Introduce Yourself : New Chapter

[Helena]

Hello everyone. My name is Helena and I am not russian.
I have always heard of russian literature being very hard and a chore so I pretty much put off reading it cos I was afraid of not being able to or so. This year I decided it was time to give it a go. Started off with War and Peace and to my surprise loved it and read it fairly quickly and was riveted by it. Followed it up with Dr. Zhivago and then Notes from the Underground.
trying to decide where to venture to next. Notes From the Underground really made me feel intrigued by Dostoevsky so I may give Crime and Punishment a go next.

Look forward to finding new books to read in the group.

[Seth]

Notes From Underground left me perplexed, but I read Crime and Punishment last year and I think it may be one of the most powerful works I've read. The suspense is palpable. Think Kafka's The trial, but more defined and well-constructed.

[nick]

Get into Dostoevsky and you'll never go back. You'll truly understand why he's the master once getting into his more complex works, like 'Demons' or 'Brothers Karamazov'. I personally love 'The Idiot' as well, but I think he portrays much more meaning and significance in the former two.

[Dmitri]

It's always nice to hear that Russian literature continues to be the center of attention of the literary public. However, as impossible to comprehend the deepness of English literature basing your knowledge solely on Dickens, American, on Washington Irving, and Spanish, on "Don Quixote," Cervantes, so even more hopeless to achieve even a superficial understanding of Russian literature without pillars of a more modern period. Tolstoy is paramount, but as soon as you move at least into the 20th century (I am not saying - to modern authors), the better and more entertaining your experience might be. Bulgakov, "Master and Margarita," is a must. Sholokhov "And Quiet Flows the Don," Grossman's "Life and Fate," Ludmila Ulitskaya "The Funeral Party," - that's what I could find as existing in English translation, and what has become a classic of modern Russian literature. Try it. You wouldn't regret. HELENA, read "Anna Karenina," Tolstoy. If you liked "War and Peace," you will love it even more.
Have a Great Journey into a Russian Literature, everyone!

[Cosmic]

Dmitri wrote: "It's always nice to hear that Russian literature continues to be the center of attention of the literary public. However, as impossible to comprehend the deepness of English literature basing your ..."

I love it when someone gives me a booklet like you have! Thank you. I read Master and Margaritas with my daughter. She was learning (teaching herself) Russian. A friend sent her a Russian copy of Master And Margaritas when she requested that he buy her a Russian book. She spent a year translating it and it became her text book for learning Russian. I read it once and started to read it again. I could tell the second reading was going to be better!

I wonder if you have read We? I am reading it right now.

[Dmitri]

O, yes! Zamyatin's "We" is a classic from that period of early "Soviet" literature. Also take a look at Olesha's "Envy." And if your knowledge of Russian literature is already... ah... above average, read "Twelve chairs" by Ilf and Petrov, that's a masterpiece.
Sorry, I don't want to "mentor anyone." However, sometimes I might sound like one, because I teach Russian literature, and of course, want to share what I love ;))

[Jason]

My name is Jason R. . I live in Atlanta, GA, USA. I am just transferring my shelf and groups over from Shelfari where I was a long time member. I like Tolstoy, Turgenev, Chekhov, Gogol, and Nabokov. Especially Tolstoy and Nabokov. I savored every minute of both WAR AND PEACE and ANNA KARENINA. My next goal is to get through CRIME AND PUNISHMENT, which I have never done.

[Helena]

Dmitri wrote: "It's always nice to hear that Russian literature continues to be the center of attention of the literary public. However, as impossible to comprehend the deepness of English literature basing your ..."

Just finished The Master and Margarita and you are certainly right about it. I look forward to discovering more authors first (thinking of reading We or Dead Sould next), but I definitely want to read Anna Karenina eventually. I loved War and Peace so much that I must read more of his work.

[VanillaSky]

Hi everyone! :) I'm Julia and am actually Russian, but I think I also need some "discovering Russian Literature". Happy to be a part of this group.

[Jess]

Hello all,

I'm Jessica, from Orlando, FL.
A little less than a year ago I started on my first exposure to Russian literature, Crime and Punishment, and was immediately hooked. Since then I've read Anna Karenina, War & Peace, The Brothers Karamazov, Dead Souls, Notes from the Underground, The Death of Ivan Ilych, The Kreutzer Sonata, The Devil and Lolita. I now find myself incurably in love with classic Russian lit genre and wish of someday taking on the task of actually learning the language so that I may read my favorites in their original format (and Eugene Onegin for the first time in its correct iambic tetrameter). For now I've been gravitating primarily toward Pevear and Volokhonsky translations but would greatly appreciate any advise or recommendation on that subject.

I am glad to make all of your acquaintances, and hope that I can contribute something positive to the group. :)

[VanillaSky]

Welcome, Jessica :)

[Anna]

Hello everyone!
I am Anna from Moscow. I'm really happy to find such a group. Truly, I'm surprised. I'm very pleased that you are interested in russian classics

[Eilert]

Hi all! I'm a Norwegian upper secondary teacher, specialising in English and Music, and I'm an avid reader of both fact and fiction who may have become a bit stale lately. So I have started looking into modern Russian literature. There seem to be some fairly knowledgeable people on here who seem happy to share their knowledge with us newcomers. looking forward to playing with you now and again!

[Dmitri]

Hello Victor! Welcome "to the club!" ;))

[Elder]

Hello everyone!

My name is Elder and I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil. I recently read some short stories by Nikolai Gogol and it aroused my interest in Russian Literature.

I want to start a project to read the main Russian exponents.

[Gretchen]

Hello everyone, I just joined because I can no deny that I am addicted to Russian Lit. I've read a number of Dostoevsky, War & Peace, and recently Pushkin. I want more!

[Gretchen]

Tesni wrote: "Hello! *awkward wave*

My name's Tesni, I'm fourteen years old, and I live in England. I've been studying Russian for two years, and German for four, but I've read embarassingly little Russian fict..."
Hello Tesni, you have no reason to feel one ounce of embarrassment. At fourteen, I read but, nothing on this level. You seem to be accomplished. Keep going, never stop learning.

[dely]

Gretchen wrote: "Hello everyone, I just joined because I can no deny that I am addicted to Russian Lit. I've read a number of Dostoevsky, War & Peace, and recently Pushkin. I want more!"

Welcome Gretchen! Check out Gogol, Chekhov, Turgenev, Bulgakov, Bunin, Gorky..... there are really a lot.

[Francesco]

Hi I'm Francesco. I'm 20 years old Argentinian boy. I discover Russian literature thanks to my mother i'm really into it. I live in Rosario (in case that somebody is from Arg too) and I'm studying Aeronautic Engineer. Sry for my bad English :-P

[Raluca]

Hello all! great group and hope to learn about new russian authors!
Cheers from France

[Hayley]

Hi all, my name is Hayley and I'm from the UK.

Currently reading 'War and Peace' and blown away by it. Recently heard about Andrew D. Kaufman's book - Give War and Peace a Chance: Tolstoyan Wisdom for Troubled Times, added it to my to-read and his author page led me here.

Looking forward to perusing the discussions to plan my next Russian read.

[Tofu]

Hi!

I'm Daniel from Malaysia. In my country, we don't read anything about Russia - not in history, and very seldom in the news. Ever since I started studying abroad, i was introduced to Russian literature and Russian classical music. Am loving it so far! Crime and Punishment, Brothers of Kamarozow, Fathers and Sons, Notes from Underground are my favourites. Mix feelings regarding Anna Karenina! Planning to read Quiet flows the Don next year! Rachmaninow's piano concerto No. 2 and 3 are currently at the top of my favourite piano concertos. Tschaikowski's ones come next! In terms of ballet, Russian ones without a doubt! One day I want to visit this great country!

[Jess]

Hello! I'm Jess and I come here from a completely French and English classic background and am broadening my horizons, as they say.
I am 15 and have had one brief encounter with Russian literature with Ivan Turgenev's 'Smoke' which I abandoned due to it being largely in Russian, which I sadly cannot read- google translate can only take you so far.
Alas I have an extensive like of Kafka, Gogol, Dostoyevsky, Turgenev and Chekhov to keep me entertained

[Shelley]

Jess wrote: "Hello! I'm Jess and I come here from a completely French and English classic background and am broadening my horizons, as they say.
I am 15 and have had one brief encounter with Russian literature ..."

Jess, can I say that you have a very impressive reading resume for someone so young???

I'm Shelley from China -> Canada -> all around the US and now California. I came from an English literature background but forayed into Russian literature about 10 years ago and have been hooked since. I love all the Russian masters, but if I had to pick one it would be Anton Chekhov who can pack more meaning into 5 pages than mere mortals can into 5000!

[Alexander]

Hello all, I am Alexander. I'm a Dutch guy living in Belgium. I started reading Russian Literature around 1970. In 1978/79&80 i was in Moscow and Yerevan (Armenia). I am hooked to Russian Literature and History ever since. I'm also reading a lot about the Soviet History 1914 - 1991. I feel I need one to understand the other and the other way around. If you get my drift ... Hence my question: Why am I not seeing the name of one of Russia's very important writers Alexandre Solsenitsyn? (Cancer Ward, Ivan Denisovich, August 1914 Gulag etc.

[Dmitri]

Hi Alexander, welcome to the club. I think the answer to you question is very simple. For many people it's just their first encounter with Russian literature. Of course, the first thing they learn it's the Russian classic. That's why there's endless talk about Dostoevsky, Tolstoy and Chekhov. That's where the World mainly stop following Russian literature ... Why, I don't want to speculate on this subject. There are probably many reasons. The only truth is - you are absolutely right! When they will turn "their pages" and enter, at least, in 20th century, the will discover even more ...

[Wiedźm]

Hello everyone, greetings from Poland.
I do not have much time for reading, but I found that the books written by Russian authors I like the most. Only two writers I like better: Gombrowicz and Witkacy. The first Russian book I've got in my hand was obviously Dostoyewski, the second - Gogol. I feel that they see the world this same way as me. Same thing about Russian music (classical, folk and folk metal especially). Recently I started learning Russian to understand it better, as this language IS really different than Polish, despite some people think. Just learned the alphabet and start to read the first words - wish me luck!

[Alexander]

Dmitri wrote: "Hi Alexander, welcome to the club. I think the answer to you question is very simple. For many people it's just their first encounter with Russian literature. Of course, the first thing they learn ..."
Hi Dmitri,
Thanks for your reaction. Your right, they will discover more as soon as they do "the next step..." BTW given your name Dmitri; are you russian or do you have russian roots? Take care,

[Dmitri]

Hi Aleksander, yes, I am Russian, but I live in US. I am writer myself and I teach Russian Literature

[[deleted user]]

I'm Grace and I come from New Zealand. I study Russian literature and language at university, and have been a Russophile ever since I was 8 yrs old. My favourites are Tolstoy, Nabokov, Bulgakov, Tsvetaeva, Bunin and many more. I will be studying in Russia starting from June. I look forward to talking to you all about beautiful Russian literature :)

[Piyumi]

Hi Everyone, I hail from Sri Lanka and love Classic Literature. I have loved Tolstoy since I first read Anna Karenina and then War and Peace. I wanted to discover more Russian Literature and am glad I found this group.

[Yevgeniy]

Hello bookworms! I'm Yevgeniy and i'm Russian from Israel. Currently i'm a medical student and that is taking most of my reading time, but I do try to find some time for fun as well and take myself outside of science when I can.
Although not living in Russian speaking country I always wanted to taste my own culture and literature, from over the seas. During school, we had to read several books each year, mandatory, which took all the fun and joy of it from me. I really gave up on literature back then because it was forced upon me, mostly dealing with holocaust and greek tragedies. Really who is interested in all that when he's in high school?
Any way, curiosity to mother Russia is superior to all that. My first read was Professor Dowell's Head by Belayev, and that opened a whole new realm.
Till this day i'm still in Tolstoy's custody after War and Peace, Anna Kerenina, Childhood adolescence youth and in the middle of Resurrection. And I simply can't stop..

[Reiiii]

Hi eveyone,

My name is Tanya and thank you for having me in this wonderful club.)
Originally I`m Russian.So its easy for me to read Russian books in native language.
I live in Australia and i love love and love ENGLISH to the moon .
Prefer to read Russian modern literature and Russian fantazy.
Russian poetry is beautiful and magical.

`Recall last night, the snow was whirling,
Across the sky, the haze was twirling,
The moon, as though a pale dye,
Emerged with yellow through faint clouds.
And there you sat, immersed in doubts,
And now, -- just take a look outside:

The snow below the bluish skies,
Like a majestic carpet lies,
And in the light of day it shimmers.
The woods are dusky. Through the frost
The greenish fir-trees are exposed;
And under ice, a river glitters...`
Pushkin

[Bunny]

Hi all,

I'm Bunny and I live in Norwich, England. I'm currently mid-way through a Russian literature re-binge, having just finished Bulgakov's Heart of a Dog and loved it! Now on War and Peace, just started the third book and enjoying it immensely so far (I find that half the fun's in keeping track of the various characters, especially the soldiers).

[Eva]

Hi,

I'm Eva from Germany. I consider Dostoevsky my favourite author. Right now I'm reading "A writer's diary" by him.

All the best,
Eva

[Leah]

Hey! I'm Leah. I'm fairly new to the Russian lit game, but I'm excited to more thoroughly investigate the field. I've read Anna Karenina and parts of Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. War and Peace is in progress right now (where it might stay for about a decade haha), as well as some magic tales and a History of Russia textbook. Anyone have any suggestions for more good reads? I'm all ears!

Thanks guys!

[Letícia]

Hi there!

I'm Letícia from Brazil. I discovered Russian literature last year, and since then I can't stop reading Dostoevsky! For now he is the only Russian writer whose works I've read, excepting Tolstoy. Just like the name of the group, I'm here to learn a bit more about other writers. :-)
If it wasn't for Tarkovsky, I probably wouldn't be here. He was the one to awake this desire to read Russian novels, despite being a movie director.

xx

[T.D.]

Hello everyone, thanks for welcoming new members! I'm a literature student in Kansas City, Missouri who, like all of you, appreciates Russian literature and liked the idea of these group reads you sometimes have. Glad to be here! Am currently on Crime and Punishment and have recently finished Laurus by Evgenij Vodolazkin, which was amazing.

[Andrew]

Hi folks. I'm probably entering this house through the window rather than the door, but I'm a huge Nabokov fan who's read a bit of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy, and... that's about it (as far as fiction goes). I'm actually much more well-versed in Russian music (Stravinsky, Prokofiev, etc) and I wonder if this is the experience of others in the group? Also, what do you think is the connection, if any, between the "giants" of Russian music and literature? Lastly, which of the other Russian writers would be the closest in tone, style, and so forth to Nabokov?

[Charles]

Chuck here. My wife and I have started reading Russian novels in xlation. So far Dead Souls and Brothers Karamazov. The characters in DS and the passion in BK hooked me. Looking for next book. Have Gogol's stories will probably be it, unless I see something here that interests me.

BTW not a student, but a retired University IT staff member--I taught faculty how to use computers in their teaching. Started writing mystery novels about Oaxaca, Mexico after I retired. Now reading more than writing. Looking forward to discussions.

[Ada]

Hi all!
I'm Ada,16, from Italy, and I'm just starting to read Russian literature, but so far I've loved everything I've read which... is not much: Anna Karenina last year, and now I'm halfway through Crime and punishment. The thing that fascinated me the most about Anna Karenina was the cosmopolitan life of the higher classes, the way they mixed elements of all the greatest European cultures with their own, and I'd love to read other books about their lives in they time period.
I'm not very active as a reviewer here on goodreads but I like to hear other people's opinions on books, so I hope you don't mind if I don't participate much in discussions. I'll try though :)

[Beth]

Marge,
Might I suggest this chapter by chapter reading of War and Peace blog:
https://medium.com/@BrianEDenton/a-ye...

It has made my second reading of the novel a real joy.

[Pavan]

Hi!
My name is Pavan and I'm from India. I just started Crime and punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky.

[Odette]

Hi everyone, I live in New South Wales, Australia not far from Canberra. I studied Russian literature in my final year at school, a few years ago now, Last year joined a community education Russian Literature course to rekindle my interest. Just finished reading And Quiet Flows the Don and watched the 1957 film. Next book is Fathers and Sons. Looking forward to joining group discussions.

[Jesse]

Hi folks, I'm reading Demons by Dostoevsky.

I started a Goodreads
discussion forum to comment on the book chapter-by-chapter. So far I'm through about the first 2/3. I would love if other folks wanted to comment.

[[deleted user]]

Hi Friends! I admire Turgenev's and Bulgakov's novels as well as Chekhov's and Gogol's plays, so that they inspired me writing my own stories. Once you study Russian, you could read them right now :-) http://www.proza.ru/avtor/helgo

[Tanay]

Hi!

I'm Tanay from India. I have been reading a lot of Russian literature ( but not as much as I would like to) lately, ever since I read War and Peace last year. Till now I have read Crime and Punishment, Anna Karenina, The Death of Ivan Ilyich and I would like to re read each and every one of them.

Right now I am reading Nobakov's Speak Memory and re reading War and Peace. I would love to read and discuss books together with someone.

[Şahin]

Hello, everyone!

I am Shahin from Azerbaijan. I have been introduced to famous Russian writers at a very early age since I am from a former Soviet Union country.

My favorite genre is Classics and my favorite book is "Madonna in a Fur Coat" by Sabahattin Ali. Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Leo Tolstoy are my favorite Russian writers. My favorite Russian book is "War and Peace" so far.

I just joined this group and found it interesting. I would like to discuss the books with anyone. Cheers!

[Nox]

Hello!

I am happy that I joined in and I will look out for the further discussion concerning great and wonderful Russian classics that I enjoy reading. I am Marek and write from Bavaria, Germany. I am new to those works but I've already red some, Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky which are one of the most wonderful and creative writers that ever existed.

Best Wishes!

[Peter]

Hello and privjet!

Since I found an old GDR text book for Russian language on my parents' bookshelves I've been captivated by the language, literature and culture of this country and - to some extend - the entire former Soviet Union. My language skills are rather basic so I read mainly in German or English translation, sometimes with the Russian text side-by-side. I adore Russian and Ukrainian classics like Tolstoy, Dostoyevski, Lermontov, Pushkin, Gogol, Bulhakov, but have a special love for "Soviet" authors like Valentin Rasputin, Tschingis Aitmatov, Wassiliy Shukshin, poets like Anna Akhmatova and Marina Zvetayeva and singers Bulat Okudzhava and Vladimir Vysotzky. Among the contemporary writers I really enjoyed the "Fandorin" novels by Boris Akunin.