Dennis’s Reviews > The Collected Stories of Isaac Babel > Status Update
Dennis
is on page 133 of 512
Early stories were good and started to give a taste of his writing. Stories are like 1-3 pages but dense and can be hard to follow. Gemini helped explain a lot and unpack things I wouldn’t have gotten myself.
Excited to read the Odessa Stories now.
— Feb 21, 2026 08:53PM
Excited to read the Odessa Stories now.
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Dennis’s Previous Updates
Dennis
is on page 155 of 512
Odessa stories are interesting and dense. Interesting writing style and I hadn’t read Jewish gangster stories before, much less really learned about Jewish life in Odessa, which was a very Jewish city back when he was writing these.
— Feb 25, 2026 09:21AM
Dennis
is on page 140 of 512
The King in Odessa Stories is interesting. A bit longer and more grotesque. I have now seen his writing as realism in life and his Jewish characters are more than just scholars, but this is the first one where Jews are the gangsters. Interesting!
— Feb 22, 2026 09:09PM
Dennis
is on page 127 of 512
The end of hypatius is an interesting short story explaining the start and end of the Romanov dynasty. Short and detailed, Gemini is helping me understand all the layers that Babel writes and that a novice wouldn’t fully appreciate
— Feb 21, 2026 06:51PM
Dennis
is on page 122 of 512
Appreciating the short, punchy, and deep meanings behind the early stories. I am reading and then getting additional context and clarity with Gemini, but enjoying learning about the stories he created based on history unfolding around him.
— Feb 20, 2026 10:03PM
Dennis
is on page 105 of 512
The sin of Jesus Christ story was great. Others are short and interesting too (Marescot, Quacker)
— Feb 16, 2026 09:29AM
Dennis
is on page 84 of 512
Doudou was a pretty short story I wasn’t expecting from Babel.
Shabos story: “[she] had only ten fingers, but she had many more curses.” made me laugh.
— Feb 13, 2026 08:10AM
Shabos story: “[she] had only ten fingers, but she had many more curses.” made me laugh.
