Tom's comments (member since Jul 12, 2008)

Tom's comments from the Russian Readers Club group.

`Interesting, Igor. I thought I'd read somewhere that Russian editions had cut that scene. Too inflamatory, no doubt.

Very interesting, Pavel. Thanks for this summary.

Ivan, it's in a story titled "The Road" (as translated by Peter Constantine).

Came across a George Orwell essay titled "Tolstoy, Lear and the Fool," in which I was stunned to learn that Tolstoy wrote a pamphlet near the end of his life disparaging Shakespeare up one side and down the other, finding nothing redeeming or praiseworthy in S's plays. Anyone ever read this pamphlet?

This is off the topic a bit, but I thought you Turgenev fans might enjoy his essay, "The Execution of Tropmann," a searing account of mob attending beheading of convicted murderer in Paris. It's in anthology Art of the Personal Essay, Lopate, ed.

In a recent review of Frederick Seidel poems (NYRB 7.16.09), the reviewer mentions a poem with the following reference to an Isaac Babel story: "Like the young bride in the Babel story / Forced to eat her husband's penis."

Anyone know title of this story? Is it from Red Cavalry collection? (the incident of bizarre violence would suggest so) I've read lots of Babel's stories, but never came across this one.

Interesting observation, Bradley. A good friend of mind who's been to St. P a few times says half of the locals remind him of Roskalnikov.

Anne, I just started reading Mandelshtam. So far, he strikes me a the verse counterpart to Babel's prose -- such compressed and rich imagery.

I'm not familiar with Smirnov, but always appreciate hearing about new Russian writers. Thanks, Cyura.

The Double is fine by me.

The Duel would be my top choice, but I'd be happy with The Double or The Gambler. Don't know anything about Kharms.

There's a very interesting essay on S's prose style in last Sunday's NYT Book Review (8.31.08), by Michael Scammell, a biographer of S. It's mostly an appreciation of S. the stylist, with lots of rich examples from Day in the Life, Gulag, and even some short stories (who would ever imagine that that author of such gargantuan novels also wrote short stories?? I wonder if they're collected in English volume?), but the part I found most intriguing is Scammell's contention that in some ways Soviet censorhip was good for S's style because it reined in his excesses, which, according to Scammell, so mar S's huge novels after coming to America. Censorship, says Scammell, forced S. to write in the compressed and elliptical style that gives Day in the Life such power. Now I confess that it's been so long since I read that book that I remember very little of the its style, but Scammell's essay makes me want to reread it with this idea in mind.

I've never read Gulag either, but Scammell quotes one passage that makes me want to read that work as well: "Gradually it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, not between classes, nor between political parties, but through every human heart."

Now that's a timeless line!

Neat stories, Phillip. That must've been a great experience. My only complaint about the book is that it doesn't provide a map of any kind. Even a general sketch would be helpful. But your descriptions are quite evocative, make it easy to visualize.

I don't think Gogol ever identifies the spot, and Blair doesn't mention it, but it would be fun to stroll the city and imagine the square where poor Akaky Akakievich is robbed of his new overcoat, in that seminal short story,"The Overcoat."

Just got a book I think everyone in this group would enjoy: "Literary St. Petersburg: A Guide to the City and Its Writers." Elaine Blair. Published by The Little Bookroom.

It includes writers from Pushkin through Brodsky, and some I had not heard of until mentioned recently by members of this group -- Blok, Zoschenko, Kharms, among others. Zamyatin, as well, which I found most propitious, since we're reading him now.

Each writer has a brief but informative bio sketch, and a guide to sites associated with the writer and his literary works. Nice illustrations and author photos / portraits, too.

The entire book design is quite attractive -- tall, slender format, modeled, I suppose, on the traditional Michelin tourist guides. Very stylish.

Ha, great line, Anna! I'm passing it along to a friend who adores all mentioned in the quote. You know it's funny, when I first tried to read Chekhov in my early 20s, I found his stories dull and pointless, just didn't "get it." Chalk it up to callow and ignorant youth. Now, many years and a few translations later, I think he'd be the proverbial "one-book-to-save-if-the-house-were-burning-down" choice. (though collected I.B Singer stories might make me linger long enough, a copy of each author in each hand, to singe my eyebrows. In the end, though, I'd probably have to save Anton and leave behind Isaac Bashevis.

Per a previous suggestion, I've opened this thread for ongoing nominations for future reads. Somebody wise in the group suggested this way we could have enough lead time to decide and order books for the next month (assuming we continue on a monthly schedule). I'm carrying over some nominations from the last vote. Feel free to add anything.

Bulgakov, Heart of a Dog
Chekhov, The Duel
Dostoevsky, The Gambler / The Double
Tolstaya, On the Golden Porch

Your participation would not only be "alright," David, but celebrated. As long as you know the password (psst, "swordfish"), you're most welcome. Traversing the steppe of Russian literature requires an expansive and expanding team.

If folks prefer a weekly schedule of some sort, that's fine by me, Natasha. For myself, things are just too hectic the first couple of weeks of a new semester, and therefore I expect my own reading schedule will be fairly chaotic and unpredictable. But that shouldn't influence what others do

Since we're devoting the month of Sept to Zamyatin, one option would be to just have folks post comments as they feel so moved at any point during the month, whether that be the first or last week of the month, and let the discussion evolve organically.

But I certainly have no objections if others prefer something more structured. Feel free to suggest something, and others can jump in as they feel ready to do so.

(I had posted these comments elsewhere, but since the larger topic of translations has come up regarding Zamyatin, I thought I'd repost here.)

I've read two translations of Isaac Babel -- Walter Morison and Peter Constantine. The intriguing thing I find about different versions is that the one I read first often strikes me as the "original," regardless of quality, and therefore, it can take me awhile to warm up to a newer one. (In some strange way, it almost feels like I'm "cheating on" or betraying the first translator -- such are the obsessions and eccentric symptoms of reading literature in translation.)

Morison's version, published in 1960, was my first reading of Babel. I'm not even sure it's still in print. I found a copy in a used book store. C's came out in 2002.

Here's a brief comparison from one of my favorite B. stories, "The Death of Dolgushov." (WM) Even the different titles are revealing, as C. uses "Dolgushov's Death," suggesting a directness and spareness missing in M.

This is from opening description of Commander Korochaev and the setting:

(M): "His cloak floating about him, he galloped away -- black from head to foot, his pupils like live coals.
The brigades were forming on the board-flat plain. The sun was traveling through purple haze. In ditches wounded men were taking a bite. Lying about on the grass were nurses, singing softly. Afonka's scouts were beating the fields in search of dead and equipment."

(C): "And off he charged -- fluttering, black, with eyes of coal.
On the plain, flat as a board, the brigades were regrouping. The sun rolled through the crimson dust. Wounded men sat in ditches, eating. Nurses sang on the grass and sang in hushed voices. Afonka's scouts roamed over the field, looking for dead soldiers and ammunition."

I find C's spareness less effective in the description of Korochaev riding off because he leaves out the "cloak." Interestingly, though, C. mentions K's cloak in the previous paragraph, with the first appearance of K., whereas M. does the opposite.
M's "cloak floating about him" strikes me as much more evocative and dramatic.

In the following description of setting, though, I think C's directness through strong active verbs is much more effective than M., who relies on too many helping verbs for my ear.

So, I'm still torn in picking a favorite version, but just in typing up this brief comparison, I find myself moving a little closer to C. than before.

I was surprised -- more like shocked -- to find 3 different editions at the local Borders. Based on the high-brow criterion of a really cool cover design, I opted for paperback Modern Library edition, which claims to be a "new translation" by Natasha Randall.

Haven't started reading yet, but I think it would be interesting to compare some sample passages once we all get well into the book. I confess that I've become increasingly obsessive about such things over the years, more with poetry than prose, but it can make a noticeable difference in prose, as well.

How interesting, PT! I know a Russian woman here who helped type up illegal drafts of M&M. She's told me stories about having to toss her typewriter in the Neva River to keep the KGB from tracking down those spreading underground copies of banned books. Now that's dedication to Literature, eh.