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Pushkin: A Biography
by
In the course of his short, dramatic life, Aleksandr Pushkin gave Russia not only its greatest poetry–including the novel-in-verse Eugene Onegin–but a new literary language. He also gave it a figure of enduring romantic allure–fiery, restless, extravagant, a prodigal gambler and inveterate seducer of women. Having forged a dazzling, controversial career that cost him the e
...more
Paperback, 784 pages
Published
November 9th 2004
by Vintage
(first published 2002)
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Showing 1-30
The best biography I have ever read, totally absorbing. Pushkin was always falling in and out of love.
His most famous lyric:
I loved you: love still, perhaps,
Is not quite extinguished in my soul;
But let it no longer alarm you;
I do not want to distress you in any way.
I loved you silently, hopelessly,
Tortured now by shyness, now by jealousy;
I loved you so sincerely, so tenderly,
May God grant you be so loved by another.
Another of my favourites is quoted in the book:
What good is my name to you?
It wil ...more
His most famous lyric:
I loved you: love still, perhaps,
Is not quite extinguished in my soul;
But let it no longer alarm you;
I do not want to distress you in any way.
I loved you silently, hopelessly,
Tortured now by shyness, now by jealousy;
I loved you so sincerely, so tenderly,
May God grant you be so loved by another.
Another of my favourites is quoted in the book:
What good is my name to you?
It wil ...more
How can you not love Pushkin? He's funny, impish, incredibly ugly but still a lady's man. Had kick-ass Wolverine sideburns that you can practically feel if you rub your hand over this book's cover portrait. And this isn't even considering the fact that he singlehandedly founded Russian literature and shaped its direction for the next 150+ years. Like Calvino's old writer, he seems to literally grow masterpieces, the way a vine grows melons.
Binyon's biography is focused, sometimes annoyingly, bu ...more
Binyon's biography is focused, sometimes annoyingly, bu ...more
Not a Life and Works or a critical biography, so not a good choice if you want to know details about Pushkin's work and its relation to the world in any detailed way, but an absorbing portrait of early nineteenth-century literary Russia as it circled around Pushkin. Pushkin himself was impulsive, extravagant, reckless, often self-destructive; he had a knack for saying and doing exactly the things that would make his life more difficult, and he was utterly unable to handle money (while at the sam
...more
Jun 11, 2010
Geoff
marked it as to-read
when looking at used copies of this book online, one of the descriptions of the condition was "may be shiny". what the hell?
This was a good book, but not for the casual reader with just a passing interest. It was well researched with lots information about people just barely connected to Pushkin.
PUSHKIN, A Biography. (2003). T. J. Binyon. ****.
This is a well-researched and meticulously detailed biography of the famous Russian writer. It is most definitely a slow read. The life of Pushkin is covered from the history of his family through to his death by duel. I was not aware of the sort of life led by the writer. His early works – primarily his poems – seemed to be written on the spur of the moment, and mostly acted as clever insults of his rivals or enemies. His use of language was cert ...more
This is a well-researched and meticulously detailed biography of the famous Russian writer. It is most definitely a slow read. The life of Pushkin is covered from the history of his family through to his death by duel. I was not aware of the sort of life led by the writer. His early works – primarily his poems – seemed to be written on the spur of the moment, and mostly acted as clever insults of his rivals or enemies. His use of language was cert ...more
An excellent biography of the Shakespeare of Russian literature. There is more detail here than you need if you have only a passing interest, but if you really enjoy Russian literature a comprehensive understanding of who Pushkin really was will enhance your enjoyment immeasurably.
Very detailed biography of Russia's greatest poet. A good read for anyone interested in the colorful life of A.S. Pushkin.
Dostoevsky or Pushkin ? Who's Russia's literary messiah ?
Μια ιδιαίτερη βιογραφία με πολύ ενδιαφέρον!
Detailed account of Pushkin's life and work by a distinguished Oxford academic.
A fascinating insight into Russia's celebrated poet and novelist, whose own life was as dramatic and eventful as that of the hero Eugene Onegin, a brooding young Romantic suffering from the common malaise of his generation, feeling restless, aloof and stifled by social constraints. Yet, as a product of the very society he despises, he is never truly free from its influence. After an argument between Onegin and his fri ...more
A fascinating insight into Russia's celebrated poet and novelist, whose own life was as dramatic and eventful as that of the hero Eugene Onegin, a brooding young Romantic suffering from the common malaise of his generation, feeling restless, aloof and stifled by social constraints. Yet, as a product of the very society he despises, he is never truly free from its influence. After an argument between Onegin and his fri ...more
The depth of research in this biography was impressive. Binyon does a good job navigating all the correspondence among Pushkin and those who knew him. He also got an impressive handle on the desperate financial situation the poet faced. I was struck not only the tragedy of a life cut short, but by the way that even while Pushkin was living he could not find the right circumstances to be as productive a writer as he could have been.
Nov 29, 2007
Eric
marked it as to-read
Got as far as the Decemberist revolt. It may be that right now I'm simply not in the mood for the investigative hair splitting of literary biography - this week I started Savigneau's life of Yourcenar and chucked it after two chapters - but I also suspect that Binyon lacks a style. For another time.
Well researched and interestingly written. Lots of details of Pushkin's life, sometimes a little too much. The author chose to focus on the poet's life only, so there is little evaluation of this literary giant as a creative artist.
Oct 10, 2010
Laurie
added it
terrific
Pushkin: Not a Good Biography.
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Timothy John Binyon was an English scholar and crime writer. He was a distant relative of the poet, Laurence Binyon.
T.J. Binyon was born in Leeds, where his father was a university lecturer. When, aged 18, he was doing National Service, he was assigned to the Joint Services School for Linguists in Bodmin, Cornwall, to learn Russian. There, in 1954, the young soldiers, among them Alan Bennett, Mich ...more
T.J. Binyon was born in Leeds, where his father was a university lecturer. When, aged 18, he was doing National Service, he was assigned to the Joint Services School for Linguists in Bodmin, Cornwall, to learn Russian. There, in 1954, the young soldiers, among them Alan Bennett, Mich ...more
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