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A Collection of Short Stories (Dodo Press)
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol (1809-1852) was a Russian writer of Ukrainian ethnicity and birth. Often called the father of modern Russian realism, he was one of the first Russian authors to criticize his countrys way of life. Although his early works were heavily influenced by his Ukrainian upbringing, he wrote in Russian and his works belong to the tradition of Russian liter...more
Paperback, 92 pages
Published
October 24th 2008
by Dodo Press
(first published 1836)
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My first reaction to Gogol was bewilderment. It's funny, and engaging to read, but...what the hell is it about? I'm not sure what the point of "Diary of a Madman" is, although I know I enjoyed it.
Pevear and Volokhonsky's intro is helpful, although it contains a number of minor spoilers. Their point is that if you try to understand Gogol, you are failing: Gogol himself didn't understand Gogol. "We still do not know what Gogol is," says some guy they quoted. P&V w...more
Pevear and Volokhonsky's intro is helpful, although it contains a number of minor spoilers. Their point is that if you try to understand Gogol, you are failing: Gogol himself didn't understand Gogol. "We still do not know what Gogol is," says some guy they quoted. P&V w...more
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Gogol's tales in this book are split into two distinct sections. The first is concerned mostly with life in Ukraine in the early 19th century and is filled with superstitious people and the demons and devils they interact with regularly. The stories are tremendously funny but also strange and dark, mysterious in the best, most inexplicable way. I was reminded at times of the short work of Hawthorne, in which dark creatures often seem to be lurking in the woods, but Gogol feels more modern someho...more
Gogol's humor (though this isn't all humor) is observational and absurd. He likes to present people doing ridiculous things which they think are quite serious or intelligent. It's the kind of stuff that makes you laugh and shake your head at your friends and family.
Most of these stories are set in the Russian or Ukrainian countryside, so there's a strong rural sensibility. Yet, Gogol writes with equal deftness about people in St. Petersburg. If you know a little about the histo...more
Most of these stories are set in the Russian or Ukrainian countryside, so there's a strong rural sensibility. Yet, Gogol writes with equal deftness about people in St. Petersburg. If you know a little about the histo...more
Vanessa
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
People with an interest in short fiction
I was spurred to read this book because I had heard so much about how Gogol was a master of the short story. The book is in chronological order and is divided into two sections - Ukrainian Tales (his earlier works) and Petersberg Tales ( later works). I read the book in chronological order and almost abandoned it because I was having such a hard time choking down the Ukrainian stories, finding them rough, superstitous and tedious. But I'm glad that I soldiered on, because my persistence was r...more
"The Overcoat" is one of the greatest short stories ever written and is included in tons of "Best Short Story" collections. The amazing thing is that these pieces were written in the early 19th century. Some scholars consider Gogol to be the "father of the modern short story," especially around Russia. When you also understand that they were written in Russia during this time, you realize how brave and marvelous this man really was. "The Nose" is one o...more
Brandie
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommends it for:
anyone who wants to laugh at the absurdity of it all
Recommended to Brandie by:
my mom
What is it about this insane Russian fiction that I love so much? I don't know. But all of a sudden I have the urge to eat stale bread, bad cheese and red wine.
And laugh like a fool.
My favorite, is "The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich."
It's got chapter titles such as "From Which Can be Learned What Ivan Ivanovich took a liking to, what the Conversation Between Ivan Ivanovich and Ivan Nikforovich was About and How it Ended," and a...more
And laugh like a fool.
My favorite, is "The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich."
It's got chapter titles such as "From Which Can be Learned What Ivan Ivanovich took a liking to, what the Conversation Between Ivan Ivanovich and Ivan Nikforovich was About and How it Ended," and a...more
Gogol, Nikolai. (1809-1852). COLLECTED STORIES. (this ed. 2009). ****.
Gogol was a relatively prolific writer in a variety of literary forms. My contact with his works thus far has been limited to “Taras Bulba,” and “Dead Souls.” It turns out, however, that I had read two of the stories in this collection, published by The Folio Society in a translation by Constance Garnett and illustrations by Peter Suart. There is also an an introduction by Philip Hensher which mostly provides ram...more
Gogol was a relatively prolific writer in a variety of literary forms. My contact with his works thus far has been limited to “Taras Bulba,” and “Dead Souls.” It turns out, however, that I had read two of the stories in this collection, published by The Folio Society in a translation by Constance Garnett and illustrations by Peter Suart. There is also an an introduction by Philip Hensher which mostly provides ram...more
Split into two sets of stories - those that take place in Ukraine and those in Russia, this is a collection that takes pride of place on my bookshelf.
The theme of each story tends to deal with the darker aspects of human nature – such as depravity, poverty, the squandering of talent and opportunity, groupthink and malice. However, the narrative never dips into over-sincerity or narcissistic exposition. There is a sharp, honest, knowing quality to the writing that is evident from the s...more
The theme of each story tends to deal with the darker aspects of human nature – such as depravity, poverty, the squandering of talent and opportunity, groupthink and malice. However, the narrative never dips into over-sincerity or narcissistic exposition. There is a sharp, honest, knowing quality to the writing that is evident from the s...more
Overall I enjoyed these stories. Gogol has a knack for drawing you in, making you feel like a friend is telling you a story over a drink. The stories are not connected, but there are common elements. One is that big events/changes can either bring good luck or bad. Here’s a blurb about the stories
St. John’s Eve - Decent. Surprised by the spiritual tone. Every action seems to be caused by god or the devil.
The Night Before Christmas – A silly story I enjoyed it. It co...more
St. John’s Eve - Decent. Surprised by the spiritual tone. Every action seems to be caused by god or the devil.
The Night Before Christmas – A silly story I enjoyed it. It co...more
Gogol is simply a master of social literature; I don't think I've ever had a better time reading short stories that the time I spent reading this. His stories may sometimes be simply folk tales, but they are told with such skill that the world of 19th century Ukraine almost feels real.
The stories may have been light and airy diversions in the hands of another author but Gogol makes them so convincing that I'd not hesitate to believe him if he told me that the fantasy and absurdity that al...more
The stories may have been light and airy diversions in the hands of another author but Gogol makes them so convincing that I'd not hesitate to believe him if he told me that the fantasy and absurdity that al...more
This was my introduction to Gogol, and I am definitely interested in more. This collection of tales is exclusively made up of either stores that contain ghosts, devils, witches or the like, or stories that simply traffic in the absurd of human nature and behavior.
Gogol pulls each of these off beautifully, moving effortlessly between truly horrific passages on the one hand, and then over to deftly comic scenes on the other. This back and forth all takes place within events that we mig...more
Gogol pulls each of these off beautifully, moving effortlessly between truly horrific passages on the one hand, and then over to deftly comic scenes on the other. This back and forth all takes place within events that we mig...more
(dont know which stories r included here) but anyway i like gogol a lot esp his ukrainian tales so "evenings on a farm near dikanka" r my fav except for “shponka” tale and “terrible vengeance”, out of "mirgorod" tales i liked "viy" and "ivan i vs ivan n" and regarding "st pet tales" i liked “nose” and “overcoat”, “diary of a madman” was also nice, oh and btw we have a nose monument here in st pet :)
Gogol is an author I've been meaning to read for a long time, not only because he's referenced several times in *The Master and Margarita,* but also because he's said to be a predecessor of both Kafka's and Dostoevsky's. Reading his short stories (translated by Pevear and Volokhonsky, arguably the best Dostoevsky translators around -- plus they're on the FSG imprint so HOW, I ask you, can they be bad) certainly confirmed that. The Ukrainian stories were, as a group, relatively more whimsical, al...more
Megan
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review of another edition
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review of another edition
Recommended to Megan by:
got them after reading The Namesake
utterly surprising, every single time you read them. from the folk tales to the city tales, these are...indescribable... almost unworldly in their ability to create imagery and character. a kind of storytelling that is almost frightening--i always felt swallowed up in Gogol's world. awesome, in the lesser-used sense of the word.
Gogol is a fun writer. Let's face it, most Russian novels and stories do not tend to make one crap one's pants with laughter, to use a common phrase. But Gogol writes with a certain lightness that makes his stories go down easy. I'd swear that some of the stories are satirical, but I don't know enough about Russia in the 1830s to be sure. The best known stories in this collection are The Overcoat, a heartbreaking story about a copyist who saves up to buy a new coat, and The Nose, a wonderful...more
This collection of charming and sometimes gory stories was enjoyable. Though reading it leaves me with questions regarding Russian culture, it was easy enough to assimilate advances in plots and comprehend character evolution.
Reading Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake" made me curious about reading Gogol. Several times Lahiri mentioned "The Overcoat" and "The Nose." Since "The Overcoat" was the last story in the book, I read the other stories first...more
Reading Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake" made me curious about reading Gogol. Several times Lahiri mentioned "The Overcoat" and "The Nose." Since "The Overcoat" was the last story in the book, I read the other stories first...more
"When and what time he had entered the department and who appointed him, no one could recall. However many directors and other superiors came and went, he was always to be seen in on and the same place, in the same position, in the same capacity, as the same copying clerk, so that after a while they became convinced that he must simply have been born into the world ready-made, in a uniform, and with a balding head."
from "The Overcoat"
"An...more
from "The Overcoat"
"An...more
i went to the bookstore in search of ginsberg and came out clutching gogol...this is an incredible read...j.d. salinger meets h.p. lovecraft..
A digression-free, lean review, gentlemen! exclamation points a-plenty!
The first six Ukrainian tales are a tedious, dreadful slog. "The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich" has a funny premise, and funny moments, but is too bloated. Then, we hope Gogol gets better when he gets to Petersburg, and he mostly does. "The Nose" is really good; "The Overcoat" is great; and "Diary of a Madman" is awesome. The others are as c...more
The first six Ukrainian tales are a tedious, dreadful slog. "The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich" has a funny premise, and funny moments, but is too bloated. Then, we hope Gogol gets better when he gets to Petersburg, and he mostly does. "The Nose" is really good; "The Overcoat" is great; and "Diary of a Madman" is awesome. The others are as c...more
Deceptive. The book, a collection of "tales," started in an overly descriptive, flowery style, but as I got into it, it felt beautifully written. Poetic. I thought I may have to read a War & Peace-like tome, but really enjoyed the first 2 stories. And then I realized that the tales were all interconnected. It was like reading a novel and each "tale" was really a chapter of the same story. The characters gave me a glimpse of the kerchief-wearing blond Ukrainian girl and the da...more
This version of Gogol's Collected Tales includes his Ukranian and Petersburg Tales of which, now Tales can be complete without The Nose and The Overcoat (the story that Dostoyevsky's credits as the beginning of modern Russian Literature, "we all came from Gogol's Cloak"). If you have never read any Gogol, you need to read those two stories, it explains all his other stories. There is something about them a mystical quality along with folktales that all dovetails into criticism of human...more
There's not a bad story in this batch! But I especially loved "Nevsky Prospect" and "The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich". These are long stories, but they are cozy and full-of-life stories that I want to read out loud by a campfire. Nobody alternates between the absurdly comical and the frightfully chilling like Gogol. The first half (Ukrainian Tales) tells more stories that are mystical in nature, sounding sometimes like folktales, dealing w...more
Like the PV translation of Dead Souls, this collection highlights Gogol's wordplay and "nameology" as only Pevear and Volokhonsky can. I've read The Overcoat before, mainly due to Dostoevsky's influence. He once said that "We all come out of Gogol's Overcoat."
This collection shows Gogol's dual writing careers in his homeland Ukraine, and later in Petersburg. The duality is best defined by his subject matter. Much of the Ukrainian tales deal with folk superstitions...more
This collection shows Gogol's dual writing careers in his homeland Ukraine, and later in Petersburg. The duality is best defined by his subject matter. Much of the Ukrainian tales deal with folk superstitions...more
i read a mess of these in college for one of my (many) Russian lit courses... but not all of them. after running into a Russian speaker on the metro the other day, methinks it's time to revisit the college obsessions.
edit: finally finished! this collection of Gogol's works is divided up into two bits: his earlier Ukrainian and later Petersburg tales. the former read more like old folk tales, stories spun tightly around superstition and lore, faith in God and fear of (the) devil-tric...more
edit: finally finished! this collection of Gogol's works is divided up into two bits: his earlier Ukrainian and later Petersburg tales. the former read more like old folk tales, stories spun tightly around superstition and lore, faith in God and fear of (the) devil-tric...more
This was my first time reading Gogol. I read it for a book group. I found it hard going, I had to push myself to read it, but it is a very worthwhile read. I was impressed with the energy and vitality of Gogol's writing. I enjoyed the magical realism in some of the stories, and there were some very witty meta-narrative moments which foreshadowed postmodernism (it the way he meanders, and refers). I am glad I read it - I feel like I've plugged a gap in my knowledge of modern literature.
Stunning collection. This man set the bar so very high for all Russian writers, and, centuries later, influenced some of the best American short story writers as well. "The Government Inspector" and "The Overcoat" are stand-outs, but there's not one bland story here. Gogol engages you, and his stories sustain over time--what else could you ask for? Oh, and he illustrates the joys and pains of everyday life. Amazing.
I was in an airport in Nottingham, England with Ben filling out those "welcome to the country, now who are you?!" cards.
We get up to th police clerk and I give him my card and move off to the side. Ben hands over his card. Trouble. Police clerk (sherrif of nottingham perhaps??) says "do you think you are funny?" and proceeds to berate Ben with such ditties as "Do you want to make y our girlfriend cry, I'll send you back to France!). Turns out that Ben put "...more
We get up to th police clerk and I give him my card and move off to the side. Ben hands over his card. Trouble. Police clerk (sherrif of nottingham perhaps??) says "do you think you are funny?" and proceeds to berate Ben with such ditties as "Do you want to make y our girlfriend cry, I'll send you back to France!). Turns out that Ben put "...more
all these stories are real cool. totes sux living in a late-capitalist post-industrial society when i could be living in a weird hobbit cove in the ukraine having trouble with ghosts, dudes. and, like, a kewl ukranian peasant girlfriend. or a miserable middle management type in st. petersburg. oops that last part is actually true, soz. in conclusion, 5/5
This is the Constance Garnett translation. Some readers are very fond of her work, however Nabokov had strong opinions about it.
Both volumes feature a mixture of the Ukrainian and Petersburg tales.
On the whole for a general reader I'd recommended a shorter one volume selection rather than a complete collection like these two volumes.
Both volumes feature a mixture of the Ukrainian and Petersburg tales.
On the whole for a general reader I'd recommended a shorter one volume selection rather than a complete collection like these two volumes.
This book is a great collection of Gogol's surrealist- flavored, dark- witted writing. "The Nose" is one of my favorite pieces of literature by virtue of its absurdity. Gogol makes pointed critiques of Russian society in the era in which he lived, in ways that are both sad and wildly hilarious to read about.
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Gogol was born in the Ukrainian Cossack village of Sorochyntsi, in Poltava Governorate of the Russian Empire, present-day Ukraine. His mother was a descendant of Polish nobility. His father Vasily Gogol-Yanovsky, a descendant of Ukrainian Cossacks, belonged to the petty gentry, wrote poetry in Russian and Ukrainian, and was an amateur Ukrainian-language playwright who died when Gogol was 15 years ...more
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“Man is such a wondrous being that it is never possible to count up all his merits at once. The more you study him, the more new particulars appear, and their description would be endless.”
—
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“He who has talent in him must be purer in soul than anyone else. Another will be forgiven much, but to him it will not be forgiven. A man who leaves the house in bright, festive clothes needs only one drop of mud splashed from under a wheel, and people all surround him, point their fingers at him, and talk about his slovenliness, while the same people ignore many spots on other passers-by who are wearing everyday clothes. For on everyday clothes the spots do not show.”
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3 people liked it
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