Reading the Russians in 2021

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Thanks, Pam. I admire your effort to read in Russian.
There is a way to add books on goodreads, using the desktop version. I've done it a few times and it's pretty straight forward.

[Peter]

Pam wrote: "I haven't read any of the books on this list yet but am reading some Russian Sci-Fi by the brothers writing team Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky (in transla..."

Hi Pam. Duolingo is great for a start, just typing Russian letters on an English keyboard is kind of a hassle. I read Roadside Picnic by the Strugatskys earlier this year and also finished reading Anna Karenina, one of the best books I ever read. My next Russian project (start in May) is The Adolescent (Подросток) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky starting in May.

[Helen]

Pam wrote: "I haven't read any of the books on this list yet but am reading some Russian Sci-Fi by the brothers writing team Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky (in transla..."

Learning Russian takes a bit of work, but it's well worth the effort. Good luck with your project, Pam! Have you seen the animated films of Cheburashka? They are quite easy to follow and Cheburashka is so cute!

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

Peter wrote: "Pam wrote: "I haven't read any of the books on this list yet but am reading some Russian Sci-Fi by the brothers writing team Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky..."

Peter - I use Duolingo on my iPhone and downloaded the Russian/Cyrillic keyboard, which is very easy to use! It's a toggle between the 2 keyboards. I bought Roadside Picnic last December but haven't read it yet. I also started Anna Karenina in 2020 but haven't finished it!

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

Helen wrote: "Pam wrote: "I haven't read any of the books on this list yet but am reading some Russian Sci-Fi by the brothers writing team Arkady Strugatsky and Boris Strugatsky..."

Thank you Helen! I've seen a few clips of the Cheburashka animated films. I wish I could find a dual language book but I think/hope my skills will be sufficient to read it! Now that I have a Cyrillic keyboard I can always type in unfamiliar words/phrases and use Google Translate.

[Jazzy]

I studied Russian on Duolingo a few years ago, but had too many problems trying to use the Cyrillic alphabet with my keyboard, so was unable to finish the tree. I should try it again as I'm doing pretty well on my Yiddish course, although so far I can use the letters they have suggested. If it coms to using the keyboard that might be different.

When handwriting the lessons I like using graph paper.

I'm learning a few Scandinavian languages right now though, so probably should wait a bit to take up Russian again :)

PS. I'm watching a canny Russian programme on Netflix as I'm typing this called Fartsa.

[Peter]

Jazzy wrote: "... I'm doing pretty well on my Yiddish course ..."

Are you doing this on Duolingo as well, Jazzy? I started shortly after they launched it, a few weeks ago. It is very similar to German written with Hebrew letters.

With regard to the Russian classics: I yesterday started reading the The Adolescent by Fyodor Dostoyevsky.

[Jazzy]

Peter wrote: "Jazzy wrote: "... I'm doing pretty well on my Yiddish course ..."

Are you doing this on Duolingo as well, Jazzy? I started shortly after they launched it, a few weeks ago. It is very similar to Ge..."

Yes Peter I am doing the duolingo but looking for another course online. I use several apps and free courses for my languages.

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

I just started Memories: From Moscow to the Black Sea by the Russian author Teffi. It was published in English for the first time in 2016 but was originally published in a Russian-language newspaper as a serial between Dec 1928-Jan 1930. Has anyone read any of her books? So far I like this one.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I read that book a couple of years ago, Pam. She was a remarkable woman, to go through all that and then write a book about it. It gives us a different perspective on that part of history.

[Peter]

These days I am going to start reading my Russian highlight of the year, The Brothers Karamazov. In summer I read and like "The Adolescent", so I hope this will be a positive experience as well.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I've started rereading The Brothers Karamazov this week. I'm reading it slowly and taking my time, since I do really like this book.

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

I also want to read Brothers Karamazov. There is just not enough time to read the books I want to read, ever! But, I keep chipping away at the list.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Special Announcement!

I totally forgot about Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin in August, so we will be including him in our December reads, which works fine since it is a long poem.

[Samantha, Creole Literary Belle]

Pam, there is nothing wrong with a long TBR list. What is life without ambitions? 😉

[Tr1sha]

Thank you to Peter, Rosemarie & Pam for recommending The Brothers Karamazov. You got me interested, so I downloaded a copy this morning before going out & started reading it on the train. I’m enjoying it so far.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

That's good to hear, Trisha!

[Peter]

Trisha wrote: "Thank you to Peter, Rosemarie & Pam for recommending The Brothers Karamazov. You got me interested, so I downloaded a copy this morning before going out & started reading it on the ..."

I'm glad to hear this, Trisha. My reading progress is slow as there are so many interesting details in Dostoyevskiy's writing. And sorry, Rosemarie, for busting your plan, which foresees "Oblomov" in September/October.

[Nidhi]

I am also reading Brothers Karamazov as buddy read in another group. Just finished book 4 which ended in a very dramatic way.

Dostoevsky developes his characters and stories in such an unpredictable way that it is hard to put the book down.

I will be reading The Twelve Chairs.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

No worries, Peter! I read Oblomov earlier this year. And Oblomov can wait for comments in the future.
I've just started Book 3, Nidhi, but I read it so many years ago I've forgotten a lot of details.

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

I would like to read Oblomov but it will have to be next year! I think I will still be reading the Russians next year. There are so many I still want to read!

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Great plan, Pam. I'm a big fan of Russian authors too.

And I can set up a Buddy Read anytime. All you have to do is ask!

[Pam, Southwest Enchanter]

Samantha wrote: "Pam, there is nothing wrong with a long TBR list. What is life without ambitions? 😉"

True! I would rather have an impossibly long TBR than a very short one. But, it is so unmanageable at ~4,000 books that I've had to create other shelfs like 2022 Planned Reading so I can track what I want to realistically read in the near future.

[Lesle, Appalachain Bibliophile]

Pam wrote: "Samantha wrote: "Pam, there is nothing wrong with a long TBR list. What is life without ambitions? 😉"

True! I would rather have an impossibly long TBR than a very short one. But, it is so unmanage..."

Hmmm...smart idea Pam!

[Susan]

How about a rarely read Dostoevsky ‘Notes from a Dead House” his semi autobiographical work on his prison experience.I’m about half way through and it’s got all the best of Dostoevsky’s characters analysis.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

Thanks for the recommendation, Susan.

[Helen]

Rosemarie wrote: "Special Announcement!

I totally forgot about Eugene Onegin by Alexander Pushkin in August, so we will be including him in our December reads, which works fine since it ..."

I'm currently listening to a rather lovely reading of 'Eugene Onegin' by Stephen Fry and highly recommend it! Being poetry, it's nice to hear it spoken aloud. I already knew the basic plot but have only ever read extracts, and didn't realise that it is quite risqué in places ;-)

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

I really enjoyed reading it, but it must be even better with Stephen Fry reading it aloud.

[Tr1sha]

I liked The Brothers Karamazov initially, but now find it very frustrating. Nothing much seems to happen except boring discussions about religion or arguments between family members. I’ve read 20% of the book now but don’t care about any of the characters. Does it get any better? Why did some of you enjoy it so much? Advice would be very welcome!

[Joseph]

I rather liked The Brothers Karamazov because of the conversations.

[Rosemarie, Northern Roaming Scholar]

The Brothers Karamazov makes sense at the end, but there are a lot discussions! The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann is very similar in that respect-lots of discussions.

[Tr1sha]

Thank you, Joseph & Rosemarie. It’s interesting to get another point of view.