always exciting. Yet it can also be life changing, especially at a young age. It takes courage to be able to go through this process, and stay true to yourself, despite the possible disappointment or bitterness. Alexander'...more
Wonderful book, sodden with extreme emotions.
I loved it! Especially the cynical uncle.
the shock of my young age. i`m fond of
CITAZIONE
La gloria si stancata di tenere a balia i poeti: ci sono troppi aspiranti. Una volta la gloria, come una femmina, faceva la corte un po' a tutti; adesso, è bravo chi la trova: o non è mai esistita, o chissà dove se né andata a nascondere! C'è invece la notorietà, ma ha immaginato un altro modo di manifestarsi: chi scrive meglio fa denari, chi scrive peggio non ne fa.
La gloria si stancata di tenere a balia i poeti: ci sono troppi aspiranti. Una volta la gloria, come una femmina, faceva la corte un po' a tutti; adesso, è bravo chi la trova: o non è mai esistita, o chissà dove se né andata a nascondere! C'è invece la notorietà, ma ha immaginato un altro modo di manifestarsi: chi scrive meglio fa denari, chi scrive peggio non ne fa.
Mar 02, 2011
S.
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to S. by:
mom
Shelves:
russian
Well, what can I say? Another boring Russian book about nothing. About their life, their mistakes, and everything of that sort. Just boring.
Прекрасная,милая книга.
Не тяжелая, но с отличными мыслями для размышления.
Правда, лучше бы ее читать в возрасте 16-18 лет
Не тяжелая, но с отличными мыслями для размышления.
Правда, лучше бы ее читать в возрасте 16-18 лет
Мечты против реальности. Версия середины 19-го века.
оказывается, я ее уже читал.
моралите
моралите
May 21, 2013
Tatiana Anfimova
marked it as to-read
Apr 28, 2013
Mateus Pereira
marked it as to-read
Apr 28, 2013
Harpe
marked it as to-read
Apr 14, 2013
Wisnu Soebagio
marked it as to-read
Apr 08, 2013
Julia
marked it as to-read
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Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov (Russian: Иван Александрович Гончаров) was a Russian novelist best known as the author of Oblomov (1859).
Иван Александрович Гончаров русский писатель; член-корреспондент Императорской Академии наук по Разряду Русского языка и словесности (1860).
More about Ivan Goncharov...
Иван Александрович Гончаров русский писатель; член-корреспондент Императорской Академии наук по Разряду Русского языка и словесности (1860).
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“I desire nothing, seek nothing but peace, the slumber of the soul. I have tasted all the hollowness and wretchedness of life and I despise it heartily. Whoever has lived and thought cannot but, in his soul, despise humanity. Activity, cares, worries, distractions - I am sick of them all. I wish for nothing, I seek nothing. I have no aim, for one gains that which one is eager for - and sees that it is all illusion. My joyous days have passed. I have cooled to them. In the educated world, amidst human beings, I feel the disadvantages of life too strongly, but alone, far from the crowd, I turn to stone. In this trance anything can happen, I see neither others nor myself. I do nothing and do not notice the actions either of others or myself - and I am at peace, I am indifferent. There can be no happiness for me, and I will not succumb to unhappiness.”
—
2 people liked it
“I expected so much from life and if I had not seen it so close, I would to this day be expecting something. What treasures I discovered in my own soul - where are they all? I have exchanged them for the world's coin, given my frankness, my first passion - and for what? For bitter disillusionment, for the knowledge that all is deception, all is brittle, that one can place trust neither in oneself nor in others - and I have come to fear both others and myself. I have not been able, along with this analysis, to accept the trifles of life and be content with them, as many others do.”
—
1 person liked it
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